The Mars Experience

Chapter 7: Emma

After Bree has called us, we all stand in the hallway, hesitating. They know something I don't.

About two dragged out seconds go on until Hugo awkwardly knocks on the door with the back of his right knuckle. Donna swings it open to reveal Athena basically wearing garbage. Not only that, but her dead mother's coat they made together.

Jedrek scoffs, followed by, "What are you wearing?". Both Donna and Athena's cheeks flush at this. Bree kicks him just under the knee, hard, making him wince and hop like a flamingo.

Athena opens her mouth to speak, but Donna answers for her. "I gave her one of my old outfits. The other clothes wouldn't fit." Athena looks around the room and Donna's scowl is basically locked into her.

"I like it." Conner walks forward to inspect the outfit.

"Oh my gosh," he says as he puts his hands over his cheeks just a little too dramatically. "There's a rip! You can't go out with a rip!" His voice is now squeaky and high and I have to bite my fist as to not giggle about his performance. I'm still mad that they're lying to my face, but it's admittedly funny.

Luckily, he manages to recompose himself from the fashion catastrophe, suggesting that Athena just use her old clothes. In response, she looks over at Donna, then back at him, then turns towards the room. The few minutes we wait, Donna glares at Conner, who pretends not to notice by playing "Rock, paper, scissors" with Hugo.

I'm not stupid, and I'm tired of people treating me like I am. Athena isn't just a bully. If she was, Donna wouldn't have given her her mother's potato jacket. I don't know what she was thinking, maybe she wasn't, but there's definitely something wrong with the girl.

As we walk towards the cafeteria line, it's probably around 7:30 and all the old folks have gotten up. Jedrek says they get up so early because they've got very little time left. While it may be true, I think it's something more magical. Like the small droplets of water on the grass turn to fairies to force them to wake them up. Drive them to make the best they can out of the rest of their life.

Donna doesn't believe in fairies. Neither does Hugo, though he pretends like he does. I'm not sure what I think about fairies, but 94% of the ocean remains undiscovered. There may even be more creatures under the surface of the Earth. I was supposed to have died when I was five, but for some reason, I'm still here. Who am I to deny the possibility of a tiny human with wings, or a horse with a horn, or huge men who live in clouds that you can reach through beanstalks? Maybe that last one is a little unrealistic. They certainly would've fallen off by now.

I turn to Bree. "Bree, do you believe in fairies?"

She glances towards Athena, then to Donna. "Why do you ask?"

"I think fairies are the reason we're taken certain paths in life. Why the elderly rise with the sun."

"Hugo! My man," she evades the question. "Sorry, Em, I need to talk to Donna. Ask him."

I look over to her, who has now pulled Donna aside and proceeds to make obnoxious arm movements at her.

"So... how much do you think Athena will want?" asks Hugo.

"I don't know, but if she's trying to stay undercover here with us, then we just need to fit as much food as we can in our plates and split it. It'll look suspicious otherwise," Jedrek responds from in front of me in line.

We all nod silently and move further along the line. The cook serves two spoonfuls of eggs as usual, but we all ask for some more. This was a good plan, given she grew increasingly irritated and gradually gave less to each of us. Athena is hidden in a table with Donna, Conner, and Bree. They have to wait for us to reach the table and sit down in a way she's not exposed, but not too hidden either, before they stand up and help themselves. While still in line, Hugo comes back and takes two bowls instead of one. He covers the double rim with multiple napkins.

Donna, Conner, and Hugo all sit down at the large, rectangular plastic table with the rest of us, everyone serving Athena a bit of their own food, which eventually led to all of us having full bowls.

While everyone seems generally pleased, Jedrek is failing to stifle back a frown, probably since he usually asks for extra eggs for himself. We chew in silence.

Donna, however, isn't happy with the lack of talking. If you ask me, she's still suspicious of Athena. As I am sitting right next to her, I notice her pointer finger gently making its way across the belt-line of her jeans.

"So," she practically yells. Everyone from surrounding tables whip their heads around to face her. "Athena," Donna continues with a lower voice. "Let me introduce you to everyone. You already know Bree and Hugo, that's Conner, Jedrek, and Emma." Not only is her smile one of the fakest I've ever seen, I'm pretty sure I just saw her eye twitch.

"Nice to meet you all." Athena's smile, on the other hand, is bright and very real.

"So... Athena..." Donna begins, "Why are you here? What's your story?" Bree and Conner look over at her, telling her to stop with a glance.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries," she bats her eyelashes innocently. It was clear Donna hoped these little comments would break Athena into finding somewhere else to go.

"No worries, I really don't mind," Athena replies quickly, wiping the fake grin off Donna's face. "Well... my full name is Athena Wright. My mother is Katarina Wright, head scientist of The Mars Experience. I'm sure you all heard the... struggles... it has caused me. I'm an only child and never met my dad, my mom isn't sure who my father is..." she hesitates.

"What else?" Athena mumbles to herself. "Oh! I'm fifteen, turning sixteen just next month, in November. I used to be really good at sports, but now..." She pauses. "Well, you know." She pushes her hair off her face and laughs depressively. I don't think she was faking the smile earlier.

Donna crosses her legs and rests her chin on top of her balled fist, something she never does. Her sight glimpses towards me for half a second. Bree clears her throat and walks away, leaving behind her unfinished bowl. Jedrek takes her remains, pushing them into his mouth in the same way someone would drink soup. As soon as it's finished, he leaves. Doesn't even bother to fully chew.

"And what do you do in your spare time?" Donna's voice is soft and mischievous. She has an answer planned out, and I wish I knew what it is. Hugo yanks on my arm.

"Emma, we should go. This could get ugly."

"If we all leave, there'll only be Donna and Conner left behind. It will make Athena more noticeable, and she's undercover here; remember?" I whisper back, even though we both know that's not the reason I want to stay. I pull my wrist out of his clutch.

Athena is still stalling on answering Donna's question, ranting about painting, watercolor, baking, and all sorts of generic stuff people do a few times and end up calling a hobby.

"Fine," Hugo hushes back to me just as feistily as I did. "I'll stay, but you go. Ask Jedrek to come back down."

He might as well have just told me they're all in on a massive secret. The worst kind of secret. They're hiding it from me to protect me and my "innocent brain". They treat me as someone foolish, less than, and unable to comprehend their issues. I throw my fork down on the bowl and slide my seat back by kicking the table with my feet. I stomp out of the cafe and head towards my dorm.