it, and then ripped open the bag of chips.
Lexie turned off the television. “I’m going up to my room.”
As soon as she left, Eddy asked, “What was the big secret?”
I put a handful of chips on my plate, then dipped one into the salsa and stuffed it in my mouth. “Not a big secret,” I said, my mouth full.
“Says the person who’s in on the secret.” Eddy sounded miffed.
“Really, it was nothing.”
Eddy flipped on the television and started zipping through the channels, glaring.
“What?” I asked.
He didn’t answer.
“Dude, it was nothing. She just feels more comfortable talking to me alone I guess.”
Eddy turned to me, his eyes narrowed and dark. “That’s Lexie. Don’t you remember? She hated us. And we didn’t exactly like her. And now, it’s like…”
“What?”
He shrugged. “You two are BFFs. I’m the third wheel.”
I frowned. “That’s not it.”
He said, “Yeah? Then explain it to me.”
How was I supposed to explain that, until the last few days in the Compound, I’d isolated myself from everyone?
That Lexie and I had barely talked, been closer to enemies than siblings? That, for all those years, I had basically been alone?
How was I supposed to explain that Lexie and I had to finally put aside our differences in order to get our family out of the Compound?
Was it betraying Eddy to admit that I liked my sister? That maybe I even needed her?
Eddy waited for an answer.
“It’s not that at all. Lexie’s having a hard time.”
“Yeah, I noticed. She doesn’t do anything but cry.”
“She was really close to Dad and she’s taking it really hard.” I tried to sound casual. “It’s not a big deal. I’m trying to be nice, I guess.”
Eddy held my gaze for a moment, then popped a chip in his mouth. “Okay,” he said, his mouth full. “Just want to know where I stand.”
I nodded. “You know it’s you and me.”
“Cool.” Eddy turned to a movie and started watching.
I stared at the television.
Had I meant what I said? Some days I felt way closer to Lexie than to my twin, simply because of everything we’d been through. And sometimes … Eddy seemed like a stranger. Reese was beginning to warm up to him, but she still came to me for everything. Lucas would tolerate Eddy, but preferred me, and Cara … Cara was pretty much scared of him most of the time.
As for Eddy and Lexie, I had expected them to get along better than we all used to. We were older, more grown-up, and so much had happened since then. Maybe I just wished they would get along. Because as long as those two were at odds, I would be stuck in the middle. At least we were all together, and it wasn’t as if I’d ever have to make a choice.
CHAPTER NINE
After my morning run a couple of days later, I showered, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, and headed down to the kitchen. As I passed Reese’s room, I heard her talking. In an English accent.
For the last few years in the Compound, my little sister had spoken in an English accent, something I never understood or got used to. Finally, as things began to fall apart down there, she had stopped.
But, now to hear that again …
My heartbeat sped up. I rapped on the door. “Reese?”
The sound stopped.
Silence.
I rapped harder. “Reese? Can I come in?”
I heard a hushed thump, and then the door opened and she stuck her head out the opening. “What?”
What was I going to say? Hey, I couldn’t help hearing you were talking with an English accent, which totally freaks me out … “I just…”
She raised her eyebrows. “Do you want to come in?”
I nodded and stepped inside. The walls of her room were white, but all the material on her bed and other furniture was bright and full of flowers. The television on top of the dresser was on, but the sound was off. “What’s up?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Just watching the telly—I mean television.”
I let that slip go. “With the sound off?”
She quickly glanced
Lexie turned off the television. “I’m going up to my room.”
As soon as she left, Eddy asked, “What was the big secret?”
I put a handful of chips on my plate, then dipped one into the salsa and stuffed it in my mouth. “Not a big secret,” I said, my mouth full.
“Says the person who’s in on the secret.” Eddy sounded miffed.
“Really, it was nothing.”
Eddy flipped on the television and started zipping through the channels, glaring.
“What?” I asked.
He didn’t answer.
“Dude, it was nothing. She just feels more comfortable talking to me alone I guess.”
Eddy turned to me, his eyes narrowed and dark. “That’s Lexie. Don’t you remember? She hated us. And we didn’t exactly like her. And now, it’s like…”
“What?”
He shrugged. “You two are BFFs. I’m the third wheel.”
I frowned. “That’s not it.”
He said, “Yeah? Then explain it to me.”
How was I supposed to explain that, until the last few days in the Compound, I’d isolated myself from everyone?
That Lexie and I had barely talked, been closer to enemies than siblings? That, for all those years, I had basically been alone?
How was I supposed to explain that Lexie and I had to finally put aside our differences in order to get our family out of the Compound?
Was it betraying Eddy to admit that I liked my sister? That maybe I even needed her?
Eddy waited for an answer.
“It’s not that at all. Lexie’s having a hard time.”
“Yeah, I noticed. She doesn’t do anything but cry.”
“She was really close to Dad and she’s taking it really hard.” I tried to sound casual. “It’s not a big deal. I’m trying to be nice, I guess.”
Eddy held my gaze for a moment, then popped a chip in his mouth. “Okay,” he said, his mouth full. “Just want to know where I stand.”
I nodded. “You know it’s you and me.”
“Cool.” Eddy turned to a movie and started watching.
I stared at the television.
Had I meant what I said? Some days I felt way closer to Lexie than to my twin, simply because of everything we’d been through. And sometimes … Eddy seemed like a stranger. Reese was beginning to warm up to him, but she still came to me for everything. Lucas would tolerate Eddy, but preferred me, and Cara … Cara was pretty much scared of him most of the time.
As for Eddy and Lexie, I had expected them to get along better than we all used to. We were older, more grown-up, and so much had happened since then. Maybe I just wished they would get along. Because as long as those two were at odds, I would be stuck in the middle. At least we were all together, and it wasn’t as if I’d ever have to make a choice.
CHAPTER NINE
After my morning run a couple of days later, I showered, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, and headed down to the kitchen. As I passed Reese’s room, I heard her talking. In an English accent.
For the last few years in the Compound, my little sister had spoken in an English accent, something I never understood or got used to. Finally, as things began to fall apart down there, she had stopped.
But, now to hear that again …
My heartbeat sped up. I rapped on the door. “Reese?”
The sound stopped.
Silence.
I rapped harder. “Reese? Can I come in?”
I heard a hushed thump, and then the door opened and she stuck her head out the opening. “What?”
What was I going to say? Hey, I couldn’t help hearing you were talking with an English accent, which totally freaks me out … “I just…”
She raised her eyebrows. “Do you want to come in?”
I nodded and stepped inside. The walls of her room were white, but all the material on her bed and other furniture was bright and full of flowers. The television on top of the dresser was on, but the sound was off. “What’s up?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Just watching the telly—I mean television.”
I let that slip go. “With the sound off?”
She quickly glanced
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