Tyrant (Lazaretto Sequel)

eleven

April 22, 2094

CAMILA

It had been awhile since I had ended things with Tanner, whatever it was, and for some reason I couldn't get him out of my mind. It was hard to explain, but I knew he was supposed to be in my life someway, somehow. We meet the most important people in our lives in the most random, uncanny ways. Like on a train or in the grocery store, or when you're having a bad day and you just need someone to come along and tell you you're going to be okay. You can see it in their eyes, and you can feel it in your chest. It's you, you'll say in your head. It's you that I've been waiting for. Whether it's a lover or a friend...they didn't come into your life by chance. There is no such thing as coincidence. That's one thing I learned from Austin.

I hadn't seen Lauren at all, and I figured I could've only been thankful for that. I hoped that she had come to her senses and left town, but that would have been too easy and ultimately too good to be true.

I found myself boarding the subway to explore other parts of the city. Ever since Tanner had shown me around, I had wanted to see everything. New York was like a world in its own, and I wanted to see it all...experience everything it had to offer. I walked onto the subway and sat down in a vacant seat. It began to fill rather quickly with people, and I began to play with my ring. Large crowds made me nervous and uncomfortable. I knew I had to get used to it because New York was my new home, and I was going to be surrounded by people everywhere I went. I felt a presence beside me, but I turned away from them to avoid awkward eye contact or any possibility of small talk.

"You just couldn't stay away could you?" My eyes widened as I turned to see pale green ones looking at me. There's no way. He smiled, and I shook my head. It didn't make sense. The subway started to move, and I sat up straighter in my seat.

"Why do I keep running into you?" I asked.

"Some would call it coincidence, while others would call it fate." He leaned in closer to whisper in my ear, and it sent a warm shiver down my spine. "I, for one, have never believed in coincidences." He leaned away from me, and he smiled knowing that he had left me flustered. He was good at that. My cheeks were red with embarrassment as I swallowed the lump in my throat. I wondered if it was just me, but it was starting to get stuffy on the subway.

"I haven't stopped thinking about you since I left. I can't get you out of my head, Camila."

"Tanner," I sighed. "We've talked about this."

"I know, I know." He held his hand up as he nodded his head. "It's just, I don't take things like this lightly. I mean, what are the chances we would run into each other again? This city is huge, and yet, for some reason, you're the only person I seem to find...repeatedly. Doesn't that make you wonder?" He looked over at me, and his gaze was intimidating. I did understand what he was saying. Running into him again was anything but a coincidence, and I knew that. But what did it mean?

"It does make me wonder, Tanner. And I didn't want to admit it to myself until now, but I haven't stopped thinking about you, either. As much as I want to get to know you and try to be with you, I care about you far too much to let you get hurt because of me. I'm sorry."

"Isn't that my decision though?" Tanner turned completely in his seat so that his knee was touching mine. My body was on fire. My skin tingled, and I could feel my palms become clammy.

I shook my head. "It's not that easy."

"Yes, it is," he urged. "It's up to me whether I get hurt because of you, whatever the case may be. Like I told you before, you're worth the risk. I just need you to take a chance...with me." His pale eyes were pleading with mine, and it took every ounce of self-control I had in me to stop myself from closing the gap between us. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was fate, or destiny, or whatever you wanted to call it. Right then, all I could see was him.