The Stolen

Chapter 13

"Okay. Tell me how we're gonna do this again?" I say, not really believing what Emma is telling me.

"It's easy. We sneak into the luggage part of the ship and hide in the big closets." Emma says, like it's not a crazy idea.

"And what do we do when we come out of the closet?" I say, and Emma smirks. "You know what I meant, dumbass."

"Hey, you hurt my feelings!" Emma says. "Don't you ever insult me again."

"Fine, but what do we do?" I repeat.

"Easy. They can't say no to us, we would increase the female population of the Earth." Emma says.

"Do you know Madison?" I say. "I'm completely sure that she would throw us into the ocean."

"If there still is an ocean." Emma points out.

"Right." I say.

Someone knocks at my door. Emma hides the papers under her clothes quickly as I get up to open the door.

I freeze at the sight of Daniel.

"Hi, Daniel." I say. "I mean, Leader Eight."

"Good morning, three-six-seven-a." He says politely. I don't understand how he remembers those numbers and not my name. "Slept well?"

"Yes, thank you for asking." I say. Years ago, we weren't that cold with each other, we were actually friends for two years.

Emma looks up at Daniel and smiles. "Hey, Dan."

Dan?

"Hey, Em. What are you up to?" He says with a wide smile.

Em?

"Okay, what's going on here?" I ask.

Emma giggles lightly. "Do you want to tell her?" She asks Daniel as he puts an arm around her.

"No, you tell her." He says, touching her nose with his index finger.

I am freaking out. Is this seriously what I think it is?

"Chrix, Dan and I are together."

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What the hell? I want to scream, I want to freak out, I want to snap at Emma, I want to shout at her so she backs away from him, but instead of doing any of that, I put on the best of my fake smiles.

"That's great for you guys!" I say, clenching my fists behind my back so they can't see it.

"Oh, great!" Emma says surprised. "I didn't think you would approve..."

"Why wouldn't I?" I say, and I mean it. Is it so obvious that I like him. "I mean, it's not like I have any saying on it, so..." Way to sell it, Chrix.

Emma smiles and stares at Daniel. "So why are you here?"

"Oh, I just came here to tell Clarisse something, but since you're here, I'll tell you too." Daniel says. Hold on. Did he really call me Clarisse? This is getting harder to bear with every second. I don't have the heart to correct him anyway.

"Okay." Emma says, and I nod.

"So the thing is, in two days, we are going to have a big meeting in the Lunch Room. Some people, like one fifth of the people in Opportunity, won't be there, because they need to control the projection. But you are not part of that group, so it's completely mandatory that you go." He explains. I stare at Emma, knowing what this is about, but she's dreamily staring at Daniel.