The Girl With No Name // the 100 Wattys 2018!!

Twenty-Two

She was younger when she saw Jasper Jordan for the first time. Being probably about three or four, she was escorted by her father to her first Unity Day celebration with her grandfather behind them. It was one of the rare times that Theresa was allowed to leave their small living quarters, and she had heard how exciting these celebrations could be. There was chatter throughout the corridor coming from the marching people.

Theresa clutched her father's hand tightly, nervous to get lost in the crowd but excited to get there. The closer they got, the more that Theresa's father started to lead the way. In this crowded room stood dozens upon dozens of people that Theresa vaguely recognized from her sector. Some of them were her father's friends, some had visited their living quarters, others were guards that patrolled the area. As she was looking around, her eyes landed on a boy that looked to be about Theresa's age.

Jet black hair that had been combed back, but a small tuft of hair was still sticking up in the back. Theresa managed to slip out of her father's grasp when he wasn't paying attention, talking to one of his friends that Theresa knew. She took small steps, weaving her way in and out of the crowd and trying to reach this little boy. That was when she heard her father starting to panic, calling out for his missing daughter.

"Theresa!" he called out. His voice could barely be heard over the roar of this growing crowd.

But she pressed on, looking behind her to make sure that her father was still in her eyesight. The little boy looked at her just as arms scooped her up off the floor.

"There you are!" her father exclaimed. "Don't run off like that, okay? I could have lost you."

She started to squirm and cry, begging to be let down. "Play! Play!" she cried.

"No, honey. We don't play here." He carried her back, but she kept eye contact with this boy before he disappeared out of her eyesight.

She wouldn't see this boy for another year until she saw him in her classroom on the first day of school. When he saw her, his face lit up and he quickly ran over to her. "I knew you were real!" he exclaimed.

She was confused. This boy looked familiar, but she ultimately had no idea who he was. His jet black hair was a mess and his clothes looked like they were falling apart. "What's your name?" she asked.

"I'm Jasper. You live in my sector," he replied. "What's your name?"

"Theresa."

He smiled. "Theresa...I think I'm gonna call you Tessa."

"But that's not my name," she said, frowning slightly. She didn't understand why he wanted to call her something else -- was there something wrong with her name?

"Yeah, but it's a nickname," he said. "Have you ever had a nickname before?"

She shook her head. "I've never really had any friends before," she mumbled.

"Well, now, you've got a friend and a nickname!" he exclaimed.

She couldn't help her smile. Her teacher called out for the children to take their seats, and so she sat next to this boy named Jasper, not knowing the impact one boy would have on her life.

---

She ran as quickly as her injured legs would carry her.

Hidden behind a group of people, she watched as Kane followed behind Abby into the remnants of the Ark. Theresa's head whipped back and forth, looking for an escape route of some sort that didn't guarantee death. Kane was injured, bruises on his face and signs of scrapes on his white skin.