The food was brought out and I was not disappointed. As soon as my eyes landed on the macaroni and cheese I thought I was going to squeal. Then I saw the chocolate covered strawberries. Tonight was going to be fantastic.
"I want to stay here forever," Cade said in awe.
Cade was staring at plates of steak. I was starting to wonder if he liked steak more than he liked me.
"Do you only like meat?" I asked, feigning surprised as I gasped. "Don't tell me you're a cannibal. That might end our relationship."
He rolled his eyes, "I like corn too."
Suddenly, everybody started digging into various foods. I followed their actions and grabbed some turkey. When I eventually had everything I wanted on my plate I turned to Cade. I almost gagged when I saw his plate. He had a giant piece of steak, a pulled pork sandwich, a slice of cheesecake, and the only good thing, macaroni, and cheese.
"Really?"
He turned to me with a confused look, "what?"
I just shook my head. I proceeded to grab the large bowl of corn and scoop it onto his plate. There was no way he was getting away with eating no fruits or vegetables.
"Evelyn," he whined, "I don't want that."
I gave him a look that shut him up immediately. I scooped even more on his plate for complaining.
I passed the bowl to the man next to me and looked back to see Cade's sandwich almost gone. How had he managed to do that? I quickly picked up my fork and began eating before he could inhale my meal too.
"I think the meeting is starting soon," Cade commented, gesturing to the front of the room.
The woman we had talked to twice before was at the head of the room with a man. Judging by their proximity and the rings on their fingers, I guessed that they were married. Leading a community together and still being loving towards each other, what a power couple.
A part of my mind wished that Cade and I could have that. That someday we could have a functional life together. But doubt always crept in and self-doubt and insecurity, made me feel like nobody would truly ever love me. I guess part of it was that nobody had ever truly loved me before and the only person that did is dead.
"Shortie the discussion is starting," Cade said breaking me out of my dark thoughts.
I gave him a small smile.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
"I don't buy that for one second, shortie"
"Cade, I don't want to talk about it."
He sighed sounding very frustrated. He shoved his finger through his hair.
"You can tell me, Eve. You killed somebody and I did nothing but support you."
We were starting to draw attention to ourselves. That was the last thing I wanted.
"We can talk later," I said cutting the conversation short.
He clenched his jaw and looked forward, "Fine."
I turned to the front of the room just in time for the woman that talked to us earlier to start speaking. One thing that made me curious about her, was why she didn't tell us her name. I was rather sure she knew ours. Well, if she wasn't going to tell me her name I would just make one up. How about Eliza? Nah. I'll call her Luna.
"Attention," Luna said, catching everybody's glances. "Today we are here to discuss the new inhabitants of our society. They have fled to our wonderful community of Pax from The Town. I do not know much of why they have come here, but I know it is because of dark deeds that have been going on in The Town. I believe all of the people that have come here for shelter are present, correct?"
She looked around the room as if searching for us all. When she made eye contact with me I gave her a small smile.
"It seems that they are all present. If you all could raise your hand so that we could recognize you that would be lovely."
Slowly, hands rose in the air. I didn't recognize most of the people the hands belonged to, but I did spot my old neighbors. I never would have guessed Mr. and Mrs. Jansen would be like me. They were a nice older couple that never could have children. The Town was not pleased with Mr.Jansen on this front. He was often ridiculed for this which made no sense to me. It's not like he chose to be sterile. Although, being different wasn't something that was celebrated in The Town, much less pity.
They saw me, but I don't think they recognized me. It seems like that is always how it went for me. I knew them, but they didn't know me. I always pondered whether it was because I had a good memory or because everybody else had bad memories. I guessed that would forever be an unanswered question of mine.
"Would one of you mind explain the situation in The Town please?"
I saw Cade press his blue button. I wasn't about to speak yet. I wanted to see how things work before I decided to speak. It wasn't that I was scared of public speaking, I just liked to do things right.
Cade's button lit up and his name flashed on a board above Luna's head. I guess Cade was going to give his account of what happened. Hopefully, he didn't say anything about what I did. Who knew how that information would be received here. Something told me it wouldn't be received well.
"Please don't say anything stupid," I mumbled to myself.
"This is how we are going to do this," Luna spoke, "Cade will tell us what happened and everybody from The Town will push their button to agree or disagree."
Everybody mumbled some form of okay.
He cleared his throat before speaking, "So basically in The Town, every kid is put through tests when they reach fifteen. These tests determine whether you can be in some secret society or not."
Everybody hit agree. Luna wrote this down and nodded at cade to continue.
"Except this society turned out to be evil and started to massacre everybody except the people they wanted."
Everybody from The Town hit the agree button one again.
"And what kind of people did they want?" Luna asked.
Cade drew in a deep breath, "The Town wanted people that they could make into mindless soldiers."
Luna's eyebrows scrunched, "Is that true?"
Everybody from The Town hit the agree button.
She gasped but immediately gained back her composure, "So, why are you guys more compatible to be soldiers than the others?"
"Well, it's because when we are young a part of our brains gets removed. It's the part that controls violence and aggression, but for people like us it just didn't work."
Everybody not from The Town broke out into discussion. It seemed what The Town did was not common practice as they all discussed the new information in shock.
"Quiet down everybody," the man next to Luna demanded, "Please press your buttons if you wish to speak.
Soon a name and a face lit up on the board. It was a woman I had never met. She seemed to be in her late thirties and assumed she was from Pax.
"I just have one question. I don't care who answers it but they must be from The Town." She scans us and quickly speaks again. "Why should we trust you guys if you are prone to aggression?"
A chorus of agreement was heard and that quickly set me off.
"That's not what Cade said. He said that part of our brain couldn't be removed, not that we're violent. Can't you see what is wrong here? The Town tried to control us with some serum to make us violent!"
All eyes turned to me and I was suddenly hyper-aware of everybody in the room.
"That sounded defensive," a large man shouted.
"Yeah, how do we know you aren't a killer?"
My heartfelt like it was beating out of my chest. Did they know I had killed people?
"That is quite enough," Luna said fiercely, "If you can't behave yourself, you will be escorted out."
The man snorted, "How about you escort the little girl out."
Essence flung her chair back, "I know you did not just say that. I will kick your sorry ass to Jupiter!"
"Oh yeah?" The man and a few others stood up. "Try me?"
I felt somebody grab my hand and I flinched in fear. I turned to see Cade looking at me with worry in his eyes.
"Let's go," he whispered.
He pulled me up and we walked out the doors. I could hear chaos behind me, but I didn't look back. Why did I have to cause problems everywhere I went?
Fiddling with my dress I sighed, "What is wrong with me?"
Cade stopped short, "What?"
"I cause problems everywhere I go," I wheezed out, "there must be something wrong with me."
"I know the feeling. When I got kicked out of The Town I thought everything was my fault. I thought I was the biggest mess up. I thought I was a complete failure." Cade looked me in the eyes with the utmost sincerity. "But then I found my people. I found people that made me feel like I meant something."
I scrunched my nose in confusion, "What does that have to do with me?"
He took both of my hands in his. "I'm your person. I'm here to tell you that this isn't your fault."
Something in my chest felt less heavy.
"For goodness sake, Essence is your person! She was ready to beat up full-grown men for you in there."
I laughed at the thought of Essence fighting in her dress.
"What, I'm saying Shortie, is we are here for you and we're both very stubborn so it'll be hard to get rid of us."
I laughed and began to start walking again.
"Thank you, Cade. And for the record, I'm your person too you know."
He squeezed my hand, "I know."
"Which is why I am going to say this, but you may not like it."
He laughed airly, "Just say it, Eve."
"I'm worried about Alistair. I know you don't like him, but he helped us."
He snorted, "How does that have to do with being my person?"
"Because I love and you're not going to get mad at me because I love you?"
He rolled his eyes, "That was a mean card to play, Shortie."
I knew that it was a little bit low to say that, but I couldn't just let Alistair die in The Town. With all he had done for us recently, it just wasn't fair. I may not love the guy, but I couldn't just let him die there either.
I grabbed Cade's arm, 'Please Cade, we can't just let him die."
He sighed, "I know Eve, it's just, it's-"
He sighed again this time in frustration. He could find the words to tell me what was going on inside of him. I understood how he felt, but how could there be any justification for leaving Alistair in The Town?
"I need to think."
Cade then marched in the doors of the house. Honestly, I didn't even know we were back yet.
I let out a growl- like sound. Why could he have just tried to tell me what he was thinking? I could have understood! I'm not an idiot.
I drawled in a deep breath and walked into the house. It was no use trying to talk to him now, that would only make things worse. I'd try again tomorrow.
Quickly, my worry turned to Essence. I had no way of communicating with her, so automatically I assumed the worst. What if those people had beaten her up? What if she got punished?
I tried to push those thoughts out of my head. Essence could handle herself.
"She's kind of a badass," I said to myself.
I laughed and walked to my room. Everything is going to be fine. I repeated that montre out loud.
"Everything is going to be fine."
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Hey peeps! Sorry, for taking so long to update! How y'all doing?
It's been crazy where I am, so I hope you all are doing well. Please be safe everybody! Stay homeeeeee!
Love you all! Bye-bye!