whatever the hell we want || j. jordan | DISCONTINUED

~chapter 2.1~

A bright light seared through my eyelids. I opened my eyes to see a blank white ceiling above me. "Wait, ceiling?" I panicked and sat straight up, frantically taking in my surroundings. A small, uncomfortable cot. A cabinet. Everything was harsh and white. No. not everything. Just one painting. I scrambled around in my bed, looking for grass, dirt, a rock. Anything to pull me back to reality. There was nothing.
I looked down at my arm. There was an IV in it. I ripped it out and ran to the circular window on my door. An endless hall of other identical rooms. I looked directly across the hall, merting a familiar pair of brown eyes. Jasper Jordan. This time, though, the eyes were terrified and confused. Wild, even. Pure pants-wetting panic, as Octavia Blake would've put it. I called out his name, pounding on the door, trying to get out.

***

I waited and waited, until a person came to discharge me. Well actually, I wasn't sure it was a real person at all. In full, blue, protective gear, the thing pushed me along, down the hall, into an elevator. My eyes scanned everything I saw. Every room, every door, every sign. We reached a mess hall, decorated and lavishly furnished. My eyes scanned the group of people. If Jasper was here, that meant Monty was too. And Clarke, and Finn, and Octavia. I looked around until I met Jasper's eyes, again. I ran to him, hugging him tightly. "Where are we?" I whispered into his shoulder. He rubbed my arm.
"Cress, we reached Mount Weather."

***

I gaped up at him.
"No, that's impossible. There are people here?" He nodded.
"And good food, and new clothes. We're totally safe here." I glanced around, analyzing every bit of the room.
"No, no, I don't trust it."

Clarke walked in once Monty had joined us. She rushed over to us.
"Okay, how are we going to get out? That girl gave us a map. We just need to find the exits and run." I stepped over next to her, joining her.
"Exactly. We can't stay here. The other people from the Ark are probably already here, and we have a home over there now." I looked at Clarke. "Wait, where's Finn? Octavia? Bellamy?" She looked around, turning to Monty and Jasper for answers. Monty just shook his head.
"What does that mean? Are they dead?" Clarke put a hand over her mouth.
"Did these people kill them?" I added. Jasper looked shocked.
"Why would they kill any of us? They rescued us. They probably ran from the dropship. They didn't make it in, remember?"
"Well, let's see. Why would they kill us? They knocked us out, then took us without us knowing. That sounds pretty suspicious." I looked around, realizing that I'd started to raise my voice. If anyone heard anything, they didn't show it. Everyone was still laughing and eating. "This really isn't right." I reached out and took Jaspers hand.
"I don't know what to make of this place, but I trust you. And I trust Clarke. But most of all, right now, I'm trusting myself. I think we should be wary, and not make any rash decisions that could get us hurt or in trouble," I looked at Clarke. "Deal?" She studied me, then eventually nodded.
"Fine. But if you trust me, then you can't judge me or turn me in if anything happens."
"Are we expecting something to happen?" Jasper asked, with an accusatory tone. Clarke shook her head, but her eyes met mine. Just from that one look, I'm pretty sure we're expecting something to happen.

***

Dinner was odd.
The President says, "For the past and the future we serve."
"We give thanks," Everyone responds.
"Good health, good food, and good company. And the blessing of new friends."
I sat down next to Clarke.
"Rough first day?" I teased, taking a bite. This place wasn't really as bad as I'd thought it was. Good food, clean clothes, real beds. She noticed my relaxation.
"Hey, you're not getting used to it here, right? Don't leave me alone on this."
I shook my head. "Oh, no, I still don't trust it. But I'm willing to give it a try while I can. It's the first time in awhile that I've had new clothes and clean hair and all that. You should try to relax, if not give in."
She stared me down. I shrugged, ignoring her discomfort and kept eating. I started talking to Monty and Jasper.
"Jasper's certainly making friends," Monty teased.
"What does that mean?" I tensed up. Jasper glared at Monty.
"Nothing at all. This place is just nice, and so are the people."
Monty looked over at me. "Yeah, some are real nice." His comments made me curious, but also uncomfortable. I decided that I'd ask Monty after dinner.
After we'd gotten up to head back to the rooms they'd given us, I held back to talk to Monty.
"What did you mean back there, about Jasper?" I asked, trying to play it off as a clarification, rather than an accusation of sorts.
He nodded his head towards Jasper. He was walking with some girl.
"Who is that?"
"I don't know, she works in medical or something. She really likes art. And dislikes Clarke."
"Oh," I said, staring at her. I regained my composure and smiled at Monty. "Thanks!" He nodded, smiling, but it wasn't sincere. He knew that I was masking something. And I'm sure he knew exactly what it was. I certainly hadn't been hiding anything since we got to the Ground.