“Whats…” I start to ask, walking into Allessa’s house. What's up is Addie taped to the ceiling.
“Hey, Alyx. Don’t ask.” Addie says, squirming in the tape.
“I wasn’t,” I whisper, mainly to myself. I give Addie a sympathetic smile, then look around for Logan or Allessa. I have to tell someone. I need to do something about our break-up. The one I started. The one I will regret for my whole life.
“Hi,” Allessa mumbles, chasing a girl on fire with a fire extinguisher. I don’t recognize her, so she must be from another Leval. I follow, and when we pass the fridge, I grab a waterbottel to dose the girl with just in case.
“I need to tell you something” I huff.
“What?” Allessa shouts over her shoulder.
“I’ll meet you in the kitchen in 2. I need to find Logan.” Then I shove the water in her hand and run to find Logan. When I turn the corner I came from, I find Logan. But she's alone and crying.
“What happened?” I ask.
“Devon asked me out, as a joke, and I said yes. Her friends dared her. I’m never going to find anyone am I?” She sobs.
How could I tell her about me and Landon now? I can’t.
“Um… yeah, that's rude.” I try to comfort her. I’m always weird around people who are crying. What am I supposed to say? Give me a second, I’ll go beat her into dating you. Last time I checked that's not what she wants.
I turn towards the room where everyone is, planning on leaving and getting away from crying Logan, when I see someone recording the whole conversation.
I yank the camera out of their hands, grab their wrist, and pull. Devon stumbles forward and nearly hits the wall.
I drop the camera and step on it, digging my heel into it.
“You monster,” Devon shouts.
“Don’t disrespect my friends, and don’t do something stupid, like recording our private conversations.” I spit back. She stumbles back, shock on her face, till she melts into the crowd of the other room.
“Thanks,” Logan sniffles.
“Anytime.”
“There you are,” Allessa says, rounding the corner to where I’m standing, and Logans sitting. “What did you need to tell us?”
“Oh, it's… nothing.” I shutter, trying to push past her.
“You're not okay. What were you doing?” Allessa asks, Logan nods, encouraging me.
“Doesn’t matter. We’re having a great night, I'm not about to ruin it.” I say, trying to push through again, but Allessa still doesn’t let me pass. “Fine. I broke up with Landon and was just wondering if you knew how to get that off my mind.”
“Oh god.” Logan sniffles again. For the first time she meets my eyes, pain within her own.
“I shouldn’t have said that. We should be focusing on you.” I say, grabbing Logan's hand. She stands up, and I pull her to the restroom.
I grab a bag from under the sink. In the bag is a rare thing.
“Make-up.” Logan squeaks. She loves to do other’s make-up, but it costs so much that most can’t spare it.
Allessa stumbles in, looks at Logan and me ruffling through her blush and mascara, and sighs.
“Fine. It’ll help both of you but don’t tell anyone, I’m not supposed to use it until my wedding.”
I’ve heard of traditions like this. Families would save up and buy makeup throughout the years, then they would use it for the first time at their weddings. Most ladies had a wedding ceremony at 20. Everyone but me has four years. I had skipped a year when I was younger, my birthday being right after the cut-off, and now I was a year younger than everyone.
Logan starts giggling. “I wonder who you will be paired with? Or do you think you could be rich enough to choose you?”
After the Desies, people stopped loving that much. People would be paired, and given a trial run. If they could make it the year, they would marry. Some people with tons of money, or people who live in New York, the Capitol, would pay to marry someone they love.
“I could only wish. I doubt I’ll ever even make it to the Capitol.” Allessa says. It sounds harsh but she’s giggling.
“How about, when I’m in the Capitol…” I realize too late. “ Aterala,” I whisper. Hell.
“You're going to the Capitol?” Allessa asks.
“No. Maybe.” I say. They don’t buy my bluff.
“I can Read. It's why I broke up with Landon. We would never see each other and he would make it harder if I kept it going.”
“Wow,” Logan says a little too enthusiastically.
“He told you?” I demand. “I thought Landon hated you both. Why would he tell you?”
“He thought you were going to do something stupid like break up with him so that he wouldn’t break up with you,” Allessa whispers.
“That's not…”I start.84Please respect copyright.PENANAOof0dLMfTm
“That's exactly what you did and for once I agree with him, you're being extremely irrational.” Logan chips in.
I laugh angrily. Pissed I head for the door, but Allessa run’s ahead stopping me.
“And now you're doing it to us. You are doing that stupid thing where when you're mad you run away. You don’t talk to us.” Allessa yells. Everyone stops and watches her watching me.
“Fine you are right.” I sigh.84Please respect copyright.PENANA233U9EzswU