Interlude [h.s]

eighty-five

It turns out Harry was right—unsurprisingly. In the following five days, an endless stream of people come to visit his office—all arrogant and with much more money than they should, Alouette judges from a distance before being taken away to her rooms.

They arrive screaming and shouting, demanding explanations, threatening everyone they come across—and Harry receives them all in his office, one after the other, with a calm demeanour and winning smile on his face. It's obvious from the way they all suddenly fall silent that they were not expecting him to be there.

After the first day, Jayden and Brooks relegate Alouette and Jesse to their rooms, as to avoid unfortunate encounters. For days, they don't hear a word from Harry, if not the occasional refusal to meet Jayden regularly reports each day at eight in the evening.

Five days have passed since the last time Alouette saw Harry, and she's in Jesse's room.

Jesse is lying on his bed next to her, his gaze to the ceiling. The lights seem unusually dim now that the city on the other side of the window isn't illuminated anymore. It's a dark night, obscurity seems to cling to the floor-to-ceiling window like an inky substance. Alouette is desperately trying not to let her nervousness get to her.

"Would it be weird if I said I wish Ezra would come free us?" Jesse asks. Jayden is sitting at the desk in the corner of the room, but they don't bother with hiding their conversations anymore. He clearly doesn't care, and they aren't sharing sensitive information anyway.

"Call me crazy, but I'm starting to miss the Revolution too," Alouette replies with a sigh. By now she's already counted all the lights on the ceiling and given them names. Céline is her favourite, because at times it flickers. She hopes they'll never replace it. Her day-to-day would become so much more boring without it.

Jesse grunts. "The only good thing about this place is food. Speaking of," He props himself up on his elbows to look at Jayden, "I'm hungry."

"Dinner has already been served," Jayden says evenly.

"Still hungry," Jesse bites back, "and bored, too." He turns to look at Alouette. "I'm thinking fries, what do you say?"

She props herself up as well, suddenly in on the game. "Oh, yes. Fried cheese, too."

Jesse nods quickly. "With dips! And something to drink... Water? Beer? Wine? The possibilities are endless..."

Jayden is glaring at them from the other side of the room.

"Oh come on," Jesse pleads him. "We've been in here for days, it's the least you can do."

Jayden keeps glaring.

"Please?"

Jayden sighs and speaks into his intercom. "Brooks, bring food for two."

"Don't forget the fried cheese!" Jesse says loudly, and Jayden lets out a sigh, relaying their order in full.

Alouette smiles. Jayden still doesn't talk to her, but at least he can't not pay attention to Jesse. He's the kind of person that demands it.

Jayden settles back in his chair, and Jesse sits up on the bed.

"Are you just not talkative, or do you hate us?" Jesse asks suddenly.

Jayden glares in their direction again.

"I saw you with Brooks the other day, you're totally different with him. Do you not trust us?"

"Why would I?" Jayden hisses through his teeth.

"We haven't done anything." Jesse pauses. "Do you know Alouette from before? You must have seen her."

Jayden's gaze darkens, and Jesse hums.