The Corrupted (Completed - editing)

Chapter 36 - "Reunions"

I step closer in disbelief, as the boy sat by himself at a table, staring blankly at the tray beneath him.

I get close – too close, realising there were cameras all around.

I'll just wait it out. Act normal, until he leaves. I'll decide where to go from there.

I continue walking, casually grabbing a tray filled with mushy food and sitting down on a table facing his back. So I could watch, observe.

I glance around at the people beside me, who sat chatting and laughing almost... robotically. A blonde girl quickly notices me staring, as she gives me a blinding smile.

"Hi! I'm Amanda, are you new?" She says, the rest of the group's attention suddenly turns to me.

"Uh – yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to –"

"Oh don't worry about it! I could tell you were a bit lonely...?" She trails off, questioningly. I stared for a moment in confusion, before finally realising what she'd meant.

"Oh – right. Eve, my name is Eve." I give a fake grin, nodding to the rest of the group.

"Wow, that's a pretty name." Amanda says, her dazzling smile becoming slightly irritating. "Well, this is Alex," She gestures to a boy with brown-ish hair giving a small nod, "Hayley," A girl with chocolate hair and bright blue eyes, "Tahlia," the girl beside her, with hair the epitome of darkness, "And Thomas." My eyes finally land on a buff guy, with black spikey hair and a look of annoyance.

"Nice to meet you all," I smile, glancing over at the table in which Ethan was still sitting, before flicking my eyes back to them nervously.

"So, Eve, what's your deal?" Thomas says, folding his arms and glaring at me suspiciously.

"I don't really have a 'deal'..." I trail off, as the others stared at me, awaiting a proper answer, "Okay, well, there isn't exactly much to tell. I was by myself on the outside, the government took me in and... saved me." I say, remembering Lee's words describing their loyalty to the government. If I told them the truth, I couldn't trust them to keep it. So I lied.

Whilst the others nod, continuing to eat their food and chat amongst each other, Thomas continues to stare at me, with a look of resentment on his face.

I glance back at Ethan's table, my heart practically skipping a beat when I discovered that he was gone.

"S-Sorry, I just remembered I have to be somewhere. It was nice meeting you all." I stand up quickly, picking up my tray as the others waved me goodbye. I could practically feel Thomas' eyes burning a hole through my back as I walked away, dumping my tray and looking for the familiar golden messy bunch of hair.

I rush through the aisle-way of the cafeteria, pushing through the crowd of people until I finally spotted him up ahead.

Finally getting into the corridor and out of the view of the cafeteria, I push gently through the people, one by one, getting closer and closer to Ethan.

A girl beside me grunts mindlessly, and as I glance over I see her staring blankly. Numb.

A shiver crawls down my spine as she turns to look at me, her eyes completely empty. As if there were no longer a soul in her body.

I turn my attention back ahead, quickly moving away from the girl and closer to Ethan.

His mob of golden hair shuffles closer and closer, until I'm merely inches away. I feel my heartbeat quicken, as I step through the last of the people, finally standing by his side. I knock his shoulder purposefully, our hands brushing together in electric zaps.