The Divided

Chapter Eight

Nodding, I found myself reaching up and touching the plaster on it. "Yeah, I hardly felt it," I lied. "Can we talk? Privately?" He gave me a weird look. "Please. It's important."

After a moment, he nodded. "Yeah. Let's go to my office."

I followed him all the way to his office and once we were inside, I locked the door behind me. Neither of us bothered sitting down. Taking a deep breath, I thought about everything I wanted to say.

"What is this about? Why have you been acting so weird and closed off lately?" he looked genuinely concerned. "You've never acted this way. Not once in your entire life."

I wanted to tell him everything. "I can't trust you, right? With anything?"

He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "Of course."

I inhaled. "There are things I want to tell you, but I could get into serious trouble." I shook my head. "You can't tell anyone—especially my father."

He drew in a quick breath and ran his fingers through his short, light-brown hair. "Are you on drugs?"

My eyes widened. "No! No, of course not." He sighed and I watched the relief wash onto his face. I looked into his eyes. "I know I'm being lied to," I told him. "I know my dad is keeping secrets from me—a lot of secrets and I think really big ones." My uncle stared at me, not reacting. I took it as a notion to continue. "When I went to the Extricates the first time, everyone was terrified of me—and I mean so terrified as if I was going to try to kill them all...then I met the Martins, and they were some of the nicest people I've ever met. I met Dean, and at first, he hated me once he discovered I was a Shape, but then he realized I had no idea what was going on. He told me Xavier was keeping something from me...things that could change everything."

Roman looked like he wanted to interrupt me, but I carried on, not giving him room to say anything. I was going to tell him my thoughts and everything that had happened. "The next time I went to the other side, he told me to figure out the truth," I explained. "Ever since I met him, Roman, I have opened my eyes to what is actually happening around me. My father never tells me anything that is going on. He only gives me assignments that he knows even I can't mess up. Every time I mention anything about the Martins being nice to me, I get yelled at for even thinking so," I ended.

For a long moment, Roman didn't say a word. My heart started beating faster. I was terrified that he would go tell my father and get me thrown in jail for my realizations.

"I'm on your side, Melody," he finally told me. "No matter what happens around us, I will always be on your side," he assured me. There was a look in his eyes that I couldn't quite understand, but I knew his words were true.

A relieved sigh escaped my lips. I did find myself looking down, though, because there was something else I needed to tell him. I took another deep breath. "I did something today that could get me banished," I admitted.

"What did you do?" he hesitantly asked. I noticed the fear in his voice, not knowing at all what to expect, although he did try to hide it.

"What if I told you that when the intruder broke into this building, I helped him escape?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why in the world would you do that?"

"Because it was someone I trust. Someone that I have no idea why I trust them, but I do. With my life."

"Who was it, Melody?" His tone hardened.

"Promise that you won't turn him in?" I pleaded him with my eyes. "Or tell anyone?"

He nodded and his eyes softened. "I promise."

"It was Dean. He stole a flash drive from my father," I admitted.

He looked confused in thought, trying to put pieces together. "Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but he said it was important. He told me to just trust him—so I did." I shook my head. "My father told me that nothing was stolen. He says he has no idea why someone broke in, but I saw the look in his eyes—he was lying. I know it, I just don't know why."

Roman seemed content with everything I had told him. "I'm glad you've finally opened your eyes," he told me, making me look up at him. "You are right. There are many things that you don't know—things that you should know, but I can't be the one to tell you. You need to figure out these things yourself."

"Uncle Roman, these past few days has made me question everything going on around me. I'm suddenly feeling the urge to resent my father. He treats me horribly—along with everyone else." I sighed. "When I'm around the Martins, I feel truly welcomed and appreciated as a person—and they don't even know me well. I want to spend more of my time around people like them," I admitted honestly.

He nodded approvingly. "Well, it sounds to me that you want to change things around here. What's your plan?" A smile was warming on his face and he looked proud.

I smiled in return. "My plan is to find out everything that my father is keeping from me."

"And how are you going to manage that?"

I shrugged. "Well, first I need to go talk to someone."

"Who?"

"Dean."

He shook his head, his expression now turning to hesitation. "That's impossible. The only time an Ameliorate is allowed to go to the other side is when they have specific permission from your father. There is no way you will be able to convince him to let you go over there."

I nodded, already knowing that information. "That's why I'm going to have to sneak over there."

"That could get you sentenced to prison for the rest of your life," Roman reminded me.

"I know."

"And the curfew starts tomorrow."

I exhaled. "That's why I'm going tonight."