tables with benches that were in high school
cafeterias.
“You still want to go through with
this?” Kate covered her mouth while we waited in line to board one of six
elevators. Several girls looked at us and waved a greeting. Some even gave us
big smiles. Something told me they knew we had passes to go home. But why were
they so happy?
“Yes,” I whispered, reminding myself
that I had to stay tough. It was imperative that I kept my focus on my primary
task at hand. If I didn’t do that, then I’d never get out of Nidus, and I’d
never have a chance at getting Bryce back.
“Maybe we should take the stairs.” Kate
rose on her tippy toes, peering over the girls in front of us before stepping
out of the long line. “Do you want to take the stairs?” The whispers grew
louder and louder, until everyone stared at us and stepped aside. It was as
though someone had parted the line for us. Why was everyone being so nice? Had
they heard about our plan?
“Looks like we don’t have to,” I said,
pulling her through the walkway. “Thanks,” I said giving a small wave.
“Why is everyone going out of their way
for us?” Kate said, smiling through her teeth. “Oh, thank you. That’s so nice
of you to let us cut,” she told several girls.
A young girl, who was friends with
Aliah, ran to me. Without warning she embraced me and whispered, “Good luck.”
Before I could respond, she darted into
the crowd. But who spread the word? Gaby? We stepped into the elevator with
several girls. No one said a thing, just kept smiling. Right before the doors
opened, the girl in front of me turned around and grabbed my hand.
“I wish you the best,” she whispered, as
she pressed something to my palm.
I realized she’d passed me some notes
and quickly shoved them into the front pocket of my jumper.
“Good luck, Kate. Stay strong.” Another
girl gave Kate a quick hug and repeated the same stealth maneuver.
“What’s this?” Kate said, holding the
items.
I quickly tugged her arm down, hoping
the eye in the corner of the elevator didn’t see. “Thanks, we’ll be back in a
few weeks.”
The doors opened, and the elevator
cleared. I immediately pulled Kate to the side.
“It looks like word already got out. By
who, I don’t know. But we have to hide what they are giving us. Got it?”
“Yeah. I just wasn’t expecting this,” Kate
replied in a hushed tone.
“Me either. Let’s go.”
We made it to the dining area without
anyone else stopping us or handing us anything. I followed Kate to the shortest
line and waited to get my food.
“We can probably save some time by
talking with the girls here.” Kate glanced at me as she grabbed a plate of
roasted chicken, kale, and carrots.
“That’s kind of risky, don’t you think?”
I scanned the vicinity, trying to remember how many eyes were in the dining
room.
“Probably. But we’re running out of time.”
“I guess we can keep it short and sweet.
We’ll start with Destiny, Jessica, and Aliah,” I said in a low voice, as I leaned
to pour a bowl of chicken noodle soup, the only thing that sounded good to eat.
“Okay, I’ll let you do the talking.”
Kate led the way to our usual spot.
As I steered through the tables, a girl
I didn’t know dropped something on my tray. It took me a second to figure out it
was the US flag made out of beads in the center of a bracelet. The art teacher,
Pyros, had gotten approval for us to make our own jewelry using glass beads and
leather straps. It was nice, since they didn’t allow us to bring any of our own
jewelry from home. Of course, they had restrictions on how much we could wear
at one time, but at least we had something. I turned to see who it was but lost
her in the crowd of people.
Jessica, Destiny, and Aliah sat, eating
their food. The minute we set our trays down, the chatting stopped, and they
stared at us.
“Well, well. Funny how things are
working out for you two,” Jessica said, wiping the corners
cafeterias.
“You still want to go through with
this?” Kate covered her mouth while we waited in line to board one of six
elevators. Several girls looked at us and waved a greeting. Some even gave us
big smiles. Something told me they knew we had passes to go home. But why were
they so happy?
“Yes,” I whispered, reminding myself
that I had to stay tough. It was imperative that I kept my focus on my primary
task at hand. If I didn’t do that, then I’d never get out of Nidus, and I’d
never have a chance at getting Bryce back.
“Maybe we should take the stairs.” Kate
rose on her tippy toes, peering over the girls in front of us before stepping
out of the long line. “Do you want to take the stairs?” The whispers grew
louder and louder, until everyone stared at us and stepped aside. It was as
though someone had parted the line for us. Why was everyone being so nice? Had
they heard about our plan?
“Looks like we don’t have to,” I said,
pulling her through the walkway. “Thanks,” I said giving a small wave.
“Why is everyone going out of their way
for us?” Kate said, smiling through her teeth. “Oh, thank you. That’s so nice
of you to let us cut,” she told several girls.
A young girl, who was friends with
Aliah, ran to me. Without warning she embraced me and whispered, “Good luck.”
Before I could respond, she darted into
the crowd. But who spread the word? Gaby? We stepped into the elevator with
several girls. No one said a thing, just kept smiling. Right before the doors
opened, the girl in front of me turned around and grabbed my hand.
“I wish you the best,” she whispered, as
she pressed something to my palm.
I realized she’d passed me some notes
and quickly shoved them into the front pocket of my jumper.
“Good luck, Kate. Stay strong.” Another
girl gave Kate a quick hug and repeated the same stealth maneuver.
“What’s this?” Kate said, holding the
items.
I quickly tugged her arm down, hoping
the eye in the corner of the elevator didn’t see. “Thanks, we’ll be back in a
few weeks.”
The doors opened, and the elevator
cleared. I immediately pulled Kate to the side.
“It looks like word already got out. By
who, I don’t know. But we have to hide what they are giving us. Got it?”
“Yeah. I just wasn’t expecting this,” Kate
replied in a hushed tone.
“Me either. Let’s go.”
We made it to the dining area without
anyone else stopping us or handing us anything. I followed Kate to the shortest
line and waited to get my food.
“We can probably save some time by
talking with the girls here.” Kate glanced at me as she grabbed a plate of
roasted chicken, kale, and carrots.
“That’s kind of risky, don’t you think?”
I scanned the vicinity, trying to remember how many eyes were in the dining
room.
“Probably. But we’re running out of time.”
“I guess we can keep it short and sweet.
We’ll start with Destiny, Jessica, and Aliah,” I said in a low voice, as I leaned
to pour a bowl of chicken noodle soup, the only thing that sounded good to eat.
“Okay, I’ll let you do the talking.”
Kate led the way to our usual spot.
As I steered through the tables, a girl
I didn’t know dropped something on my tray. It took me a second to figure out it
was the US flag made out of beads in the center of a bracelet. The art teacher,
Pyros, had gotten approval for us to make our own jewelry using glass beads and
leather straps. It was nice, since they didn’t allow us to bring any of our own
jewelry from home. Of course, they had restrictions on how much we could wear
at one time, but at least we had something. I turned to see who it was but lost
her in the crowd of people.
Jessica, Destiny, and Aliah sat, eating
their food. The minute we set our trays down, the chatting stopped, and they
stared at us.
“Well, well. Funny how things are
working out for you two,” Jessica said, wiping the corners
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