Enigma (Rogue #2)

42

Jay quickly ducked out of the way and pretended not to peer into the glass where Eniola's room was. Her family had come just like everyone else's, and it made him feel some type of way. He was always going to be happy for her, and he wasn't jealous that she had a family.

Definitely not jealous.

Jay caught his reflection in the glass and observed. There were a bunch of bruises on his face, and a bandage that covered a scar on his chin. It kind of made him look kind of badass. He did save the world. Kind of.

He turned and walked down the hallway. The doctors and nurses had left him to walk around since he had nothing too wrong with him, except for the badass bruises on his face. He passed by Iris's room, where her moms and her army of three million siblings crowded the room in hushed worry. Then to Lucia, whose parents and sister had been there. Theo's parents visited Jay, but he wanted them to have time with their actual son.

It was just him. Jay sighed. Everyone had their family.

Jay was just lucky that he had survived and made it back for the show.

As he walked down the hospital hallway, Jay paused in front of another room with a lone figure crouched on a bed. Zaira. Jay almost forgot that she didn't have family here too. At least not yet. She looked shaken and huddled herself into a crouch. She'd fully prepared herself to die inside UTOPIA and was so willing to sacrifice herself.

But Keone took her place and Jay had to pretend that it didn't bother him that no one had any information on him.

Jay wondered if he should go in there. He didn't know Zaira like that. They'd travelled together, but she never really talked to anyone besides her computer. But she looked like she needed someone.

Jay knocked on the door before it slid open instantly.

"Hey," he mumbled.

Zaira looked up at him. "Oh, hey."

"Can I sit?" Jay asked. Zaira nodded.

Jay shifted until he sat on the opposite end of the bed.

"So, you're officially un-dead now, Zaira. How do you feel?"

"I just feel relieved," Zaira admitted. "I don't have to worry about who's watching me or who's out to get me. I can just exist without worrying about running all over the world. After three years it gets less thrilling and more and more lonely."

"I've only been doing it for a couple of months and I'm already over that shit," Jay said, and Zaira replied in hoarse laughter.

"We're the only people here who don't have family," Zaira said.

"Yeah," Jay replied. "My Dad's probably coming. But I think that I already have some of my family here."

"Really?" Zaira asked.

"I do," he replied. "Sometimes you can't choose your family, but you can make your own."

Zaira smiled softly in response. "Thanks."

"No problem," Jay said. "So, who are you looking forward to seeing?"

"Fatima," Zaira said instantly. "I think it's time I finally go on an actual date with her."

"I hope that goes well," Jay said. "You deserve someone you can love."

"You too," Zaira said. "And I think you've already gotten her."

Jay smiled. "Thanks for the talk."

"Anytime," Jay replied before he slowly stood up and left through the sliding door and back to his room. They didn't talk about Enigma or what had happened in UTOPIA. Maybe they didn't need to.