She's Too Naive

Chapter 43

    The next few days passed by routinely. I followed Paige around and helped her complete her daily chores, and then afterwards was locked up in my cell for the night. Because I was no longer on lockdown, it wasn't required for Greg to stay with me in my cell, but he did continue to lurk behind me as I assisted Paige.

    It was on day five that I saw Rosen. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to have had any contact with him, but as Paige was showing me around the cafeteria area for the Def members, I saw him.
His back was to me, but I would be able to make him out from anywhere. His auburn hair glowed under the flourescent lighting, and he was wearing one of the standard Defaecatio uniforms but with a light blue lining that singled a future council member.
The thing that surprised me the most, was that he was seated at a table filled with other members wearing the same blue uniform.

    That had to have been the future council. Everyone around them seemed to keep a respectful distance, and I even noticed a few men glancing at    them with envy.
    I didn't even see Cole, who sat across from Rosen, until his eyes suddenly locked with mine. I saw a flicker of surprise, but nothing more.
    Look at me. Look at me. I wanted to scream at Rosen. I was right there, not even one hundred feet from him.

   Paige had stopped to talk to another girl who was wearing the same white breeder scrubs that we all had to be clothed in.

    Cole lowered his head towards Rosen, and said something to him. Then finally, Rosen's head ducked and turned around to look at me. Our gaze connected and I held my breath, trying to read into his expression. But he gave nothing away.
    "Ellie?" Paige asked, but I could hear the undertone of her demand. I turned to her and muttered an apology, swiftly walking after her as she sped toward the kitchen doors. I barely noticed as Greg slipped in behind us as we entered and began picking up a tray of readily prepared food. One of the Def members had requested us to bring up his meal to him, and Paige seized the opportunity to also further show me around the base.

    I was barely aware of the bustle of the kitchen as we made our way past the cooks and back out of the swinging doors. It felt like my mind was blurring together, too caught up on that one moment of seeing Rosen after five days.  I wondered if he had a plan, or if he even wanted to get out of here at all. It seemed like this place treated it's soldiers with the highest of respect, and who would ever want to leave that?

   As we maneuvered back through the dining hall, trying to pass through unnoticed, I looked to Rosen again. He was watching me with the same expression I had seen only moments earlier, except this time he tipped his head down into a small nod. One that was probably never picked up on by anyone else besides me.

    At least that's what I thought until later that night when Greg was leading me back to my cell.

    "Have you somehow talked to Rosen since you've been here?" Greg asked, his voice low. I was so shocked that I halted my steps immediately.

    "What do you mean? No, I haven't." Even though I spoke the truth, my voice sounded defensive.

    "Good, because I was given specific instructions not to let you two interact at all. And I saw that nod he gave you." Greg said.

  "He probably just wants to reassure me that everything is okay," I shrugged, beginning to walk again. To be honest, I hadn't actually thought about what Rosen meant by his small action. Greg gave me a confused look.