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27 - No More Secrets

A/N: I am INCREDIBLY sorry for not uploading last night!! I've been out all day yesterday and today... 

Also, if you need notifications or something to let you know about the new chapter, follow me on instagram!!! @verathecreature ANYWAYS. Enjoy :3

My mind buzzed with what the Doctor had said.

"What if we go back to the traditional way." The long body of the Doctor stood in front of me. His uniform glowed under the light of the lightbulb and he cocked his head to one side. Watching me.

"The traditional way, Doctor?" I asked.

"We could have a male leader," he said, "and a female leader."

"What did he talk about?" Cotton pulled me out of my thoughts.

"The traditional process," I replied simply. My eyes stared off into the distance as we walked. Footsteps echoed through the white, clean hallway and the sun shone through the tall windows. Cotton stopped walking beside me.

"You're not getting any weird ideas are you?"

I looked at him to see his bright blue eyes under his bunched up eyebrows. He looked nervous and shocked. It was as if he was scared I would jolt down the hallway, go back to the Doctor's office, and demand him to make me a Leader. But who knew what chaos that would lead to.

"Of course not!" I laughed and tried to brighten up my face. "I'm not that stupid."

His face broke into a relieved smile in an instant.

"Good! 'Cause I thought you were actually considering to take his offer and try to be a Leader."

"But Cot," I looked at him with a serious face now. "I thought you wanted me to be a Leader."

We were facing each other and it was hard to look up at his face now. The sun was bright behind his head and his face was dark from the shadows that formed from the light. His expression was inscrutable or impossible to read.

"That was before I lost you." He reached out a hand and touched my cheek. His touch was so delicate, if I hadn't been looking at him, I wouldn't have noticed at all. I looked down and blushed, embarrassed by his sudden tenderness.

"I don't get it, Cot." I shook my head as he slowly put his hand down by his side. "You're the nurse, right? I know we met in my past life, but there's definitely something more between us isn't there?"

He chuckled lightly and the sun slowly set behind him. His face was visible and his eyes were a warm summer blue now.

"You can ask Zero. I'm not the person to tell you."

"All Dreamers will continue to fill in their Dream Logs. Winter, the new Leader, will now join the Leader Village while the other Dreamers will continue to sleep in their rooms." A metallic voice rang out through the cafeteria while we were having our dinner.

"Lucky you, Winter. You don't have to eat this healthy crap every day like us anymore." Spartacus poked at the soggy yam.

Winter chuckled. "They're just rumors. We don't know if the Leaders actually get better food."

"No, we're pretty sure they do." Kiara threw her head back and laughed. "I wonder if we can visit?"

"If you can, make sure you do. Plus, I'll see you guys every day at the auditorium for announcements." Winter smiled.

It felt weird to see his wrist with a 1 written on it. I tried so hard to lament him and be angry at him for taking the spot I thought I deserved, but the way he smiled and laughed was genuine. I wanted him to be happy because when he was, I felt the same way.

"I know a secret way to the Leader Village." I winked at my friends.

"No way," Patrick's eyes widened as he gasped. "Don't tell me Vince showed you something."

I winked again.

"You are one hella della cheater." Spartacus lightly punched me on the shoulder. "We got a cheater here!!!"

"Be quiet!" I laughed as I pulled him down to make him sit.

"Hey, but Anon. Are you feeling better?" Winter's hazel eyes gleamed with worry. "I heard you had it rough for the Exam."

"Yeah, I feel much better." I smiled at them as I flexed my wrist and ankle to show them I was doing alright. "Minus the amnesia part."

"But your eyes are different. One's brown and one's...black." Winter stared at me in awe.

I blinked several times. Then I remembered what he was talking about. After meeting Zero in my dream, when I woke up, my eyes had changed colors. My grey ones were replaced with a brown one and a black one.

"You guys are in for a crazy story."

I filled them in about the Rare Dreamer and how I was given a second chance before. I told them about Zero and all of the weird experiences I have had with the Astynomia, Zero, and the Doctor. I didn't leave a single detail out and it felt good to tell Kiara, Winter, Patrick, and even Spartacus about the hidden truth.

"That's crazy, man." Spartacus' face was serious and his eyes widened.

Winter just shook his head in disbelief.

"So me and Winter almost died?!" Kiara was clearly shocked. "Our REM sleep almost ran out..."

"I think we can stop all of this," Patrick said.

"How, Patrick? That's what I want to know." I clenched my jaw.

"We need to find out what Dr. Oneiro is up to. Whatever it is he's doing, we have to stop him before he turns other Dreamers into crazy monster experiments. Then, I think we should get out of here."

"Mind if I help?" A voice cut in.

We all looked up from each other and stared at the boy who never ceased to help me be at peace. His grey eye and brown eye shined in the artificial lights of the cafeteria and his crooked smile made my heart melt.

"Is this... Zero?" Winter broke the silence with the question that all of my friends wanted to ask.

"Nice to meet you," Zero smiled. "I'm glad I can finally see all of you without using any smoke bombs or guns. Isn't that right, love?"

He took my hand in his and even though it was scolding hot, it felt comforting this time.

A/N: Zero is back!! And he's upfront and center with Anonymous and her friends.

What's Cotton's relationship with Anonymous? What do you guys think about the get-together?? What do you think is going to happen???