𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 | 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐎𝐧𝐞 | 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢 𝙵𝚒𝚟𝚎 | 𝚈𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊 𝚝𝚘𝚡𝚒𝚗

^^^

I quickly straightened my skirt and buttoned my shirt. Five was still sitting in the armchair, but as soon as he said that spine-tingling sentence, I was out of there. I sat on the edge of my bed and began to stare at him. I felt all the alcohol and confidence evaporating from my body at a dizzying speed.

"What do you mean?"

Five straightened in his seat and took a deep breath.

'Oh no... Not this conversation...'

"There is a specific matter I came to you with. I'd like to explain a thing or two and at the same time... Make you aware of something."

I felt my hands start to shake. Regardless, I nodded.

"Okay," I whispered, my voice sounding unnatural. "What's going on?"

The way Five looked into my eyes suggested that he was just as nervous about this conversation as I was, if not more so. This time, despite the alcohol circulating in my bloodstream, I managed to sense anxiety in his body.

"Do you remember the day I run away from the Academy? Do you remember how... what it was like?"

I noticed his hesitation, but I remained serious, nonetheless. Giving in to emotions at such a moment seemed to me the worst solution. The image of our escape from the Commission appeared in my mind once again.

'Or else will she find out that it was because of her that you left?'

"Not really," I said, truthfully. "I think I fell asleep after the mission, and when I woke up the next day, you were gone. I also got a solid lecture from Dad because I didn't show up to dinner."

Five rubbed his neck with his hand, I could see a single bead of sweat running down his wrist. This only confirmed my belief that something very bad was about to happen.

"You fell asleep, yes. But—"

"But what, Five?" I burst out. "Enough with the secrets, just tell me. I can take anything, no matter what it is and—"

Suddenly there was a flash of blue light, smoke appeared and Five disappeared from the armchair. Only a split second passed and he appeared at the desk, in the chair. I jumped and suppressed a groan.

"What are you doing?" I asked, staring at his face.

He himself seemed surprised by this sudden teleportation. He began to look at his hands and then his eyes found mine.

"Calm down," he said simply.

"But, uh," I muttered. "But I AM calm."

"No, you're not."

We were silent for a moment, staring at each other. Why did he teleport so suddenly?

"Eight, it's really not that simple," he said, breaking the awkward silence, then hesitated for a moment. "You may misunderstand me."

"You really think I will understand anything after today's situation?" I blurted out without thinking.

He stared at me for a few seconds.

"Do you regret it?"

For a moment I was the one who hesitated. The answer was obvious, but I didn't want to admit it.

"Uh... No..." I muttered. "What I mean is—"

"You didn't fall asleep naturally. I drugged you."

I felt my heart begin to slow down. What?

"W-what? But how? And what for?"

I really didn't want to know the answers to these questions. Suddenly, goosebumps broke out on my skin, which had nothing to do with the fact that the window in my room was wide open and the cool evening air was flowing in.