The Four - Book 1

Chapter 17

Lana

I feel so dumb.

I probably shouldn't even be thinking about it, how I kissed Paytah. But I'm staring at him right now as we're about to get into the vehicle.

"Hey, about that thing-"

"I don't care." He says flatly. He's more gorgeous than ever now, with him all cleaned up.

"Well, I do. I was just thankful you saved my life."

"That's not how you thank people." He says, looking back at me with his orange eyes. 

"Can't you be a tad nice maybe?"

Paytah sighs, "that's the thing, Lana. I can't be nice. I can't have people..liking me."

"Why?"

"Cause the last people I loved left me."

Paytah opens the car door and slides in. My body goes limp. Aira and Juris come and we all get in.

I feel like crying. How was I supposed to know that about Paytah? But I don't want us fighting now.

"So, y'all ready to see..everyone?" I spit out.

"I don't know what to expect." Aira says.

"Maybe we're famous." Juris smiles, his green eyes shining. Man, this dude made it past the test. I really underestimated him. But to be honest, he's probably the sweetest guy I've ever known.

We aren't allowed to see out the window, they have it covered.

I don't know what to expect, really. Maybe I'll see my parents and little brother, or my friends. Maybe my life will go back to normal.

Hell, what a journey.

Paytah was the first one I met, in the dome when he almost burned me to ashes. Aira was the one who saved me. Then I met Juris. We went through hell.

This was all because of Hanson.

"Can we even trust Hanson? After all he's done to us?" I ask.

"I don't trust him." Paytah says with no emotion. But even his 'no emotion' is an emotion to me now.

"Let's just wait and see what everyone thinks of us, then maybe we'll never have to see Hanson again." Aira says.

"Think about it, if we weren't the teenagers picked, and we were watching the ones that were picked, would we be mad at them?" Juris asks. "I mean, just four kids trying to change how the world is."

"The government is trying to change the world. Remember Hanson said the government allowed this?" Paytah says.

"But the people might not know that." I say. Everyone shrugs.

Of course, we never know what we are going to get into. Never.

"Hear that?" Juris says, his face filled with worry.

We all quiet down and listen to the quirt roar, which is slowly getting louder as we drive.

"That's the crowd?" Aira asks.

"Crazy sons of bitches," Paytah mumbles, trying to peek out the window.

"Maybe that's their way of cheering." Juris says, smiling, but I know he's straight up scared.

The car stops. The roaring is freakin' loud.

A guard opens our door, and we all get out.