Intractable

Chapter 5

"Okay, you're all set," Brenda says as she starts taking the sensors off my fingers. "Now remember, you can't tell anyone what questions we asked or what tasks we had you complete. You were one of the first to be assessed, so you're going to be getting questions all week. At a minimum, you'll lose the advantage you earned by finding those sheets if you're caught."

I nod. "I won't say a word."

"Then you're free to go." She opens the large metal door and lets me out.

I step into the hallway and take a deep breath. I know everyone said that today's results mean nothing, they're just a baseline, but I still hope that went well. Today's results need to line up best with Coterie's values, and my results a year from now need to line up with today's. Either way, that lie detector better reflect my candor.

The stone walls look less scary now that my test is done and I secured that head start, but I still don't want to be stuck inside them for the next year.

I make it back to the dormitory and start heading over to my bed in the back corner. I pass Nick's on the way and look down at his sheets. His bed is made, and his basket is beneath it. Now that I know a bit about his past, I guess it makes sense that he tries to keep his belongings hidden instead of leaving them out in the open.

I reach my bed and take a seat on my mattress. I'm glad I can eat all my meals with Jeremy every day, but I wish I could see him more. We're too far apart in Collation to do any of our training together, I know that. It just would've been nice to have a friendly face around while I have to learn so many new skills at one time. Someone to encourage me and help me figure out how to survive.

Olivia, the girl from the van ride last night, makes her way over and joins me on my bed.

"Hi," I say when she's silent. "If you're gonna ask what the assessment was like, I can't tell you."

"I know what you're doing. It won't work." She shakes her head.

"What?"

"I'm gonna be the one who ends up with him. You won't get him to choose you."

She can't possibly mean Jeremy. They probably haven't even met yet.

"Who are you talking about?"

She rolls her eyes. "Don't play dumb, Coterie. I know you're interested in Nick. And I know you're just using that guy you were with at breakfast to make him jealous."

I don't know what makes me more uneasy: the fact that she thinks I could ever be that manipulative and use another human being, the thought of being interested in someone from Inimical, or the fact that she's clearly been watching me.

"I'm not using Jeremy." I shake my head. "We're both from Coterie, I've known him my whole life. We've been together for over a year."

She gives me a slow nod as she gets off my bed. "You just told me everything I need to know."

"What are you talking about?"

"You defended your relationship, but you never denied having feelings for Nick. Watch your back, Coterie." She turns and walks away without another word.

At least she didn't try to get me to tell her what the assessment was like.

"Hey," Devin says as she starts walking over to my bed.

"I can't tell you what the assessment was like."

"I already know what it's like." She laughs. "I told you where to find your sheets, remember?"

She's got me there.

She nods toward Olivia. "What was that about?"

"She thinks I like Nick and apparently so does she."