Find Me a Cure

Chapter 27: The Strong and the Stronger

This was a joke.

It was a—

I took a moment to swallow down the bile that spontaneously crept up my throat.

It was a fraternity. It was a goddamn frat house!

I learnt this from a guy who came had just come out of that despicable building. Apparently, he was a "fraternity Brother", or some crap like that. And then, just before going back into the house, he proceeded to yell a few chants our way, because my "accent" made him think I was part of a "chapter". Whatever that was.

"What do you mean, what? She's in there," Arya ever-so-casually stated, as if it were a five star hotel that Gemma was inside.

"This is a fraternity."

"Well, duh."

"Gemma Reynolds lives in a... a frat house?!"

"She doesn't live in here, genius. Fraternities are for guys."

I smiled bitterly. "Oh? That's nice, well, okay, erm yeah, here's the thing... why did you bring us here, then?" I practically screamed that interrogatory question.

Everest interfered, before I could burst someone's cochlea. And by someone, I mean Arya's.

"Where is Gemma?" Needless to say, there was more life on Saturn than there was in his voice.

Arya backed away a little bit. "Hey, hey, first of all, get your girl under control. I can't think when she's all up in my face like that." She wiped fake sweat off her forehead. "Although, I do admire the feistiness," she added, with a wink. "And second, I swear it! Gemma's in there!"

I grabbed her watch. "Listen, sister, it's eleven pm!" I yelled, showing her, her own watch. "Do you know what that means? It means, it's six am in Britain! I may be a supersuperhuman or whatever you wish to call it, but one privilege the Front did not give me is enable my body to manipulate fatigue! That means, when it's late some people get tired! That means I'm tired! So, either you stop playing games with us and tell us where Gemma really is, or I kid you not, I will—"

I stopped.

I blinked.

I cocked my head. "His girl?"

Hmm, that sounds nice.

No it doesn't! "That's objectifying women! I will not stand for it!" I inner feminist dribbled out some nonsense.

And I definitely won't stand for those those loathsome, repelling, abominable quivers that just ran down my spine.

"Oh, is it? Sorry!" Arya apologised with lack of conviction. "But, Emerald, you look like a smart person, so when I say she's in there, I'm sure you can understand that what I'm trying to say is; she's in there."

I glanced at Everest who was standing there with his arms crossed. Always making me do the work! I couldn't complain, it was to find my cure anyway. He glanced back at me before I turned to face Arya again.

"Why on Earth – or any other planets in the universe for that matter – would Gemma Reynolds – and when I say Gemma Reynolds, I don't mean Gemma smith, or Gemma Carson, or any other Gemmas in the world, I mean, Gemma Reynolds, the daughter of a late evil billionaire – be in a frat house?"