The Test [#1]

Chapter 6: Lissa

Daniel left a few hours ago. He had started crying too which made it all ten times worse.

Except he wasn't as loud as I was. He's not a loud cryer. But he was crying. And it was hard to watch him leave. After he said he wouldn't.

"Clarissa," mom says softly, walking in my room. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I shake my head. "There's nothing to talk about," I say flatly.

She shuts my door. "Honey," she whispers. "I have a reason for not wanting you to go."

"Whatever." My voice wavers a little.

She sits beside me. "Honey, I never told you how your father died."

"Yeah, you did. He was driving and some guy missed a red light and hit him."

She shakes her head. "That's not really what happened."

I look at her. "What?" I snap.

Her eyes slightly cloud over. "Daniel isn't going to an academy. He's in very much trouble. And if we don't stop it, he could end up dying."

I sit up. "What are you talking about?"

She sighs. "Honey, your father worked for the CDS. Crime Department of Spies. He helped stop some bad people. And the people who sent those letters have been tracking him for ever. They finally found him a week before he passed."

"My dad was a spy?" I ask incredulously.

"Yes," she says, nodding. "He was a very good one, too. But unfortunately, many people were tired of getting caught doing the wrong things."

I still don't say anything.

Mom continues. "Last year, your father found a group of eight people. Their names are numbers. The leader, whose name is One, wants to test the brains of sixteen year old teens by making them go through what he calls The Test. It tests the levels of your brain. Increasing with any skill you come up with. They use these tests to pick you gets to live and who doesn't."

My eyes start to water again and anger just flows through me. "Daniel is going there," I yell. "Why didn't you make him stop? He thinks it's going to help his family."

Mom nods. "Yes, I get that. But, don't you see? He had to go. These kids are probably all getting kidnapped anyways. Including you. And if I had let you go, they would've quickly figured out your his daughter. They would've tried killed you too."

I cover my face and sink into the floor. "Daniel's over there," I say into my hands. "We have to save him. And all those kids."

"That's why you're going there in the morning."

I start crying again. "Now you want me to go?" I ask sarcastically. "That's just great timing, mom."

She kneels beside me. "Baby, I'll drive you there in the morning. But you and Daniel have to stick closer than ever. You cannot let each other out of sight."

I don't say anything again.

My dad was a spy. He died trying to help people. And now, the people he tried so hard to stop, are going to make us go through- was it a test?

This is too much for me right now. I stand up and go into the bathroom. Crying in front of my mom has never been something I'm proud of.

Daniel says I look cute when I cry. But he's always saying I look cute and beautiful. He's so nice to me. I can't believe mom just let him go like that.

By now I'm pretty sure I was, what you call, sobbing to myself. Mom walked in the bathroom sometime past midnight and held me tight.

"I'm so sorry," she kept saying. "It will be so much better in the morning."
~•~
I hate everything.

If I weren't trying to get Daniel out of that compound, I would definitely try to kill myself. No one would miss me. I'd be with my dad.

As I walk into the school, the first thing I notice is how dark it is. It feels nothing like a school. All the walls are black. And there are guards everywhere. The tour lady told us it was to keep the kids from doing foolish things.

But my mom was obviously not convinced.

And neither was I.

The lady takes me to my room. Mom insists on saying goodbye to me in private but the lady doesn't want me in the room with anyone.

As firmly as she could, she told the lady I wasn't staying in some school if she didn't even let us say goodbye. She finally relents and leaves us to say goodbye to each other.

Mom's eyes were watering. "I really believe in you, Lissa," she whispers softly. "I put a phone in your bag in case you want to call me. Just keep it hidden."

I nod and hug her. "What do I do when I find Daniel?"

She smiles. "Give him a huge hug," she says. "Let him know you love him so much."

I hug her as our bedroom door opens. "It's time for you to leave, Mrs. Stevens."

Mom hugs me again and wipes her tears. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, mom."

She leaves after a while.

The lady looks at me. "You can go in to the lobby if you want," she says softly. "If not, your roommates will be here in a while."

The lady leaves me. Across the room, I recognize what should be Daniel's bag. I go over to his bed and look for one of his T-shirts. The one that looks perfect on him.

Downstairs in the lobby, I find Daniel sitting by himself near the fireplace. My heart skips a beat when I see him and I realize I'm not breathing.

"Hey," I say.

"I'm not interested," he says flatly, not looking up.

I laugh. "Why are you by yourself? I told you to make new friends."

He turns around, eyes wide, and jumps up from his seat. "No way," he says.

I hug him. "I know it's only been a day but I missed you like crazy."

"How did you-"

"My mom just dropped me off a few minutes ago," I tell him.

He pulls away and looks at me. He smiles. "I knew that wasn't the last time we would see each other."

"Come on," I say happily. "I want to see the waffle bar."

I've got my best friend back.

HEY!!! WHAT DID YOU THINK?!? SORRY FOR MAKING YOU WAIT SO LONG. I'VE HAD SO MUCH HOMEWORK LATELY.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT LISSA'S DAD? DID IT SURPRISE YOU?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT DANIEL'S REACTION TO LISSA BEING THERE? WASN'T IT ADORABLE?

ANYWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING. IF THERE ARE ANY MISTAKES PLEASE POINT THEM OUT. I DONT LIKE TO PROOFREAD AND PROBABLY MESS UP A FEW TIMES.

PLEASE COMMENT :)