The Bound Between Us

Chapter 995

Layna was unusually well-behaved today.

She sat quietly through class, and when the bell rang, she just rested her head on her desk, silent and still.

She didn't get involved in the other kids' mischievous plans-like dropping boogers into the teacher's mug, squirting glue on the chair, or rigging a bucket of water above the door. To Layna, those tricks were child's play.

At eight years old, Layna was far more calculating, and far colder, than anyone realized.

Some kids, people say, are just born with a streak of darkness. Maybe that was Layna.

The next day arrived in a blink.

That night, the temperature dropped, and as evening settled in, rain came pouring down in sheets.

In the dorm, Layna suddenly sat up in bed.

The girl in the bunk beside hers was startled awake by the thunder. Seeing Layna getting up, she asked, "Layna, where are you going? It's pouring outside."

There were four girls in the room; Layna was the youngest, and the oldest was twelve.

little grin. "Mr. Simmons wants

late? Why would Mr. Simmons want

back to sleep, Carli. I'll be back soon," Layna replied, her face all

sent here for being too rebellious. She was ten, and before Layna arrived, she'd been the youngest-and the one everyone picked on. Layna once stood up for her,

you," Carli said, swinging

Layna whispered, "Okay."

Layna already had a plan—one that

was on duty that night, unable to sleep, grading the kids' homework

of them only copied their homework or scribbled something nonsense he still graded it

the hallway, then she pushed open the office door and walked

"Layna, why aren't you

as ever. "Mr. Simmons, I want to

for a reason, and it's my job to make

get attention. But not Layna. She was so quiet and good, the staff even wondered if her parents had made a mistake

was the first time she'd

at him, unblinking, for so long it made his skin crawl.

suddenly smiled—a strange, unsettling smile.