Read Online Rebellion by J. A. Souders - Free Book Online

He continues toward me, stopping just centimeters from my back. He’s so close I can feel the heat from his body.
    â€œI lived with it before.” I shrug. “I could write a note to myself with all the things I want to remember. And a list of reasons why it’s better I forgot.”
    â€œIs that what you want to do?” His voice is devoid of emotion, as if he’s asking me nothing more than what the weather is like.
    I look at the coin, then at a paper on the table. It’s yellowed with age like all the rest, but it’s a picture of some kind, with a hand-printed note in a child’s hand that says, “Maggie, 4 years.” Surrounding it are old newspapers with horrific pictures and headlines that read: “Air Battle Rages over Los Angeles.” “One Hundred Dead, Hundreds Missing after Bombing in Chicago.” “New Technology Brings War to U.S. Doorway.”
    â€œI don’t want this,” I say, gesturing to the papers.
    â€œNo one ever does.”
    â€œI used to wonder why the Surface went to war. I never understood the things Mother told us in our studies. That it was over greed, pride, envy, or any number of other things. I never wanted to believe that something so silly as money could cause an entire world to destroy itself. I didn’t understand how anyone could feel so strongly about any of those things that they’d die and kill for them.”
    â€œBut you do now?”
    I furrow my brow and slowly shake my head. “No. But I understand you. I get why you would rather worry day in and day out about where your food comes from in the Outlands, than live comfortably in Rushlake. I understand why people fought back when other people started war for those reasons.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œFreedom.” I clutch the coin tightly in my hand. “And I want that. I want that for me and you and Asher and the people who live here who’ve never known it.”
    â€œThen you know you can’t come with me.”
    I step nearer to him and touch a hand to the stubble on his cheek. “Doesn’t mean I don’t want to.”
    He presses my hand closer to his cheek. “I know.”
    We stand there, just like that. Me staring into his gray eyes. The stubble on his cheek tickling my palm. Our bodies are close enough to touch, but still a hairbreadth apart. Then his lips come down on mine, achingly soft. Sweet. Tender.
    Our bodies are pressed so tightly together I can feel his racing heart against my own. But it’s not enough. For either of us apparently, because he has the same idea as I do. He pulls me up even as I jump, wrapping my legs around his waist.
    His rough hands move up my bare thighs and I give a delicate shiver when they stop at my hips under the skirt, pulling me even closer to him. I have a passing thought that I should feel wrong about this, but I don’t. I don’t care about anything at all except for what his skin feels like against mine.
    His tongue slips between my lips and he tastes sweet like a fruit. I’ll miss his taste. His smell. Him . My heart pounds so hard all I can hear is the whoosh of blood in my ears and the gasping of our breaths colliding.
    But, still, I want more. I yank his shirt out from his pants and arch my back so I can slide my hands under it.
    His mouth moves from mine to the delicate area of my throat below my ear, and then down my collarbone to the dip in the center. I tilt my head back and he trails his lips up my throat. The prickly skin of his chin tickles me when he kisses just under my jaw.
    I dig my hands into his hair, loving the thick texture between my fingers, and pull him closer to me when he nuzzles the curve between my neck and shoulder.
    Eventually we pull apart, our hearts still pounding, and he sets me carefully back down on my feet.
    â€œI love you,” we say together and smile, then he leans his forehead against mine. His hands trail up and down my arms