The Transfer ✔️

Chapter Forty-One - Promise

Chapter song: Midnight City – M83

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Evelyn comes bursting back into the room with her usual flamboyance which makes me laugh. I raise an eyebrow in question and she climbs up to her bed, collapsing onto her back.

"I'm better than you at shooting. Robert said so." She sighs, obviously exhausted as her eyelids flutter closed.

"I'm sure he did. Defiantly no bias there." I smile, my eyes trained on the ceiling.

Evelyn rolls onto her side, opening her eyes to look at me. "I like his bias. Is Leonardo taking you out tonight?"

"He wants to. Why?" I question.

"He mentioned it. I laughed because I was certain you would be against it." She sighs, rolling back over. I smile at her understanding of my personality.

A knock echoes across the room a second later so I sigh and stand up to answer it. Leonardo stands smiling softly, leaning against the doorframe. My stomach clenches at the sight of him.

"Ready to go?" He smiles, dressed in black trousers and a jacket with a white t-shirt underneath. The jacket raises questions in my head but I try to brush them aside.

"We can't go. You forget we're going to war. That means we need to be here." I raise my eyebrows, challenging him.

He takes my hand and kisses the back of it. A gesture which breaks my resolve slightly. It falls to pieces when he looks me in the eye with a soft smile. "Please, Auds? If we're going to war, we might as well make the most of out time left here."

I sigh and stare at him for a while. A staring contest starts but I'm the first to give in. Cursing, I drop my eyes and blink rapidly. He laughs quietly and grins at me. "Live a little, Audrey."

I sigh and move back into the room. Grabbing Evelyn's jacket since I don't have my own, I meet him back at the door. He takes my hand and we walk out of the camp with an air of childish excitement between us both.

It feels good to be doing something for me, for us. Although I'm hesitant, the feeling of Leonardo's hand and the sight of the pink sunset sky above me makes a grin break out on my face. He guides me to a black pickup truck. It's sleek and shiny, high tech by the looks of it. For a split second I slow down thinking it's the outside but when Leonardo pulls out the key, I look up at him in relief and question.

"We've got two for travelling around the compound. Lakes and forests and stuff." He answers smoothly, reading me easily. "I want to take you to where Isaac, Teddy and I always used to go."

"Why don't I know about this?"

"You tend to be focused on Defense if you haven't realized," He teases, pulling out a key to unlock the truck whose lights flash with recognition. "We haven't gone in a month; responsibilities have gotten in the way every time we've scheduled something."

I laugh. "Responsibilities? Never heard of them."

The passenger side faces us so I pull open the door. I can't drive so I'm hoping Leonardo can or else this trip isn't going to last long. The truck smells of leather and I slowly boost myself up. Leonardo's warm hands land on either side of my hips as I move up, guiding me. I smile at him as I sit down and he winks. Although I didn't need help to get up, I do like the fact we can both appreciate affection now.

Once seated Leonardo goes to the other side and slides in beside me, starting the truck. It makes a quiet rumble which momentarily brings fear into my mind. I pray that the camp won't here us. Despite all my reservations about this, now I'm here I don't want anything to stop us. Leonardo's ambition is infectious.