Damage Me

Chpater 29

The rest of the time flys by.

Three weeks passed by quickly, and Juliette and her friends plan to take over sector 45 in 3 days.

Eva and I have gotten even closer, talking all the time, which is something I'm not used to.
I've thought I caught her staring at me a few times, but that might be wishful thinking.

I hate not being able to read her emotions clearly. It's driving me crazy.

Kenji has been complaining to Aaron and I that he needs to take Juliette outside to train, that there isn't enough space to teach her what she needs to know.

We've been giving him the same answer for a week straight now, but today is different.

Today is a second special day.

It's my mothers birthday.

We agreed as long as Kenji will keep her invisible, and they stay in the same area.

Our mother has been sick for years now, since I was 12. She has something similar to Juliette. She can't be touched without causing herself excruciating pain.

She can't live in her own skin. Our father doesn't love her anymore, and hasn't for years.

Her being ill makes him disgusted, and he's never been to visit her. The same house where Juliette was shot is the same place I grew up in, the same place my father is "storing" our mother.

He's put her on so many medicines that she's hardly recognizable anymore. She lashes out a lot. Screams. Threatens us, not being able to recognize us as her children. It's terrifying sometimes.

And Aaron and I are too selfish to let her die, no matter her pain.

I've told Eva where we're going today, but no extra details, and she told me to 'tell Leila I said happy birthday'.

I never even told her that was the reason we were going there. She just remembered.

She also said she would come after me if I wasn't back within three hours of leaving. I thought she was joking at first, but she was dead serious.

"I mean it," She has said. "I care about you. Just promise to be careful that's all."

But then Aaron called me down and it was time to go.

We are currently leaning against one of our larger tanks, doors open, waiting for Juliette and Kenji to arrive.

I can sense when they near. They climb into the  passenger side of the tank, unseen, and I walk around to their side and close the door. I get in next to Aaron.

The bigger tanks have three seats in the front; one for the driver, one next to the driver, and a wider passenger seat.

We start driving.

"How did you know we were in here?" Kenji asks immediately. "Can you, like, see invisible people, too?"

"No," I say, eyes focused on the road even though I'm not driving.

"I can feel your presence. Hers most of all."

"Really?" Kenji says. "That's some weird shit. What do I feel like? Peanut butter?"

After a moment of silence, Kenji clears his throat. "J, I think you should switch spots with me."

"Why?" She asks.

"I think your boyfriend is touching my leg."

"Don't flatter yourself." Aaron says, unamused.

"Switch spots with me, J. He's making me feel all goosebumpy and shit, like maybe he's about to knife me."