Chapter 493
I stood outside for a few seconds, drawing in deep breaths, trying not to dwell on the conversation—the fight—I’d just had with Brandon. They seemed to be happening more and more, and it made me uncomfortable. Why couldn’t I just remember how devastated I’d been when he was gone and focus on that?
Christian’s voice jarred me back to reality as I tried to remember I’d just invited this weirdo into my head. “I’m in the lab, finishing up a few things. Why do you ask? What’s up? You thirsty for blood?”
I let a giggle escape before I remembered I don’t like him. I hoped he hadn’t noticed, but I got the feeling he did. It’s hard to hide anything from the IAC. “You wanna meet me at the coffee shop? I’ve got some information for you.”
“Sure,” he replied pretty quickly. “Isn’t it almost your curfew?”
“Dang it,” I muttered aloud. Yes, it was. Stupid curfew. I quickly thought of a solution. “Could you let Hannah know you need to talk to me about some of my tissue samples or something that won’t alarm her but also won’t let her know that I’m working with you on this secret mission? If it works, she’ll let me out.” He’d make it work. He’d have to if he wanted to know what I knew, and I was sure that he did.
“Yeah, lying is my strong suit.”
I laughed again. He heard this time for sure. “All this time we thought it was Elliott’s.”
I knew when I’d said it he wouldn’t like me mentioning Elliott’s name. Christian grumbled at me but let it go. “Meet you there in ten?”
“I’ll be there in two,” I replied and switched the conversation off. I didn’t want to talk to him anymore than I had to, especially if I was about to endure coffee with him.
I walked briskly across the street to the other apartment building where the coffee house is located in the basement. I was glad I didn’t see anyone I knew, or much of anyone at all. Most of the trainees would be sleeping at this time of night since they had training the next day, or the new Guardians, who didn’t really need much sleep, would be in their rooms for the most part. The other residents were Roatan Guardians, and they kept to themselves unless we needed them for something.
The coffee shop was pretty deserted. As I stood at the counter puzzling over the menu, I suddenly remembered I don’t drink coffee. I could order a hot chocolate, like I usually do, but I always get a funny look, like a seasonal hot beverage is somehow inferior to an everyday hot beverage. I felt like a rebel after my fight with Brandon, so I stepped up to the lady patiently awaiting my decision, and said, “I’ll have a caramel latte, please. With an extra shot of espresso.” I didn’t know what that would taste like, but it sounded fancy enough.
“What size?” she asked.
I had to look at the menu again. Sizes weren’t called the right thing here, but they weren’t like Starbucks, either. They had their own foreign names. “Uh...”
“The medium size is called Middy,” she said with a smile that told me she was tired and wanted to go home. She was a human, like a lot of the people who fill these sorts of roles for us. I wondered how she came to know about the Ternion but didn’t ask or probe into her mind to find out.
“Sounds good.” I returned her smile and waited for her to ring me up before I paid with my IAC and scooted over to wait for another human, an older gentleman who looked like he hadn’t had enough coffee himself, to make my drink.
He shouted my name like the room was crowded even though I was the only one waiting for a drink. I took the cup and secretly wondered if there was a way to change our names on our IACs so that when we paid for something like this, the worker would have to shout something else. It would be awesome if I could find a way to change other people’s names. “Idiot? Your drink is ready! Where are you, Idiot?”
I shook the bizarre daydream out of my head and went to find a booth in the back. Christian wouldn’t have any trouble finding me in the not-so-crowded shop. If he did, maybe he shouldn’t be going after Daunator. I hoped he’d get there soon so I could get this over with. As much as I was eager to talk about what I’d discovered with someone, I didn’t want that someone to be him.
The longer I sat there by myself, the more forced I became to think about my fight with Brandon. I went back over the words as I waited for my coffee to cool a little—or maybe I was just too nervous to try it in case it tasted like dog doo doo or something—and wondered why we couldn’t just get along.
Lost in my own thoughts, I almost didn’t see Christian come in. He gave me a little wave, and I raised my hand in a sort-of similar gesture. He stepped up and ordered, and I returned to my thoughts, finally taking a sip of my beverage and deciding it wasn’t too bad.
I wondered what might happen if I mentioned what Alex’s note said to Brandon. Would he get mad? Would he assume the fact that I was still dwelling on it meant that I wished Alex was here so I could act on the feelings he’d had for me? I didn’t know how to make Brandon understand that my emotional turmoil had less to do with Alex’s note and more about the questions it raised in my head. I wasn’t longing to be with Alex, although I did miss him. I was wondering—what happens if Alex isn’t the only other guy to have feelings for me?
