Eclipse

17.

Plan

"You're ready."

The two words that came far earlier than I'd expected.

"Um... what now?" I stupidly asked, blinking.

"You're ready," Kale repeated slowly.

We'd just finished the day's training, but Kale had stopped me from leaving with the others, something that I couldn't deny gave me some sense of relief. I didn't particularly want to spend another minute more with those girls than I needed to.

"What? I—Already? Are you sure?" I spluttered.

"Of course I am, you're more than capable to join us. Moore will be picking you up tomorrow morning, and he'll be informing you about your job then. Congratulations," Kale added as an afterthought, offering me a small smile.

⤜◯⤛

Moore woke me up the next day with his customary sharp kick to the ribs; it was strange to think that it didn't hurt as much as it would have two weeks ago.

So I'm one of you now, huh?" I asked him with a small grin as I gathered my clothes, which I had stashed under my bed. He just grunted in response. "Oh, come on! I bet you think that I would't make it! Man, to think I could've won a fortune off of you if you were betting on this." I noticed his hand clench into a fist for a brief moment before relaxing. Good.

I slung the bag over my shoulder and gestured to him to lead the way.

Moore hurried back the main building with me tailing him via the joint basements, when a thought struck me. Blake. Damn it. Shit. After two weeks of having virtually no one but myself and Emory's voice in my head, the thought of seeing that man made me cringe with disgust.

Emory? I asked tentatively, hoping for a response.

Yes?

Do I have to keep up the act with Blake? What if he wants to... you know.

Only if you actually see him and he's expecting it, but you know how part-goers are. He probably found another one to screw right after he dumped you here.

Ugh... right. I cringed at the thought,

I sighed internally as we resurfaced in the main building, its extravagant lavishness momentarily paralysing me. The house, with its lush maroon carpets and fancy gilded portraits, was so... different after living in the minimalistic training building, which seemed to consist of nothing but white walls, steel and more white walls.

"So are you coming with me or what? Or would you rather me leave you to die in this maze of a building?" Moore snapped me out of my trance, and I hastily followed him.

"So... um... where's Blake?" I asked tentatively after falling into step behind him.

Moore laughed harshly. "Are you seriously asking me that? How much of an idiot do you think I am, exactly? I may be a dick, but I'm not an idiot. I know what your deal with Crawford is. He was looking for someone to get into his pants and you wanted to use someone's pants to get yourself here. I've had him moved, so you won't be running into him anytime soon.

"Well... you've got me there," I mumbled reluctantly, slightly put out that my methods were so obvious. I liked to think that I was smart enough to get in and out of here without anyone figuring it out.

"Good think I had the brains that he didn't, or he might've become obsessive and wanted to fuck you every opportunity he had."

My nose wrinkled instinctively at his crass language. "Ew. Gross."