U.T.O.P.I.A. | BOOK 1 of Death of the Future Series

TEN

NEO

She was different from a few hours ago.

Olivia sounded a bit more... alive. It was nice to see this side of her. I thought she would continue to be cold and stoic, but here she was trying to show some of herself. I had a feeling she wasn't even aware she was showing herself to me. Still, it made me feel a bit happy that I was trustworthy to some degree.

Even if I, myself, wasn't too keen to let her know the deepest, darkest parts of me yet.

"Michael loved going there," I said. "He used to bring me there all the time. He said the place reminded him that there's more to life than what we're born to do." More to everything than just what people wanted to see.

Olivia looked at me before she nodded.

"He found the place then?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said. "He's always been the more adventurous one between the two of us."

I smiled at the memory.

It was during one summer. We just turned sixteen, young and immature. When I met him, he told me he wanted to show me something before he dragged me to Clove Area. I had panicked so much that day but he assured me with a hand on my face that I would be safe.

And I believed him. I always believed him.

'You won't believe what I found!' Michael had said with a grin on his handsome face, his hazel eyes twinkled under the sun.

'Okay, sure, don't pull me, Michael!' I had yelled as my wrist started to hurt from his grip.

But when he had shown me the edge of Clove Area, I fell in love with it.

Michael had been right. It was beautiful.

She hummed under her breath, bringing me out of my thoughts. "How did you both meet? If you don't mind me asking."

"We met when we were eight," I said, taking in a deep breath at the memory threatening to overwhelm me. "We were at the park and he knocked me down accidentally with his ball. I wailed like the crybaby I am and he panicked. We've been friends ever since."

"He's from West House too?" she asked. There was something in her voice that made me want to share her these things. Perhaps it was the way she was also looking at me, eyes wide and attentive. It usually tore me inside whenever I even had to utter his name but right now, it was fine. Even for just a moment, it was fine to talk about him.

"No," I said. "He's from South House."

She raised her eyebrows, looking at me. "What's his full name? Maybe I knew him."

I smiled at her before I shook my head.

"Maybe someday," I told her and she nodded, not making a move to pry.

Silence filtered between us before I noticed the familiar entrance to Clove Area. There was a white fence that stopped intruders from entering deeper into the small forest but I knew a way in without getting detected.

Olivia was getting tense and I almost smiled at that reaction. She really hadn't had experienced such levels of adventures before. It was almost humbling at the thought that she trusted me to bring her here without getting caught. I made her believe in me.

I was proud of myself. Even if she wouldn't be getting a fairy tale romance with me, at least, I could make her trust me.

"Give me your hand," I said as I held out my palm. She stopped walking and looked at me.

"Why?" she asked but she placed her hand on mine anyway. I could feel the heat from her touch even through the mittens. It was comforting, if I was being honest.

"So I can show you the way in," I said as I walked hand in hand with her.

She followed but she looked confused and wary all the while. I finally found the familiar small hole through the fence that was hidden from everyone else.

"No way," she said, pointing at the wide gap in the fence, hidden behind bushes and trees.

I grinned and pulled her hand gently to follow me. Having to let go of her, I squatted and pushed my body into the hole, Olivia following me immediately. It once again surprised me that she was quick to imitate my actions when we were nothing more than strangers hours ago, but I wasn't complaining.

"It's just a five-minute walk now," I said as I waited for her to stand straight.

She took in a deep breath, adjusting her stance once she was on her feet and with her other hand, rearranged her scarf so it didn't slide off her neck. Once she met my gaze, I smiled, jabbing a thumb over my shoulders.

With that, I navigated through the forest until I saw the familiar landmark on one of the trees. My heart raced as I finally pushed away the last few leaves blocking our way and was greeted with an open area.

Right ahead a few feet away from us was a cliff drop.

We were standing at the edge of Clove Area. There were large trees planted near the edge of this hill and right ahead, we could see the city and sectors, buildings built with a specific pattern and arrangement.

I heard Olivia gasp as I took in the view with her.

The moon was glowing in the night sky, making me feel nostalgic and melancholic.

I remembered when I saw this place at night one time with Michael. The lights in the city were like a bunch of stars twinkling only that they weren't in the sky but on the ground. It was like I was in a new world that accepted me for who I was.

Accepted us.

My heart twisted in my chest in a way that made it hard for me to breathe.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I asked.

Olivia immediately sought out my hand and I let her hold me.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.