This is the last place that I want to be in right now.
I hate everything about it.
The awkward feeling that Ramona gives me.
A reminiscence of the past that I have never encountered.
Even just the smell that brings an aching to my head.
I want to run away from it. Grab Jacob's hand and allow him to show me to another nice hotel where I actually feel safe. I'd rather be with Jacob right now than his mother, even though both of them make me feel uneasy.
Actually, I know that I've only known Jacob for just over a full day, but I'm already starting to get used to him. I mean, he's cool. He's been through a lot. He tries to make me as comfortable as he can in this situation- I mean, it's a pretty devastating situation. The Injected are afraid of him, so technically I have to rely on a complete stranger to protect me. Whenever I try to talk to him, you know, to get to know him better, his final sentence is something depressing. So that's what his life was like? Just sad. He never had any friends?
Any relationships?
Was his life literally him just running from his horrible family to a place where he should study the Injected? Nothing in between? Nothing interesting during his time while studying the Injected?
No moment of freedom?
Suddenly, a knock on the door startles me.
Is Ramona seriously stalking me to the bathroom now? I've barely even made it to the toilet.
"Um... Ky? You okay?" To my surprise, it's Jacob. He sounds... Worried?
"Yeah... I'm fine... Just going to the bathroom right now. Do you mind?"
"I could hear you talking through the door," his response sounds somewhat unconvinced.
Instantly, my cheeks flush.
What did I say?
More importantly, what did he hear?
Should I ask?
I sigh. He already knows that I'm not using the bathroom. He's smart.
I open the door. Jacob is leaning against the hallway, a couple of yards away. "To be honest, I don't want to be here either. But I can't just walk away from her like nothing's going to happen. My father left her, my brother left her, and I've left her once before. I understand that we're only staying here for a night, but I owe her a visit. I wouldn't have left if I had a choice. Wouldn't. I didn't know that it would be a relief to get her weight off my shoulders. Not until I realized that it had been a year since I saw her last. Then everything started to grow back on me. I stressed too much. Every day, I would think about what would happen if my mother found me. How much trouble I'd get in. What would happen if the government found our files for the Injected. If the information got released. The Injected would obviously know. Then our plans would get screwed up and then there will be no chance of curing the Injected. I really thought that I needed to visit her. I kind of figured she'd be like this after a while."
And there it went again. Jacob's fifth depressing entry for the day. I wonder how long he's going to unintentionally mention these until I hear something nice about his life.
But that's not important right now. There's one sentence that Jacob said that lingers on my mind, 'our plans would get screwed up and then there will be no chance of curing the Injected..."
Instantly, the question blurts out of my mouth, "curing the Injected? Are you guys trying to find a cure?"
Jacob nods, solemnly, "they're trying. Right now, nothing is working. I've asked them if I could pitch in, you know, because I'm h-"
Suddenly, he stops talking.
He's what?
What? What is something that he would want to hide from me so much...
Normally, if someone gives me an incomplete sentence, several possibilities pop into my mind. Somehow, this is different... What else is there to know about his past, there's not much in there...
Or maybe there is...
Maybe there's something that he just doesn't want me to know about.
I should just give him a break.
I know more about my past than he knows about mine.
I think.
Jacob doesn't stalk each victim, right? He's too mature for that.
"Let's just say that they won't let me because they think that I'm a young, foolish boy who has no idea what the hell is going on and needs assistance for everything that he does, okay?"
His mood change just went from sad to infuriated. His fists clench then release themselves.
"Well," I say, trying to calm him down a little, "they seem like quite the people... Right?"
"I guess so..." He mumbles, setting his palms, which are still in tight balls, against the walls. "You should go and help my mom. You know, before she gets suspicious..."
"I'm on 'my special week' remember."
His face remains dead serious, "do you really want to help me set up a bed?" I stare at him a little, then notice a small twitch of a smile.
"Yes. Do you want me to ruin your mom's kitchen or help you?"
I notice Jacob flinch, and I have no idea why.
'Do you want me to ruin your mom's kitchen or help you?'
There's literally nothing horrible that I said, I guess he's just sensitive.
Jacob pushes himself off the wall, then leaves.
I'm guessing that I should wait for him inside the bedroom.
I walk down the hallway, then set myself on top of the mattress. Jacob's phone is still set there.
I have no idea what exactly went through my head when I picked it up. And pressed the home button.
I also don't know why I jumped back when I saw the lock screen blink to life. Or when I decided to try to unlock it.
Of course, there's a password requirement.
I set it down.
Soon after, Jacob walks in, a large pile of blankets unsettled in his arms. He comes toward me, the sheets looming over me.
"Here they are..." He struggles, then sets them on top of me.
A couple seconds later, I hear him speak. "Ky?" He says, sounding confused. "Oh, shit."
He lifts the blankets off of me.
"Seriously?" I say. He chuckles.
"Fine, fine, laugh all you want... I'll show you what it feels like to be towered over by blankets, how do you like that?"
"I think that would be fun..."
"How?"
"Because blankets are soft, Ky. They won't hurt us. I promise."
"I know, I know..."
"Okay, let's just start on this bed."
The job gets done quickly with two people. We just both take one side and spread it out. None of us discussed who will be sleeping in it- A twin bed can't fit two people.
Just as Jacob is about to walk outside, I ask him a final question, "is there more that you have to tell me?"
He stops blankly in his tracks. I hear him sigh from in front of me, "no. There is nothing that I have to tell you."
I raise my brow at him, "turn around"
First, his head rests against his shoulder. After that, Jacob's whole body follows.
I look at him into his eyes, which keep shifting to the floor, then to me. Back and forth.
"Are you sure."
He nods, looking me in the eyes. I see sadness edging them more than anything. That's all that I have ever seen in them. Maybe someday he will change. I'm not sure when, though.
***
Okay, fine. Maybe I'm actually starting to like writing authors notes, but I only do those when I have something to say.
I know that everything is really slow, but I'm trying to make it somewhat realistic. You know, explaining every detail during their journey. I think that it helps me develop my characters, too. You know, forming their relationships and discovering their little details.
Okay, okay, anyways I dedicate this one to AdorkableCreature , who randomly handed me two covers for this book and did roleplay about each other's characters in someone else's book... Haha, sorry CastielLovesBurgers for when you wake up and see all of this... I don't know when you'll wake up but I'm pretty sure I'm going to be on Wattpad like I always am all weekend.
So here are my covers:
Whichever one my lovely people like the most, I'll create it as my cover!
Also, AdorkableCreature , since you never added my beautiful Shawn Mendes pictures on the end of your chapter, I will!
warning**** DO NOT SAVE THESE TO YOUR COMPUTER I NAMED THEM BEAUTIFUL NAMES!
oKaY bYe!.!