chapter fortyone

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unthinkable

The moment she saw Hayley stomping her way wearing a triumph look, she knew her good day was about to come to an end.

More conspiracy theories. Another hairball scam that would get her in trouble with the old dogs again.

"Hayley, you know I'm on my way to committee."

"This is important. We must talk. They know I know, so it's only a matter of time before they try to hide my body."

She used her history book to hit herself in the head repeatedly.

Julian chuckled.

"Come on, Jess. You have to believe me on this."

Jess took a deep breath and counted to ten. "Okay, Lee. What is it?"

"This morning Savion was showing Macie and me around the ship. He was letting us play with the screens in his room."

"Please tell me that's not some kind of dirty talk."

"Gross, Jess. Listen to me. He had files. When he left the room, I looked through some of them. Yours was the very first file."

"Interesting."

"They're lying to you, Jess. I saw it with my own eyes. You have more matches. A long list. And yes, even Julian. If they are lying to you, who else are they lying to? We can't believe anything they've told us."

"Let's don't jump the gun here. Maybe you mixed up the names."

"I'm not a dumbass, Julian. I know what I saw."

She could no longer hear what they were saying. A loud nothingness was filling her head as she glanced around the hallway at the people walking past them. Aliens and humans.

None of that even mattered to her. None of it. She didn't care about the matches. Had Kellum deceived her? If he had then she couldn't believe anything he ever told her.

None of it.

Jess saw Julian's concern. He always believed the best of people. Right now, he would be more worried about her blowing up and taking people out before he'd believed the worst. He would require proof. Not her.

She expected the worse in people.

But Kellum?

Lee looked worried now too, no longer pleased with herself. Jess could only imagine she looked as devastated as she felt.

She wanted to trust him. Needed to. He had become important to her. How could she have let that happen?

"I'm sorry, Jess. You should know the truth, right? I've never trusted these damn aliens. I know you were falling for him."
Was?

Her voice sounded as if it belonged to another. "Dezrick, is it true? Do I have more matches than I was told?"

"I'm not at liberty to say."

His eyes warm and always on her. His feelings unhidden. Why would he lie to her about that?

He wouldn't. Couldn't.

Fear played along her mind and down her spine. If he had, everything that was happening to them would die a slow death.

The same could be said if she couldn't find a way to trust him. Believe in him.

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