Chosen

Chapter 10

He didn't tell me when or where to meet, but I can read between the lines. I wait until after lights out, then sneak over to stairwell H to make my way to the cave-in. The hallway is darker this time, with only the nocturnal security beams to guide me. Everything looks a little more forbidding in the eerie reddish glow.

I crawl through the fence and pick my way carefully over broken bricks and bits of tile to make my way to the hidden tunnel entrance, then feel my way through until I get to the trio of rocks where West hid his lantern last time. I find it, but leave it turned off while I wait for West. Energy, especially something battery operated like this, is precious in the compound and becoming increasingly rare every year.

West is almost on top of me before I hear him, that's how quietly he moves. "Shit! I didn't see you, sorry," he mutters as he bends to pick up the lantern. He jumps a little when I hand it to him before he finds it.

"Uh, thanks." He switches the lantern on, the light reflected in his eyes. "Come on, then."

I scramble up to follow. He takes us back through the maze of tunnels, and in no time at all we're back where the blanket and journal were left. I can tell he's been here since we first met, because the journal is in a different place and the plate is gone. "We'll stop here for now."

"For now?" I'm a little surprised to hear this isn't the last stop. A part of me thought he was just going to tell me something secret or maybe show me in his journal.

"You ask a lot of questions, Elia," West sits down as he speaks. He flicks a hand next to him on the blanket. "Sit."

"You're bossy a lot," I counter as I settle down beside him. It occurs to me that we're sitting quite close again, which usually makes me uncomfortable with the exception of Jay. For a fleeting moment I even wish we were closer together.

I'm awarded with what I'm learning is a rare smile from West. He leans forward and rests his chin on his hands, elbows balanced on his knees. "So..." He pauses. For a long time.

The waiting is making me antsy. "So..." I repeat.

West taps his chin. "I'm trying to figure out where to start," he admits. 

"Maybe you could could start with how you came to be down here?" I ask him.

"Alright," he agrees. After a deep breath, he continues. "I started coming here about four years ago, a year before my Choosing year. History of life before the cave-in fascinated me in school: it seemed so different down here before that. I also liked to explore, and I liked being alone, so this place was a little serendipitous.

"As time went on, I explored more and more. I arranged rocks as markers, so I could find my way quicker. I have most of these tunnels memorized. I was even able to extend some of them," he says proudly.

The whole time West is speaking, I take the opportunity to study his face. His eyes, normally masked or serious, are bright and animated as he describes his past. He gestures with his hands when he talks, and I see his muscles subtly flexing under this shirt. I like how he leans towards me as he speaks, how he focuses on me without seeming to realize my own examinations.

"Earth to Elia?" West waves his hand in front of my face. Oops. I guess he did notice.

I lift my eyes to his as I pull my hair back from my face and let it fall back around me. "Sorry! Just a lot to take in," I say sheepishly.

"Anyway, that's how it started." He finishes, then takes a breath. "But that was before..."

"Before what?" I ask eagerly.

Just when I think he's going to share whatever secret he's keeping from me, West pulls back. Literally and figuratively. He leans away, and I can see his face closing off. "I don't know...we still don't know each other that well..do we." It's not a question.

"I...I'd like to think we're getting to know each other better," I reply, trying to hide my disappointment. It's true though, we only officially met a week ago, and we've spent most of that time avoiding each other. Normally I would have trouble trusting someone under those circumstances, but something about West is almost magnetic, and I feel myself wanting to be drawn closer. I wonder if he can feel it too.

"I think so too," he says simply.

After a beat, I come up with an idea. "What if we come up with some sort of trade until we know each other better?" I throw the words out there before I can talk myself out of it.

"Sounds...intriguing. But what would we trade, Elia?" He looks at me inquisitively.

"Secrets." I whisper.

West frowns. "Aren't secrets something we wouldn't share until after we know each other better?"

"Question and answer, then. Just things we don't know about each other. Because let's face it, we still probably shouldn't be seen together much in public if your secret is so big it could be threatened by my association to you." I may be good at avoiding the worst of the spotlight, but I'm still the chief's daughter. And once everyone knows that's all I'll ever be, I'll be back under heavy scrutiny. "Let's face it, the best chance we have to get to know each other is right here, away from watchful eyes, and we can't come here as often as it would take to get to know each other naturally."

West ponders my statement. "That makes sense. It's a little weird, but I guess it'll work for us."

"You have to tell the truth though. No lies, or else what's the point?" I say, trying not to linger on the way he said us.

"Right. The truth," he agrees. "You're wrong about one thing though."

"What?" I have no clue what he means.

"Being the chief's daughter is not all you'll ever be," he says simply. "You've always been your own person, you know. Chief or no chief, you make your own decisions and have your own thoughts."

My heart flutters a little. "I didn't think flattery was part of this deal," I tease to shrug off the feeling.

His cheeks grow rosy with embarrassment in the light of the lantern. "So how do we do this then? What're the logistics?" West asks, tapping his long fingers impatiently on his knees.

"Well, let's each take a turn asking a question and see how it goes?" I propose.

"Sounds like a plan," he says with a small smile.

We agree to meet once every seven days as our work schedules reset, since we're surprisingly on the same schedule for time-off. We also agree that each one of us has to answer at least one question so we keep it even.

"So what's your question for me?" I ask him as we stand up to leave.

"What?" He raises an eyebrow at me.

"Well, you answered one of mine tonight..." I say tentatively.

West stands there, looking up at the ceiling of the little cave as he thinks about it. "If you could make one change to how we live, what would it be?" He finally asks.

"Wow, heavy much?" I reply. What would I change? Even back when I was certain I was going to be chief of the community, I didn't give much thought as to how I'd change the status quo. Except... "I'd find a way to make everyone more free."

West seems a little stunned. "That's...a good answer."

"Don't you want me to explain more? Your response to my earlier question was a lot longer," I tell him, even though I'm not sure how I would give more definition to the thought.

"What you lacked in length you made up for with substance." He raises his eyebrows at me and I catch the corner of his mouth turning up.

"That doesn't sound cheesy at all," I laugh.

"Sorry, not sorry," he replies deadpan. "You know, I think this is going to work. I already feel like I know you better." He starts wending his way through the tunnels, me on his heels.

"And?" I don't know why I said that. Maybe I just want to keep listening to his voice.

"I like it."

If he were to turn around right now, he'd catch me grinning ear to ear.