Refinement: A War of Europe

Chapter Thirty-Two: West: The Inevitable

Eloise~ West (England)

"Eloise-" I turned around, and saw Olly's bright face. Her gold hair was pulled back in a messy bun, staying together only because of two bobby pins, "Are you going to coffee?" I forced a smile. It was hard to smile.  

"Yeah. Lex and Arielle are already there. Want to come?" She nodded vigorously.  

"Drew keeps taunting me. What is his deal?" She pouted.  

"I don't know. My friend once told me that war makes people break, and I think that is what happened to Drew. Not many people want to be happy right now, Olly." She was genuinely puzzled at this. Her green eyes questioned my logic. 

"I thought that when someone was sad, they wanted to be happy?"  

"Sometimes being sad helps more than being happy does." We made it to the bakery, where we met Lex and Arielle. Lex had taken it the hardest. I knew he would. Jenny knew he would. He stared at the bagel that once had the power to lift his spirit through the roof. Lex adored bagels. But this time it was just a reminder of the times Jenny accused him of having a hard time keeping focus.  

That was the happiest moment I had at Refinement. 

"Hey guys," I sat across from them. Arielle was rubbing Lex's back in attempt to make him feel anything. Feel anything other than hate.  

"I want to kill him, Eloise." Olly gasped.  

"Arielle, will you take Olly to get her assignment for Agglutination?" Arielle nodded, and attempted a smile at Olly.  

"Lex, I have been where you are-" 

"I am going to kill him. Is that not what your tattoo means? Your whole mission is to get revenge on the people who killed your father and sister." I opened my mouth in protest, but I couldn't protest against something that is true.  

"But he is on our side-" 

"IS HE!? Why the heck did he just kill nineteen of WESTERN kids if he is on our side, Eloise? Tell me that. If you can explain that, than I won't kill him." 

"Lex, please watch your language-" He tried to interject, "NO, shut up for a minute and listen. I know it doesn't make sense, and I have asked so many questions too. But think about this; Would Jenny want you to kill him? Or get angry with me? Or cuss in the bakery? Would she, Lex?" He didn't have a response.  

"I- I have felt what you are feeling. I have asked the questions you are asking, and I didn't have a friend to help me through it. For six years I was depressed. And I was set on being so until I was going to kill whoever was doing this to me. Then my father sent me a letter. And I realized I was being so selfish. Because whether or not I was hurt, it didn't matter. Because death affects the evil as well as the kind. Jenny talked to me the day before she- the day before she passed. She said that she wanted me to take the place of her. And I know it won't be the same, but I intend to honor your sister's wish." Lex allowed a tear to fall. 

"Arielle said- she said that Jenny talked to her too. My sister was so d-" He glanced at me and grinned, "My sister was VERY smart. She knew that I would need some friend before she passed, huh?" I suppressed a sob, and decided to smile instead.  

"Eloise, Thaliana- How old were you?" It always hurt when I was forced to rekindle that wound.  

"I was ten," He gave me a look of pity. I was accustomed to it by now.  

"So young." We stood in sync, and offered an embrace. He smelled remarkably like Jenny, except for the the smell of lime mixed in. I had to rise on my toes, in order to be able to wrap my arms around his neck, but I didn't mind. His arms could have wrapped twice around me.