Outer

8. The Northwest Region

I've been awake for at least an hour, but if I hadn't been, I would've been woken to the music of a carousel.

I open my eyes and look around. The room is still dark, so only shadows fill what should be the walls and ceiling. I push myself up and flip on the lights that circle my bed frame. Below me, Adelaide says, "Morning, Kitty. I'm surprised you woke to that. It's so pretty and calming. I picked it out, do you like it?"

When she turnTs off what she chose as an alarm, I say, "You should've picked something that will always wake us. Why did you get to pick it?" She sighs before moving off her bed and -in a swift motion- turning on the lights. The sudden adjustment hurts my eyes.

"Look," Adelaide says, lifting a black card between her fingers. I blink a few times to try to see clearer, but she tucks her card away and adds, "I was given mine yesterday. I was told to give you yours and tell you how they work."

I climb down from my bed while asking, "So why didn't you?"

"I'm giving it to you now! Plus, I would've made it so confusing, I was tired," she says, walking to her dresser, "It's like money. You can cash out your spare points and use them to buy stuff. We all start with the same amount and are given more every... month. I don't remember. Here."

She tosses it to me over her shoulder before pulling out a beige long-sleeve dress with a dark gray ribbon around the waist and bows lining the bottom. She lifts it to me, "Isn't it pretty?"

"Do we have to wear those?" I ask, picking up my card. It's light but still feels sturdy. Is it metal?

"Well, it's our traveling uniform so, yes," she says, smirking at me like I'm a fool. She twirls around to the vanity and sits down, "I woke us up half an hour earlier than everyone else, I hope that's okay. It's six thirty. We'll be meeting the town kids after breakfast, which will be around eight. Did you already know that?"

"No," I mumble. She sighs and looks over her shoulder, "Poor you. Go get dressed, look presentable."

I force a smile to my lips and turn around. I'm only listening because it's what's smartest.

"I'm serious about this one," she adds when I reach the bathroom door. I ignored her and shut the door behind me.

I turn to the mirror and lift the dress to my body, irritated by what the reflection shows. I want these people to know who I am, and I can't when I look like some doll. I want to attract the right people.

I take a deep breath and lower the dress. Maybe I could draw on it, I didn't hear any rules about destroying our uniforms, just that we have to wear them.

No, that doesn't sound like the best thing to pull so early on. I smile and shake my head. This place will get the best of me, and they know it.

I lift the dress again, examining it, before getting dressed and braiding my hair.

"Took long enough," Adelaide says when I step out of the bathroom. She turns, looking both natural and glamorous with her make-up, "Look at you, so pretty when you try."

I try not to roll my eyes as I say, "I wasn't trying, I wanted to look much worse."

"Why?" She asks, smirking, "I guess you wouldn't really care, though. You have two guy friends and, well, they're just your friends."

I bite back a laugh. Like I'd ever be romantically involved with either of them. They're tools, tools that I'll dispose of if they don't give me the results I want. Friends are pointless and every relationship is formed with benefits.

It's true, you're only friends with a person because of what they can give you. If it's something you don't want to lose, you put up with them.

"All students please come to the lunch hall for breakfast," the loudspeaker says, making Adelaide frown. I smirk and flatten out the front of my dress before opening the door. The distant buzzing sounds eerie in the empty and still halls. The lights aren't as bright but are dim like a child's night light.