"And noting our history as a unit, they get into trouble in response to boredom," Jane added.

"And yet you want to be free, on your own in the world!" the lieutenant pointed out. While he and Jane bickered—him becoming more frustrated at Jane's more educated notions—I was noticing Zaine's look becoming more serious and I didn't think that was possible.

"If you can't trust us, how are we supposed to trust you?" Zaine whispered under all of the yelling. By then, I knew he was done with all of this. I nudged his arm that rested against the arm rest, but he slid it away from me. With every tick of his jaw, he looked like he would explode.

"Union, we have orders coming in from the general so—"

"Union? He's not a soldier in some covert division," I interrupted.

"Stop," Zaine whispered to me. I turned to him.

"And I'm not your soldier either," I added and his eyes stayed low. I looked back to the colonel. "Maybe while you're trying to figure out what you're going to do, we can maybe have a normal day that I know some of us have needed for a while now."

Specifically...Superman-strong teenage boys that need to loosen up and happen to be sitting in the room.

"Do you know how long it took SSAS to cover up your accident and death?" he asked me. SSAS? Secret Security Agency with Specialization.

"How could I when I was shipped off as soon as possible?" I retorted, sarcastically.

"We can't have you walking around in a place you grew up, while everyone is under the belief that..."

"That what?" I asked suspiciously. I was curious. What lie did they tell everyone? Did they make my parents leave? Did they say I moved or got shipped off to boarding school and drop connections with even my best friends? Or did they just kill me off. Frustrated, I stood up. "THAT WHAT!"

Suddenly, it was as if my raised voice was some sort of threat because all of the remaining party in the room clicked loaded their guns and looked cautious. Seriously? Like I'd do anything!

"He's right. How are people supposed to react if they see us and know we're not supposed to be there?" Jane figured. What? Was she not just on my side twenty seconds ago!?

"I am supposed to be here. This is my home and I didn't do anything to deserve on that goddamn island in the first place!" I yelled.

"Aspen..." Zaine started to address, but I looked down at him in anger of all sorts.

"Don't 'Aspen...' me, Zaine," I ordered. "Just sit there like you have been, since you're not fighting for anything because you obviously have nothing to fight for!"

I didn't want to say this, but my anger was causing me to. And yet, I didn't want my lashing out on him to mean anything because I wanted to leave it at that. If he didn't want to admit whatever he had to in regards to either of our lives, then we can just hate each other and stay away. I knocked my chair over and exited the room, slamming the door and hearing a layer of glass shatter. Careless to whoever was looking at the storming adolescent, I walked down the same hallway that we used to get here before hearing another door slam and then I heard footsteps behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and scoffed at the tall silhouette of Zaine.

I sped up my walk and sort of jogged a few steps, but sooner or later, I heard his bag drop to the ground and then he was pinning me to the wall and the serious, aloofness in his composure from earlier was gone and it was replaced with just as much anger and passion that I had.

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