In the Mist of Chaos (Book 4 in the Original SOCIETY Series) ✔

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We were about fifteen minutes from the city the kids lived in and I was getting a completely different vibe than I normally did when entering new territory. Usually, I was on edge. I was always concerned about Bryce's well-being because most of the cities that we had to travel through were Pro-Society. 

It wasn't often that we'd find someone who was willing to help us out of the kindness of their heart. When we did, which was only once or twice, we'd learned to not overstay our welcome too long because we'd put those particular people on others' radar. And when you got on the Society radar, it was game over. 

So as I was staring out the window, I got a little emotional seeing out in the far distance the bright gold meadow with spots of purple, pink, red, blue, orange, and yellow. My lips parted as my eyes widened a bit, following the way the flowers and the long golden grass danced side to side in a slow sway. The sunlight illuminated it even more so it was difficult to take my eyes off it. 

"Are you alright?" I heard someone whisper by my ear. 

I blinked, turning my head to the pair of gray eyes peeking through the small space between my headrest and the door. My brows furrowed and I leaned forward to whisper, "What?"

Oakley batted her eyes, leaning even closer to whisper that she was concerned about why I was crying. When she saw my frown, her finger pointed at my face that there were tears coming down my face. My hand immediately went up to my cheek, wiping at it to look at my fingertips to see that, sure enough, I had been crying. 

I blinked, frowning as I normally would have felt that but I guess being surrounded so long with how horrible the world has gone it was easy for me to mask my emotions. Something my father taught me to do ever since the Society went public. And... and I guess I've bottled up everything for so long that seeing something as simple and---and wonderful as the meadow just stirred the old me. 

The old me who adored flowers and dresses and makeup and... just being happy. She was still inside me somewhere.

I cleared my throat, scrunching my nose as I pulled my sleeve over my hand and used the back of it wipe my face. Then I looked back to Oakley still looking at me and I smiled softly, "See? No tears."

Oakley tilted her head, lowering a brow and just studied me. Though I thought she was a sweet kid, I didn't like being scrutinized (did anybody?) and I tolerated it with Bryce because, well, he was Bryce. But I didn't really know Oakley so I frowned if she would stop staring at me like that. 

"Sorry..." her shoulders went up by her ears. "My brother tells me the same thing when I stare at him too long. I am usually pretty good at getting a good idea of what people are thinking or feeling by their emotions they give off but... but you are a little more difficult."

My brow rose though Oakley offered a small smile. "My brother is like that too. Hard to read, I mean."

I nodded, not really sure how to respond since I thought it was a little strange that she was trying to "read" me... whatever that means. Maybe she thought she was psychic?

Giving her a smile back, I nodded then turned around to see that we'd entered into the city already. 

How long was I talking to Oakley? Or staring at the meadow?

"Where are we?" I asked, leaning forward to look around at the bright colored buildings and the people walking about. People were interacting in a way Bryce and I weren't used to; laughing, smiling, hugging, walking side by side, holding hands... Like we weren't living in a crappy-ass world.