A Whole New World | Octavia Blake [1]

Chapter 9

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Addison stayed with Monty longer than anticipated. She tried her best to help, but in her defence, she was distracted by the multiple conversations she and Monty shared. They reminisced about funny memories back on the Ark, one-upping each other's different stories, and talked about old Earth films they hated to watch in their classes that the teachers had made them watch a hundred times.

"I remember that one! I don't know what was more annoying: watching the same movie or her voice," Addison almost grimaced, as she recalled one of the English teachers.

Monty chuckled softly, "She was awful. Jasper and I would always sneak moonshine into her class. Never suspected a thing."

  "No way!"

  Monty looked at Addison, a mischievous grin on his lips, "Yes way."

A smile formed on the brunette's face as she shook her head. "She would've been the teacher to do it with though."

Monty pointed the thin, metal tool he had in his hand at her, "And that's exactly why we did it in her class."

"I can't believe quiet, Monty Green snuck alcohol into class. I wouldn't believe it if someone else told me." She leaned back against the dropships' wall, Monty smirking before he went back to work.

After an hour of talking, Addison felt as if their acquaintance increased to a real friendship. Monty was a funny boy who's not as quiet as everyone—with the exception of Jasper—made him out to be. A few minutes of silence had passed between the duo before Addison was up on her feet with a quiet grunt.

  "Well, I'll leave you to it then. See you around, Monty."

  He did a little wave. "See ya, Addison."

  She climbed down the ladder, jumping the rest of the way into the first level once she was about halfway down. There wasn't a soul in the dropship. But seeing as it was a nice day and the fact they spent their entire lives in a metal container out in space, who wouldn't want to be outside in the Earths' elements?

  Addison buried her hands in the pockets of the navy blue zip-up jacket she wore as she walked down the ramp. She then surveyed the lush green surroundings at the end of it. The different greens and browns and the colour of the sky through the trees were colours she hasn't been able to comprehend, not yet anyways. All around their new home, there were several groups working: one built tents while another made weapons, and a select few played on makeshift drums that filled the air with a soft upbeat tune while a few more groups did things Addison couldn't make sense of from where she stood.

  "What are you looking at?" Surprised, she spun at the familiar new males' voice. She locked eyes with the blonde-headed boy from earlier. Hale. Addison's forehead creased, and he chuckled softly, "Clearly I'm not welcomed."

  She relaxed her facial features, and shook her head with an awkward laugh. "I—No, sorry. I'm not very good at controlling what my face does or what my mouth says."

  "Dually noted." Hale motioned to her with a jut of his chin. "Addison, right?"

"Let me guess, Murphy's been running his mouth?"

"He was, when you guys were gone. But since he's the one that's gone now and since what happened with Atom a couple hours ago . . ." he trailed, insinuating Atom was the one blabbering. Hale stuck out his right hand, "Dawson. Dawson Hale."

She eyed his hand before slowly taking it, "Addison Anderson."

He flipped her hand and held her fingers, planting a soft kiss to the back of it. "Pleasure to meet you by not saving your ass."