Unspoken

~ Chapter Ten ~

Snowflakes fluttered down beautifully through the window. Everything was quiet, and I could almost feel the cold resonating from the glass. The sun was setting, though it was too cloudy to appreciate it. It's time to go. I sighed, turning unwillingly away from the window.
We were staying in the same room we had on my first visit to Central. Tonight, we were attending the last dance of the season. It would be held at the Presidential Estate, in the exact center of Central City. I'd spent the last hour staring out the window. I'd already gotten ready, and I was waiting for Noah to finish in the bathroom.
The wind was blowing strongly outside, and it was now beginning to snow more heavily. Tomorrow would be December 1st.
I could hear Noah unlocking the door, so I walked forward to meet him at the front. I wore a crimson ball gown with a fluffy and bejeweled skirt. The fabric was satin, and covered in golden glitter. It had a sweet-heart neckline with off-the-shoulder straps, golden lining on every edge. The bodice was covered in crimson lace that continued, thinning into pointed strips along the skirt.
It had been a pain to get into, and the corset strings made it more uncomfortable than it already was. I had a thick faux-fur white cloak draped over my shoulders, but hadn't pulled on the hood yet.
I wore my hair down tonight, curled and braided into a simple half ponytail. I'd wound a crimson ribbon through the braids, tying their ends into a pretty red bow. A simple set of golden earrings and a matching necklace hung on my body, and I wore sparkling crimson pumps.
I'd kept my make up simple, the only bold parts being the black eyeliner, crimson lipgloss, and lengthening mascara that made my lashes look almost like butterfly wings. I'd sprayed on floral perfume and dusted my body with a light layer of golden glitter. I felt like I was wearing a circus.
Noah joined me at the door without a word, and I followed him out into the hall. He didn't look at me as we approached the elevators, pressing the button to go down. The doors slid open only a moment later, and I followed him inside. We were alone again, but the electricity in the air had dulled. There was too much distance between us, now.
I refused to look at him as my throat tightened. I hate this. I sighed. But it's necessary. I can't care anymore. I just can't. My chest felt weighted, as though my heart had sunk to my stomach.
I knew he wasn't looking at me either. His hands were curled into fists at his side, his knuckles white. I felt like I'd lost him, though it was ridiculous. The truth is, I never had you to begin with. The very thought made it hard to breathe, and every fiber of my being ached to look at him.
I resisted it, and when the doors finally opened, I'd composed my face into an expressionless mask. My a-line skirt brushed against him as I stepped out, holding the fabric like Ari had taught me so I wouldn't fall.
I walked ahead of Noah, weaving through the crowded lobby towards the front door. I could see Nathan waiting outside, checking his own messenger bracelet. Noah pushed the door open, holding it for me as I passed through.
He didn't crawl into the back with me, this time. Instead, he rode in the passenger seat the whole way. I was left alone and isolated in the back, staring out the window as the buildings passed.
The painful feeling didn't fade, and as Nathan helped me out of the car, I watched Noah's back disappear into the crowd outside of the manor.
There must have been thousands of people, waiting for the gates to open and allow them into the gardens. Soon enough, they did, and I followed in the back as everyone flooded through them.
It took ages to make it inside, and I was in the very back, trying not to get trampled as we climbed up a staircase. The large and mahogany front doors opened up directly into a massive ballroom, with enough space to hold at least six thousand people. It was known as the oldest and the largest home in the new society.
Our total population was over five million, but only 25% were considered high class citizens. Another quarter were mid-class, and the rest were low class, residing in communities throughout the cities. There had originally only been 2.5 million survivors after the war, but the system had guaranteed a quick replacement for the rest of the world.
The estate had been built after the New Society was founded one hundred and ninty-nine years ago, in 1348. It's two hundredth birthday would be the same as the New Society's, on New Year's Day. It was massive, made in an Ancient Rome Villa style; pillars lined the walls, and supported the balcony that wrapped around the room. The stairs leading up to it must have been located somewhere else, though, because I couldn't see a way up.
       The walls were carved and painted, the pattern constant and beautiful. On the far wall, there was a massive mural depicting a goddess I knew as Venus, or the Ancient Greek version, Aphrodite.
       In front of the mural, there was a short platform with a throne-like chair with a small table at it's side. A vase sat on top of it, filled with red roses and baby's breath. A Roman marble statue stood on either side of the platform.
       Two of our families heirlooms had been passed down to my mother. They were books, filled with the myths and legends of Ancient Rome, and Greece. Natalia and I had spent hours reading them, over and over. They were the only books our family actually owned, but we were fine with that.
       I recognized the gods and goddesses depicted in the paintings, fountains and statues throughout the room because of those books. Mars/Aries, Proserpina/Persephone, Juno/Hera, Jupiter/Zeus, Ceres/Demeter, Minerva/Athena, Phoebus/Apollo, Discordia/Eris. It seemed carvings, sculptures, and paintings around the room depicted every god, goddess or heroine I'd read about in my mothers books.
       Naturally, Neptune stood in the central fountain, trident in hand. At his feet were sirens, reaching out seductively towards the crowd. They seemed so lifelike that, had they been painted, they would have fooled me into thinking they were human for a moment.
       Golden tridents lined the center piece's bowl, spewing water from their tips. The ring around it was carved beautifully and intricately, the water inside glowing blue against the white marble. A ring of red rose bushes were planted around it, adding color to the image.
         I looked up slowly, in awe at the amount of extravagant beauty in just this room. Two golden crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, large and glittery. The arched ceiling was painted blue, a mass of cherub angels depicted in the 3D sky. It looked like they were literally flying above us, and there was no ceiling at all.
       I re-focused on the people in the room again as I tried to move. Someone was standing on my dress, and I stumbled forward. I steadied myself and looked back, but I couldn't tell who it had been.
      I moved towards one of the many tables lining the room. Expensive and extravagantly displayed sweets and appetizers lined it. Between every food display, different cocktails and shots were assorted on five-tiered, illuminated platforms. Between every table, a potted tree was placed.
      A live orchestra was gathering near the entrance, sorting out and polishing their instruments. The chatter in the room was loud, and almost overwhelming. I could feel the anxiety creeping into me again as I selected a purple and white cocktail. It tasted like artificial grape, sweetened by the cream.
      Where should I start looking for my friends? I wondered, scanning the room as the orchestra began to play. I couldn't figure out why, but a cold chill ran through me, and I felt like I was being watched. I glanced around, but I couldn't find the eyes of the culprit. Maybe it's just this place. I'm right under the president's nose, after all.
      "I can take that cloak for you, miss," a butler approached from my left, making me jump. He looked at me curiously.
       "Oh, okay," I slid it from my body and handed it to him. My hands were shaking. He accepted it and didn't say anything as he retreated. I finished my drink and took another, trying to calm my breathing.
      "If you're looking for your boyfriend, he's over there," a familiar voice said in my ear. I jumped and spun around to face him, nearly spilling my drink. "Careful. You don't want to ruin your pretty dress."
       "Zen," I sighed, though I was glad to see someone I knew. "Where, did you say?"
       "It depends on which one you're looking for," he rose an eyebrow and stared at him in confusion. "Boyfriend number one is in the library with Angelina, and boyfriend number two is outside with Nora and Lizzy."
       "He's not my boyfriend," I blushed.
       "Which one?" he smiled softly.
       "Neither of them are," I said, exasperated as I finished my second drink and lifted a cup-cake sized cheesecake with a chocolate sandwich cookie bottom, and raspberry syrup drizzled on top. Three plump raspberries sat on top, red and juicy.
       Zen lifted my wrist, examining my bracelet as I bit into the cheesecake. He held his own to it, and they both tuned on, sharing our contact information in exactly two seconds.
      "Now you can text me anytime you want," he said, lifting a honey colored shot. He handed me one and I took it. It unsurprisingly tasted like honey, with a bitter bite to it. "Come on. I want to show you something."
"Okay," I took another drink and followed him through the crowded ballroom towards the back wall. There was a short hallway to the left of the throne, though I hadn't notice it before. Zen pushed through a set of mahogany doors, and I followed him into what looked like an entrance hall.
        There was a medium fountain in the center of the floor, simple and pretty. A set of glass doors led to a villa-like patio on my left, where people were chatting and walking. Steps led down from the Patio to a medium floral garden with a tiered fountain. The patio wrapped around the courtyard, squaring it off.
        The people outside were bundled in fur coats, and luxurious cloaks, and all of them were clearly high class members of the society. Many of them held drinks, and a particular group of them seemed drunk.
         To my right was a beautiful staircase leading up to the second floor. A stone railing lined its side, and then along the upper floor, leaving the upstairs hallway partially open to the first floor.
      Zen led me past the staircase, and through an open doorway, stopping in front of the Roman statue in the center of a massive room. The walls led up through the rest of the manor, the room's only ceiling an arched glass dome that filled the room with soft light. Statues and carvings covered the painted walls, and the marble floor was patterned around the statue.
         It looked old, though it had been perfectly preserved. It was of a man in long robes, intricately carved, detailed and beautiful. It had been recently polished, but it was obvious that the stone it was carved from had been wearing away for a while now.
      "This is the only surviving piece of Tarjan's Column, which was built around 113 AD," he said, admiring it. I was still scanning the room, which was large and filled with paintings, sculptures, and displays.
      "That means it's-" I began, looking back at him.
        "This statue is two-thousand, four-hundred, and thirty-five years old. In fact, everything in this room is from long before the founding of the New Society. That painting over there, for example, is called Mona Lisa, and was painted by an artist named Leonardo da Vinci in 1503."
         I walked over to the painting he'd gestured to, inspecting the woman it depicted. It felt like her eyes moved with me, and I couldn't tell if she was smiling.
      "This," he continued, pointing down at the display in front of the painting. "The Torah, Bible, Qur'an, the Bhuddist Text, and a handful of sixteenth to eighteenth century crosses.
      "This painting above them is my favorite. It's called Starry Night, and was painted by Van Gogh in 1889."
       "There's so much history in this room," I murmured, walking around slowly and taking in everything. There was jewelry, clothing, pottery, weapons, crowns, and books in every display with tiny white cards dating each one.
       "These are the Dead Sea scrolls, written between 300 BC and AD 70, and this is the Rosetta Stone from 196 BC. There's also Atlantis artifacts over there, which our ancestors discovered in 2274.
"Over here are some Egyptian artifacts, along with the last surviving stone from the pyramid of Giza, and King Tut's meteorite dagger," he continued to show me around the room, naming anything I stopped to look at.
       "I had no idea that there was still so much history available to us," I breathed.
       "It's not really an open museum to most of the public, but many presidential guests and scholars study here," he shrugged as I stopped at another set of beautiful paintings. "The birth of Venus, and Primavera, by Sandro Botticelli, 1486, and 1482."
      "Beautiful," I murmured, moving along the displays. I stopped at a case filled with gemstones and jewelry.
       "The Hope Diamond, the Dresden Green, the La Peregrina Pearl, the L'Incomparable Diamond and necklace, the Koh-I-Noor Diamond, the Marie-Louise Diadem, the Blue Belle of Asia, Princess Diana's engagement ring, the Black Orlov Diamond, and the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom," he pointed to each as he spoke. "They recovered everything important from the Tower of London before the bombings. The rest of the items are displayed throughout the room."
"Bombings?" I asked, moving towards an old world map.
"From World War VI," he said as I examined the map. There was a dot in a place once called Utah, that marked where the New Society was built. The map was large, and incredibly detailed. There were various before and after pictures of old cities in a display case.
       "The after pictures were taken after the war, but before the New Society was founded. Nature will have reclaimed all of them, by now. Funny how we're the top of the food chain, yet the earth would continue to spin without us," Zen said, lighting a joint and taking a hit.
          "I wonder what it was like, living before the New Society," I mumbled, examining a set of photographs labeled as Tokyo, Japan. "Look at all those symbols,"
I stared in awe at the signs throughout the street.
       "It's the Japanese alphabets," he said. "It's like ours, just another language. My family fled here after World War Five, but they originated from Japan. Sadly, the language has been lost to us."
         "Most of them have," I sighed, examining the after photo. It was the same street, but ash and rubble lined it instead, and many fires were still burning. Bodies lined the ground, burnt and dismembered from the bombings. Skeletons of buildings were crumbling, wasting away in the aftermath. I turned away. It's too horrible.
       "We have a disturbing history, filled with tyranny, war, and death. You would think we'd learn by now," Zen shrugged, passing me the joint. I took a small hit and passed it back, moving to the next display.
      It was a Digital globe of our galaxy, beautiful and bright. By touching it, you could adjust the view point, and even zoom in or out, all the way to the smallest planet, or to the farthest known galaxy. Above it was a high resolution painting of our solar system.
       I accepted the joint from Zen again as I examined the galaxy, full of wonder. Is there anyone else out there? The answer had evaded humanity, likely since the beginning of time, yet I still wondered. Will we ever know?
     "Hello, there," Zen said suddenly, startling me back to reality. I turned to see who he'd spoken to.
      Noah stood in front of the central statue, staring up at it. His eyes were soft, and he looked peaceful. My stomach churned as I noticed Angelina clinging to his arm. She was pulling on it, trying to persuade him to return to the part.
      Noah turned towards Zen, nodding in response. His dark eyes caught mine, and immediately hardened. "Hello, Zen, Nevaeh," he nodded and turned, leading Angelina swiftly out of the room.
       "Brrr," Zen shook his head, finishing of the joint. "It's like there's a wall of ice between you guys."
       "I know," I sighed. Just then, My friends walked into the room, passing Noah and Angelina with nervous glances. I waved to them as they walked over, looking around in awe.
       "I was wondering where you were, Tiny," Finch nudged me. "Should've just looked for the most beautiful girl at the party."
     "Hey, Brains," I rolled my eyes and grinned. "It's good to see you guys, too."
       "Oh my god, your dress!" Lizzy rushed forward touching the fabric lightly. "It's so lovely."
        "It's uncomfortable," I smiled. "Wanna trade?"
      "No, you look better in red than I do. It clashes with my hair. But I've always loved red ball gowns," she said almost enviously.
      "I like yours better," I smiled. Her dress was was light pink, the sweetheart bodice covered in tiny white flowers that seemed to fall slowly down the a-line skirt. "Your's too, Nora."
      "My master picked it," she rolled her eyes. Her dress was a v-neck number with straps. It was sparkling and golden, clinging tightly to her body, becoming loose, like a small mermaid tail, at her mid thighs. It was stunning against her skin.
         "Got another joint?" Finch asked. Zen grinned and pulled one out, igniting the end and passing it over. No one spoke as it went around the circle three times, before Zen snuffed out the stub.
A message came through MARIA then, echoing throughout the estate.
"President Volenski will be addressing the guests in ten minutes. Everyone is required to gather in the ballroom immediately," MARIA's smooth automated voice repeated this three times, her tone feminine yet flat.
Our group glanced back and forth at each other in confusion. Zen, however, didn't seem as lost as we were. "You heard her," he shrugged. "Let's head to the ballroom."
"I didn't think she'd actually attend," Nora pursed her lips as we began to walk.
"I thought she'd be doing more important things," Lizzy agreed.
        "She does this every season. She'll be here for the last two hours of the party," Zen informed us. 
        "I wouldn't think entertainers would be called forward for her greeting," Finch frowned, his hazel eyes filled with confusion. Then, they lit with realization. "It's her way of staying in control."
         "It seems that way, doesn't it?" Zen sighed as we gathered outside the ballroom, filing inside with the overflowing crowd. Everyone was chattering with excitement as they gathered around the chair and mural.
         My group pressed up against the tables in the back, and from where we stood, we couldn't see the chair. I picked up a green drink with a lime slice and sipped on it as the room continued to fill. It tasted like key-lime pie, creamy and delicious. The bite of the alcohol was diluted by the sweetness.
"Hello, and welcome to the Presidential manor," a smooth, lulling voice said through a microphone. The sound of President Volenski's voice resonated through MARIA's surround sound system. "I hope you have all enjoyed the party so far. As a reminder, this New Year's Eve we will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the New Society. Consider this an open invitation to the festivities, and to the ball on New Year's Day."
She continued to talk as my group whispered back and forth curiously.
"I wonder what the party will be like," Lizzy murmured.
"I bet it'll be bigger than this one," Nora sighed.
"Most definitely," Zen said. "Almost every upper class citizen will attend. On Mew Years eve, there'll be a huge festival, with a live band, and stalls. There'll also be a firework show at midnight to finish it off. Then on New Year's Day, there's a feast, followed by the annual New Years Ball."
"That sounds extravagant," Finch rolled his eyes.
"And expensive," Nora nodded.
"I'll bet it's lovely," Lizzy said dreamily.
"All three definitions apply," Zen chuckled as the crowd around us erupted into loud applause and cheers, cutting off all conversation abruptly. I hadn't paid much attention to the speech, and wondered what I'd missed.
As the clapping quieted down, the president spoke once more. "Thank you all, again, for coming. Please, enjoy the rest of the party."
The crowd began to disperse as people relaxed. Many of them were either crowding around the tables, or filing off to other rooms. I could see several groups gathering their coats and walking outside. I lifted a blue drink and tried it. Blue raspberry. I decided a moment later.
My bracelet buzzed and I tapped it to check it. The message was from Ari.
How's the party? Do you like your dress? <3 miss you!
I smiled and typed back quickly.
I got to see the art room. That was pretty cool. I absolutely love the dress. Miss you too! ;*
I turned it off and finished my drink, turning to examine my surroundings. The others were busy chattering as I scanned the room. I caught sight of Noah just as he left the ballroom, escorting Angelina outside. I need to confront him about the engagement. I have to know why he didn't tell me. He said he was bored of me, but somehow, I don't believe him.
I steeled my will and slipped away from my friends, weaving through people towards the door. I was stopped just as I reached them, and the butler from earlier handed me my cloak. I pulled it on and swept outside, searching for Noah.
I couldn't see him now, as I descended the snow-covered stairs towards the garden below. These plants must have also been genetically enhanced, like at the Wickenburgh manor, for they bloomed even as it snowed, bright and full. It made me uneasy. It's not natural. I shuddered.
The sun had set hours ago, and the crisp wind bit at my exposed skin as I walked. I pulled the hood of my cloak up, hoping to block some of the icy air as snow swirled to the ground around me.
       Outdoor lights softly illuminated the stone paths. Fountains were flowing with hot water that created steam in the air, which kept it from freezing, and the tiers of each were illuminated with soft blue light. The sky was cloudy, but looking up, I could still see some of the faux stars shining through.
       Even though the dome was vast, the knowledge that it existed made me feel trapped, as though we were inside an ant farm. Even the stars were so uniform that they seemed like holes poked through the holographic sky, allowing us air to breathe. Maybe they are. I shook my head, trying to redirect my train of thought.
I scanned the gardens, catching sight of the red end of Angelina's dress just as Noah disappeared again. I turned and paced towards where I'd seen the flash of color, but by the time I got there, they were nowhere in sight. I continued walking, searching everywhere. I caught glimpses here and there, but it seemed impossible to catch up.
It would be easy to believe that he's teleporting, with how fast he moves. I sighed after a while, stopping in my tracks. I was behind the estate now, and there weren't as many people wandering through the back gardens. I'd entered a hedge maze after Noah and Angelina, and had inevitably gotten myself lost.
I continued to walk, turning here and there as the maze continued. I met more dead ends than connecting trails as the snow fell thickly. I should've just gone around. I shivered. The cold was beginning to seep through my cloak as my breath crystallized in the air.
It was snowing heavily now, and I had no idea how long I'd been out here. My heels did nothing to keep out the snow, and I could feel my toes freezing inside them. I was about to give up and stay where I was. I would just wait until someone found me. Just before I gave in to the temptation, I entered the center of the maze. There were pretty Roman statues on either side of four exits, including the one I'd come from.
The circle was lined with stone bricks, a tiered fountain in the center. Steam seemed to sizzle in the icy air, warm and smelling faintly of salt. I stepped forward, feeling it's warmth caress my body. I'm already wet. What harm can it do? I closed my eyes, warming my hands over the hot water spewing from the fountain in even, beautiful arches.
After I felt the blood warming in my hands, I chose a new pathway and wound through it. It has to end somewhere. I thought, suddenly determined. I pushed my hood back so I could see better, and snowflakes immediately clung to my hair and eyelashes, melting on contact with my skin. My dress was covered in them, and I almost felt like some sort of ice princess.
I pushed through a thin gap to what I assumed would be another path. My dress snagged on the hedges, making it difficult to get through. I was pretty certain I'd torn some of it, but I didn't really care.
Instead of another pathway, though, I'd entered a court yard with a large rectangular fountain in the center. Behind it, a massive green house stood, made of glass and detailed metal supports. This has to be where they went. I thought as I walked around the fountain and approached the doors. I could see the gardens that wrapped around the estate, ending where glowing headlights beamed in the road past the entrance gates. I guess some people are staring to leave.
I pushed the greenhouse doors open and entered, immediately stunned by my surroundings. It was like I'd walk through winter and into spring. Weeping cherry trees were blooming, illuminated by the soft blue light that seemed to stream from the glass roof.
Red rose, azalea, lilac, hydrangea, camellia, and forsythia bushes lined the various stone pathways, mixed in with fountains, and a variety of beautiful trees. The air was fragrant and warm, and fans imitated cool spring breezes.
I wandered through, entranced by my surroundings. The center of the greenhouse had a large, square fountain with three tiers and dancing streams of water. Roman statues of women stood on each corner, each holding a pot over the fountain that poured water inside. Mountains of coins lined the bottom, some of them very old.
I turned to examine a red rose bush, my eye drawn to one in particular. It was smaller than the others, and hadn't fully bloomed yet. I reached out for it, touching its soft petals gently.
"That's a good one," an all too familiar voice spoke behind me. I withdrew my hand and turned to face the president, shocked and curious. "You can take it, if you like."
"Oh, um, no thank you," I said politely, feeling hesitant. She stood with her hands behind her back. She was a little taller than me, wearing a crisp white suit, a crimson rose tucked into her chest pocket with a black handkerchief.
Her hair was cut to her shoulders, colored a silvery grey. It was parted in the middle, straight and perfect, not one strand out of place. She wore no make up, and her pale skin had begun to wrinkle, almost seeming translucent. Her grey eyes were bold, fierce, and fearless. She didn't smile. Instead, her thin lips were pressed together in a thin line.
       "Your master has been looking for you. He was ready to leave an hour ago."
      "I see," I backed away slowly, stumbling as my heel caught on my dress. "I'd better go find him then."
       "Send him a message to let him know where you are. I'd like to have a chat with you while we wait."
     "M-me?" I asked, feeling shocked.
     "Yes. Now send Mr. Ivanov the message, and join me for a walk," she said curtly, obviously irritated.
       "Yes, President Volenski," I said, tapping my bracelet. My fingers shook as I typed out the message and sent it. I looked up at her slowly, feeling a bit sick with nerves.
      "Your name is Nevaeh Williams, correct?" she inquired, gesturing for me to follow her. I lifted my skirts as I confirmed her question and walked slowly just behind her. "The greenhouse is lovely, no?"
       "It's wonderful," I agreed, but I was too alert and aware of her presence to notice the greenery that filled it, now.
        "I much prefer the uniform look of our genetically enhanced gardens, rather than the chaos of the original plants," she said simply. With a sigh, she continued, "I suppose you'd like to know why I want to speak with you.
      "Let's start with your family, shall we? Mr. Wickenburgh has already informed me of his conversation with you, so I assume you've realized that he was in charge of executing your parents and taking you and your sister hostage. However, he didn't tell you the full story.
       "Your parents were spies for the rebellion, feeding them inside information. It was a great crime. They knew many confidential secrets, and so they were too much of a threat to allow to live- even in labor camps. I suppose we could have left you and your sister to your normal lives, but we decided to use you both in a sort of experiment.
         "We suspected another family of treason, and alliance with the rebellion. However, they were more careful than most, and we could find no evidence against them. So we gave your sister to their son as a gift.
       "He was like you. His line of genetics hadn't quite ruled out his sense of free will.  This is rare these days, but we were able to use it to our advantage. We predicted that he would fall in love with the girl, and we were right. It gave us the evidence we needed to search their home, and we found what we needed.
       "They were very close to escaping, and had information about us that could have broken the system, had it gotten out to the general public. You know the rest. We killed them. One by one. We couldn't eradicate such an important family completely, so we left one alive. One to carry the weight of his family's crimes.
       "To the rest of the society, his family left him behind and ran for the outside. They don't know what happened to them. Now, Noah Ivanov has to live with the consequences of his family's choice to ally with the rebellion, as one of the few who knows the truth.
        "His family had the power and the money to hire someone that could leak MARIA's database to the rebellion. This cost us greatly, as they sabotaged the system. We lost a quarter of our Data before we could stop the leak. That's why we decided to take them down."
       "Why tell me any of this?" I asked quietly, feeling numb. Oh god. Noah...they put you through hell, too, didn't they?
       "I'm telling you this, because you're dangerous," she turned to face me, her eyes locking on mine. "Your DNA suggests that many of our mental genetic mutations have been ineffective on you, and on Mr. Ivanov. This has only happed ten times since the founding of our society.
         "It means, Ms. Williams, that we have no control over you. Flames you can't control can be deadly and destructive, once they burn so bright. I'm telling you this as a warning. The second you or Noah step out of line, we will put you and everyone you love down."
"Why not just kill us now?" I asked, a flare of defiant anger flashing through me. My blood boiled. You have no right to control us. I'd rather die than lay down at your feet.
"Watch that spark, Ms. Williams," she said, her eyes hardening. "You will either do what we tell you, or you will die."
"What's the point of keeping us alive?"
"I told you, you're part of an experiment. However, you are not allowed to tell Noah Ivanov any of the information I've given you," her voice was harsh, deadly. I refused to cower, standing straight and glaring at her defiantly.
       "Why should I do anything you say?" I asked, trying to hide my fear with my fury.
       "I know you love him, just by the way you're reacting to what I say. If you don't, I'll make sure he, and all of your little friends, suffer before they die. And I'll make you watch every single one of them die before we take you out, too."
      "Why does everyone think I'm in love with him?" I snapped, feeling exasperated.
       "You may be oblivious to it, but the rest of us aren't," she turned away from me, calling over her shoulder, "Remember, Ms. Williams, we're always watching you."
      With that, she disappeared into the greenery, and I was left alone. My mind was spinning, and my head hurt. You're always watching me? Well, maybe I'm watching you too. I'm not afraid of death. I'll never lay down at your feet. I would rather die than lose my freedom.
         I straightened and took a deep breath releasing my clenched hands. I will not be afraid of you. I will never surrender to you.
      "Nevaeh?" a low, smooth voice called, interrupting my thoughts.
      "Over here," I shouted back. My voice was almost shaking, but it was less from fear than determination not to break. Noah came into view a moment later, his expression vacant, but his eyes leaking a hint of relief.
      "There you are. Let's go back to the hotel," he said reaching to grab my arm. I jerked beck abruptly, avoiding his touch. He let his hand drop to his side as he turned to face me. "If you have something to say, say it."
       "When we're you going to tell me?" I demanded, my eyes stinging from anger, both at him and at the president.
       "Tell you what?" he sighed, straightening. His eyes were hard again, guarded.
        "Um. Let's start with everything," I snapped, glaring at him.
         "You're gonna need to be more specific," he pinched the bridge of his nose, as though he were trying to stay calm.
        "First off, the engagement?" I rose an eyebrow.
         "I don't owe you anything," he glared at me. "I didn't have to tell you anything."
       "Right," I glared. His words stung. "You don't owe me anything, but friends tell each other things."
        "I guess we aren't friends, then, are we?" he glared back, his voice cold.
"Then what am I to you, Noah?" I asked as a frustrated tear escaped my eye. My chest felt heavy, and it felt like a hole had been punched through it, crushing my heart.
"You are nothing to me but my entertainer," he spoke slowly, something flashing in his onyx eyes that I couldn't quite read. "The only relationship we're ever going to have is sexual, nothing else."
"You've never felt anything for me at all, then. Was it all fake?" my voice sounded hollow, almost empty.
"No," he said coldly, ignoring the second half of my statement. "Only mild interest that quickly faded. You were like a shiny new toy to a toddler. After a while, you got boring, and I wanted to find a new plaything."
"I don't believe you," another tear fell as I looked up at the roof of the greenhouse, trying to numb the pain.
"Whether you believe me or not is beside the point. We're going back to the hotel room. Are you going to come easily, or do I need to drag you with me?" he asked.
"If you don't care for me, even in the slightest," I paused looking back at him. "Then why did you save my life?"
"I spent a lot of money on you. I didn't want that to go to waste," he gripped my arm and pulled me through the greenhouse. I fought against him, but he refused to relent.
Finally, I shoved him off of me, and stepped back, glaring at him. "Don't you fucking touch me," I snapped angrily. "Don't you ever fucking touch me again."
"Nevaeh," he reached out to me, his eyes guarded.
"No. I'm not playing this game anymore," I felt a bit hysterical. "I'm a human being. Not a toy."
"Nevaeh-" he began.
"You know what? No. This time you don't get to talk. I don't want to hear anything you have to say, because honestly, I'm done letting you treat me like shit.
"You led me on. You made me believe you actually gave a damn about me. I thought we were friends," the tears were streaming now, and my body was shaking with the waves of pain washing over me. My voice broke as I continued to speak. "So, fuck you. Fuck you for using me. Fuck you for making me believe I meant something. For making me believe I wasn't alone anymore. God, Noah. I wish I could hate you."
He stared at me in stunned silence as I pushed past him and shoved the greenhouse doors open. I knew he was following behind me, but I was grateful he didn't speak. I walked around the maze this time, and wound through the gardens.
Nathan was waiting for us, and I climbed into the car without a word, curling up in the back seat. The ride passed slowly, and Noah rode in the front again. I stared blankly out the frosty window, trying to numb the pain in my chest.
The worst part, is that I'm starting to believe everything you said. My heart clenched, and I pressed my hand against my chest in an attempt to hold myself together.
I didn't say anything to Noah as we entered the hotel. The elevator ride was silent too, and I pressed myself against the wall as far away from him as possible, refusing to look at him. When we finally entered our room, I locked myself in the bathroom.
He knocked several times, requesting that I come out and talk to him. I ignored him, stripping out of my dress and pulling a white bathrobe on in its place. I slid down against the door, sobbing silently. My tears dripped down, black from my make up.
Noah eventually gave up, and I heard him retreat. I spent the rest of the night in the bathroom, unable to sleep, but unwilling to face him.
I wanted one reason- just one- to believe you were different. I honestly believed you were.
I'd lost friends before, but that pain didn't compare to this. It felt like a part of me had been torn out, and my stomach felt heavy. Maybe they were right. Maybe I am...no. I shook my head slowly. Don't even think the word Nevaeh. To admit it would be the same as admitting defeat.