Nine

                                    

                                          
The First Lie
"Rehab?"
 Ezra watched the way a smirk formed on Yong's face at the sound of Ian's confused voice. She looked down at her phone, watching the way the seconds were counted and wished, hoped,prayed that he'd somehow see through her lie. 
"Y-yeah." She responded, voice cracking slightly. 
"Just like that?" Theo's voice could be heard in the background and she bit her lip, closing her eyes as she prayed internally. 
Please, please, please don't believe me.
"Yeah, I- I relapsed and I knew I needed to get myself checked in before it got bad." Why was she was so good at lying? Why was she allowing herself to be trapped like this?
Help me! 
"But you've been fine for all these years? Even the painkillers you got for your wrist, you were fine with them, you didn't even take them most of the time. I don't understand? We would've noticed, especially Ian." Ezra knew Theo would be the most skeptical, he was a lawyer after all. She looked up at Yong, he had his arms crossed and he stared at her, his unmoving eyes practically boring into her soul. She knew what he was trying to say, make them believe you. 
"I- I've been hiding it from you guys, I'm sorry.  I have to go. I was only given a couple minutes." 
"Wait!" Ian yelled through the phone. "What about Sonny and the others? What about school?" Ezra blinked back tears, holding her hand to her mouth to prevent herself from letting out a sob. 
"I'll figure it out somehow, I just- I needed to get help." She let out eventually, sniffling slightly. Yong didn't say anything, keeping his gaze on her, not a flicker of emotion evident. 
"When can we call you? Or come see you?" 
"I can only call you, I'll make sure to do it when I know you're not busy. I really have to go now, tell Sonny and the others I'm fine ok?" She was about to end the call when Theo asked the one question that completely threw her off. 
"Which institution did you check yourself into?" She stared up at Yong, unsure of what to say. He had a frown on his face, clearly having no answer himself. 
"The same one as before Theo," She laughed off, tone so false it should've been impossible not to pick up. "Where else would I have gone?" Yong nodded in satisfaction and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. 
"Alright, stay safe. We hope to see you soon." Theo said after awhile and without realising Ezra nodded before ending the call. She stared at the phone, feeling as if the last bit of normalcy she could ever have had just been taken away from her. Yong grabbed the phone from her hand and before she even knew what was happening Rose had entered the room again. 
"Take her back to her room and get her changed into something decent. The boys are coming over later." He ordered and the older woman bowed her head before grabbing Ezra's arm, leading her out the room. She didn't look back at Yong, walking ahead of Rose out the room and once they were a significant distance away from the office, she looked back at the door. She bit her lip, praying Theo was able to decipher her message. The rehabitilation centre she had been kept in all those years ago no longer existed and hadn't existed for a long time now. She trusted Theo would pick up on that and realise something was wrong. 
"Miss?" Ezra looked up at Rose who was now infront of her, she pursed her lips before walking again, back to the place that had been dubbed 'her room'. She stared at the open closet and the vast array of clothes that filled it. Her room, her bed, her clothes. Her's. Just how long was Yong planning on keeping her here? What were his intentions?