Six and I sat across from one another. She was uncharacteristically quiet today, doodling aimlessly on a piece of paper. The silence was only broken up by her occasional sigh. Now, most days I would have welcomed it, but the air conditioning was especially loud today, and I was especially irritable.
Palming the pill was far too easy last night, and tricking Gloria into thinking I had taken it was even easier. I suppose the universe would only grant me so many mercies at once, though, and I had to pay for them in the form of yet another sleepless night.
It was embarrassing how many hours I had spent mulling over Peter. Each interaction, each smile, each glance. I couldn't explain the sudden interest. I hardly knew the man, hardly trusted him, but my heart didn't seem to care.
In any other circumstance, perhaps I would have indulged such desires. But I knew better. The risk of getting close to anyone in the hell-like purgatory that was Papa's lab far outweighed the reward. My heart could trust Peter as much as it liked, but deep down, I couldn't count on anyone to get me out of here but myself. Not to mention the ever-looming threat of Papa's tasers.
On the other hand, I knew the second I was back in Peter's presence, all of my logic would go out the window. It happened before, and it would certainly happen again. I'd trade all of my pledges to self-preservation for rose-colored glasses as though I didn't have any impulse control. The back and forth of my emotions was enough to give me motion sickness.
I cursed myself for being so spineless.
But how could I be anything else?
Irrationally, I blamed Peter, too. I blamed him for being so kind, so beautiful, so warm. Didn't he know what he was doing? Didn't he know I wanted him to stop? Part of me wished he was more like Papa. Arrogant, easy to see through, lacking in any charm. I wish I hated him. Everything would be so much easier if I hated him.
I wanted him to be cruel. Perhaps, then, I wouldn't like him so much.
The growing bluster of the air conditioning pulled me out of my own head. The bittersweet distraction made me grind my teeth in annoyance. I was tired of thinking, tired of hearing, tired of seeing. Or, I was just tired. My eyes fought to stay open as the air conditioning grew louder and louder.
The ceaseless billowing came from all directions, unrelenting despite my efforts to cover my ears and block them out. I peered around the room in search of anyone else who was affected by the awful noise. All I managed to do, though, was lock eyes with Peter. He sat with a group of my siblings in the midst of a conversation I didn't care to listen to.
An irritated huff left my lips as I turned back to Six.
"I'm going to put a gun in my mouth," I muttered to her.
"Don't do that," She said dismissively, gaze fixed on her paper, "It probably wouldn't taste good."
"I don't think I'd mind the taste for too long."
The conversation came to a pause. The air conditioning grew louder.
The Rainbow Room was especially lifeless this morning. Most children sat at tables rather than in front of the toys scattered around the room. Without their soft, susurrant whispers, the a/c was louder. I couldn't stand it.
"Why is everyone so quiet?" I asked, "Why are you so quiet? Did someone die?"
Six finally dropped her pencil and met my eyes. "Oh, this is your first testing day, isn't it?" I nodded, unsure of what that meant. "I've been going through testing days my whole life, they're not too bad. Basically, we all have individual training today, and Papa comes to watch each of us to see how we're progressing. I don't usually take it too seriously, but our siblings..." She glanced around at them, "They want to impress Papa, so they spent all morning conserving their powers and meditating. I don't really understand what it's supposed ot accomplish, it's never made a difference for me."
"You don't care about impressing Papa?" I asked, though it was more of a statement. Six seemed to be one of the only people here who shared my disdain for Papa. It was refreshing to have someone who hated the same people as me.
"You know what he's capable of, Sixteen," She leaned forward, speaking in a nearly inaudible whisper. My eyes briefly left hers to glance at the camera in the corner of the room. "I'm focused less on impressing him and more on staying on his good side."
Just as I opened my mouth to reply, the chairs on the opposite sides of the table scrapped out of their place. Two and Four sat down, armed with sickeningly sweet smiles and glares made of daggers. The sound of the air conditioning quieted almost immediately as Six and I exchanged worried glances.
"Hi, Six!" Four greeted, lips tilting into a sneer as she faced me, "Sixteen."
"Hello," I replied, hoping my curt response made it clear they were unwelcome.
"You look really tired," Two spoke. Not even a minute into our exchange, he was mocking me. I barely restrained the urge to roll my eyes. "Really, really tired. Were you up all night worrying about testing day?"
I maintained a placid expression, "Yes, I was. It's my first testing day, so I'm nervous." I blew on my hands, "Sweaty palms, you know?"
"Oh, yes, I understand," He replied, abruptly reaching forward and taking my hand in his. Six didn't say a word as she silently edged off of her seat, prepared to jump into action at a moment's notice. "I would be worried if I were you, too. Papa doesn't like to be disappointed."
"I suppose I won't disappoint him then, hm?" My lips curled as my tone turned mocking, "You should be more worried about yourself, Two."
In response, his grip on my hand tightened. The threat was as clear as the hostile glint in his eyes. My face remained impassive. Four tsked, catching my attention, "I think it would be in your best interest if you failed your tests today." She nodded to Two, "Don't you agree?"
He nodded, and then his grip tightened even further. A wince slipped past my unmoving exterior. My entire hand was shaking.
"Aw, and why is that?" I spat, throwing as much condescension into my tone as possible, "Worried I'll do better than you?"
"That's a funny thought," Four laughed, "She has a sense of humor." All amusement ran screaming from her face. The glare she sent my way was abysmal. "No, Sixteen. I'm worried about your well-being. Today, Papa is going to choose one of us for his new program. Two and I have been working towards an opportunity like that for a long, long time. You wouldn't want to mess anything up for us, right?"
"I doubt she could," Two tilted his head mockingly, "You're weak, Sixteen. We know it, Papa knows, I bet even Six knows it. Throw the tests today, or you're going to wish you had." My fingertips turned blue as he clenched his fist, growing tighter by the second. I felt the bones in my hand crying out for relief as I fought harder and harder to keep my face straight.
"Or what, Two?" My pride would not allow me to back down. Six didn't say a word, either too scared or not scared enough to make a move.
"Or..." Two smiled a horrific, nauseating smile, "We're going to kill you."
A beat of silence passed by. I waited for a snide remark to come to mind, but I came up blank. For once, I was utterly speechless. I knew they didn't like me-- they certainly didn't try to hide it. The brutality of their methods, though, and the crude way in which they conducted themselves came as a shock to me. The seemingly needless escalation of violence-- what was so special about this program? Was it all simply to impress Papa? My gaze shifted to my hand, which had begun to lose feeling at a rapid pace.
They wouldn't really kill me... Right?
"Is there an issue over here?" Peter's voice boomed from right behind me, harsh and authoritative like I had never heard it before. When I faced him, his back was as straight as ever, regarding us all through narrowed, discerning eyes. I had nearly forgotten that he was my superior within the lab's hierarchy. That fact was glaringly obvious now, it almost stung.
If looks could kill, Two and Four would be far worse than dead. They offered each other nervous glances, and then Two released my hand with one final squeeze. "Of course not," Four smiled, "We were just wishing Six and her friend good luck. It's testing day, after all."
"Were you?" Peter tilted his head, tone dripping with condescension, "Why don't you two go wish them luck from," He gestured towards a table across the room, "over there. Hm?"
And just like the rats they were, Two and Four scurried across the room, leaving Six and I to stare at one another in stunned silence.
Before any of us could say anything to him, Peter was gone, having returned to his conversation without another word.
This one is kind of short but its relevant i promise things are about to pick up like a lot in the next few chapters. were going to get some henry creel-esque things occuring.
look forward to some betrayal and some gaslighting! WOOOOOOOO
oh my god movies by conan gray is playing. Did i mention ilove ocnna gray?
BABY WE LOST ALL THE LOVE THAT WE HAD. AND I CANT OPRETEND ITLL EVER COME BACK. AND I THINK YOURE SEEING RIGHT THROUGH ME, THAT BABY, THIS AINT LIKE THE MOVIES.... and i want a love likethe movies.
fAVORITE SINGERS:
1)Taylor Swift
2)Conan Gray
3)Labrinth/Phoebe Bridgers
okay time to threaten you <3
READ THE NEXT CHAPTER OR ELSE. I WILL LITERALLY REELECT TRUMP AS PRESIDENT WITH MY OWN FUCKING HANDS. I WILL BUST OPEN THE ENTRANCE TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND CURB STOMP JOE BIDEN. DO YOU REALLY WANT TRUMP AS PRESIDENT? DO YOU WANT THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY TO TAKE AWAY MORE WOMEN'S RIGHTS? DO YOU HATE WOMEN?
guys i really fucking hate trump i saw a piture of him five minutes ago. i think i could exhale on him too hard and he would start crying.