Ablaze »»DARKEST MINDS««

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT:
WE DON'T LIKE IT HERE
Ψ

The sleeping arrangements are starting to get on my nerves, and it's only our second night staying with the Xi's. First off, there's this girl, who is sharing the old store with us, who grinds her teeth extremely loud in her sleep. I brushed it off that first night because I was exhausted and didn't care, but the annoying sound kept me up all night last night. I laid on the floor with both hands pressed to my ears for an hour before I got tired of it and went to sit outside the shop, but one of the Blues with a suspicious hand held to his hip told me to get back inside, so I did. Laying back on the floor between Dane with Bo basically glued to his hip and Marcy reminded me of my time at the Zone. It was a fleeting thought, but it chilled me to the bone. I couldn't be contained like this any longer. The freest I've ever felt was when I was just with Dane, Bo, and Marcy. The Blues just seemed too fake to be true. Something was up and I seemed to be the only one who noticed, so just like at the Zone, it's up to me to save us.

"Freckles."

I stir from my spot on the uncomfortable floor to glance at Dane over my shoulder. Noticing his serious expression, I sit up and face him completely.

"We need to talk," he states.

"What's wrong?"

He hesitates, drumming his fingers on his jeans. "I talked to Star about leaving today." He starts to say more but cuts himself off. I resist the urge to narrow my eyes at him. Something isn't right. 

"Yeah?"

He nods, glancing to the floor. Right away my hope falters.

"She said that there's a bad storm coming. She wants us to stay a few more days."

A few days? What happened to leaving today?

Dane starts to stand and I follow suit almost frantically. I reach out to touch his arm to make him stop, but I refrain, remembering last night's episode. He gives me a look but I ignore it.

"Seriously? A few days? How much longer are we going to stay here, Dane?"

He turns on me with a hard look, but then his face softens. He groans and runs a hand down his face. "I don't want to put Bo and Marcy in danger. I don't want to put you in danger, either. I'm sorry, but I'm not changing my mind."

"It's just a storm, it'll be fine. Dane, we need to leave as soon as possible."

"This is what's best for us," he says, his tone resolute, but just for a second, his confidence cracks. "But . . . what's so bad about his place, anyway?"

They're doing something to the kids here and they don't want us to leave for some reason, but you just can't see it because Star is practically in love with you, I want to scream, but I don't. I have no proof of any of this. Well, except for the fact that Star loves him. It's pretty obvious.

"I don't know. I just . . . " I trail off, not knowing how to put it in words in a way he would understand.

"Just what?"

"I don't like it here."

»»———Ψ———««

"I don't like it here."

I look up from my meal of a fried egg and a slice of toast to look at Bo, who sits across from me at the table with his chin propped up in one hand and his other tracing circles on the table. Dane sits beside me, shoveling his own breakfast into his mouth fervently. If I lean to my right I can see Marcy's head around Bo and a few other people eating in the cafeteria. I haven't seen her much since we got here, but she seems to be having a good time. That's what makes me so uneasy; Marcy and Dane seem to like this place, while Bo and I feel the exact opposite.

When nobody responds to Bo, I ask, "Why not?"

"People are mean to me."

Dane's hand freezes mid-bite as he stares at the younger boy. A frown pinches his features.

"What?"

"Bo, who's mean to you?" I ask, setting my fork down and folding my hands together on my lap to keep them from shaking. He shrugs and cuts up a piece of his egg over and over again until it's unrecognizable. Dane's eyes flash up to mine. He raises an eyebrow. I shrug, motioning between himself and Bo. He lets out a deep breath and cocks his head to the side. I watch as his jaw clenches and unclenches before he speaks.

"Bo, what do you mean they're mean to you? Did someone hurt you?"

He shrugs again and scratches his elbow. Dane and I share a look. This time, he motions for me to do something.

"Bo," I say lightly, standing from my chair and sitting in the one beside him. He turns his big innocent eyes to me and watches as I wring my hands together on my lap. "If someone is being mean to you, you know you can tell me, right?"

He nods and flings his arms around my neck, making me stiffen in surprise. He doesn't sit back in his seat until I hug him back, and when he does move away he's smiling up at me, watching me from under his floppy hair.

"I know, Freckles."

I smile. "Good."

I meet Dane's eyes again as I sit back in my seat.