The Test [#1]

Chapter 9: Lissa

I kissed Daniel.

Gosh. I wasn't trying to. He was right in my face.

I mean, it wasn't any different than any other time we've been together.

But except this time, I kissed him.

We haven't really talked since then.

Probably because I apologized.

And everyone knows you never apologize after kissing someone who's deeply in love with you.

Ugh. I felt so awful.

Not because of the kiss. The kiss itself was pretty good.

But because I know he's mad at me. And he won't talk to me about it.

And whenever I walk up to him and say something, he just shrugs and keeps walking.

I hate it when he's mad at me. Sometimes during the middle of the night I can hear his steady breathing. I find myself wanting to have his arms around me again.

What would it feel like for us to hold hands knowing it's not just a friend thing? To actually have a connection?

I am literally driving myself crazy.

Right now, I was walking around the "academy" with Diana. She's pretty cool, I guess. We've been hanging out a lot more now that Daniel is mad at me.

Everyone got called over to the dining hall. The leaders are going to give a speech about something.

And judging by what mom said, it probably won't be good.

I spot Daniel across the room with a girl named Macy. She's way prettier than me. And obviously more stable about her feelings than I am.

Diana noticed. "What's his deal? I mean, you kissed him. Isn't that what he wanted?"

I shrug, forcing myself to look away from him. "Maybe not."

One stands on the stage, holding a microphone. "Welcome, students. I called you all here because I have news I wish to inform you."

Everyone waits patiently.

"As you know, you have all been brought here for a reason. What reason, we have not yet told you. But I will say this, you will need a group of six people or less. Once you have chosen your group, one of the leaders up here with me will hand you a piece of paper. You will write down the people in your group then hand it back."

When he was done, everyone just stared around for a few moments.

Then, at the same time, everyone started talking. A bunch of people calling names of other people from across the room.

Diana grabs my arm. "I'm with you. Now we just need four more people."

Diana and I kind of walk around. Not bothering to ask anyone if they need two more people.

"Diana," says a guy behind us. "We need four more people."

She turns around. "So do we."

"Do you want to be with us? We can find two people."

Just then, Daniel and Macy walk over to us.

"I think we just found our six people," the other guy said.

Daniel avoids my gaze. Diana rolls her eyes at him. "Oh, get over yourself."

I purse my lips, not wanting to laugh. "I'll go get paper."

"I'll go with you," Macy says happily.

I glare at her for a while before I finally start walking.

"What happened there?" one of the guys asks.

"Don't worry about it," Diana tells them. "It's her time of the month."

It took every ounce of energy for me to keep myself from punching her right then.

I had the paper and peril with me. Macy looks at me. "Are you mad at Daniel?"

I shrug. "Not really," I say flatly. "Does he think so?"

She looks at me for a while before nodding. "He thinks he messed up."

Of course he does, I think to myself.

I hand Diana the paper and she starts writing all of our names.

The two guys---Joshua and Peter--- are very attractive. They look like they run everyday. Though I know they obviously don't, we're not allowed to leave the compound. But they still look very nice.

Macy and Diana noticed too.

Diana frowns and I shake my head, telling her not to worry about it.

"All right, everyone," One says into the mic. "Your group will have an assigned a leader. And they'll tell you what to do from then on."

Then he started listing the people in our groups and who's going to be our leader.

We get Five.

She leads us through a narrow hallway and into a small room.

"Take a seat," she says flatly.

I pick the seat closest to the back and so does Daniel.

Except there's only one.

He looks at me. "You can have it," he says.

That's the first thing he's said to me since I kissed him.

I shrug. "I can just sit with Diana."

And I know that hurt.

Considering about three days ago, we would've sat on each other's lap if we had to.

"Wait," he says after I turned around. "Lissa."

I look at him. "What?"

We look at each other for a while.

"I just wanted to say," he starts slowly, "your shoe is untied."

I give a sharp laugh. "Thanks," I say sarcastically.

This will be a very awkward group.

HEY!!! I HAD WRITTEN A DIFFERENT CHAPTER FOR LISSA BUT MY APP DELETED THAT ONE. I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!!

THANKS FOR READING.