Tears of Blood (wlw)

who are you

DEVYN POV

"Where were you today?" I ask Sage as we walk towards the foyer.

"I was busy. I-"

"You were so busy that you couldn't come to my ceremony?"

"There's a lot going on. So much, you have no idea."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Congratulations Devyn. We're all proud of you. I hope you know that." She gives my shoulder a squeeze.

"Thanks, didn't you say you had to talk to me about something?"

"Oh, yes. How well do you know Andrea Ramos?"

"I- well.. we're good friends."

"Hmm. You know my team arrested her last night?"

"Yeah she kind of mentioned it. But I don't get why?"

"At first it was just about interference with our business-"

"You mean the fact that you were taking students off campus?"

"Trust me, we have good reasons. But, I just wanted to show her that actions have consequences. Little did I know that we'd end up questioning her all night."

"What do you mean?" My hear started to beat faster as I imagined Andrea being handcuffed and interrogated all night.

"You know Article 22, right? How every citizen in Orien is registered into our database, right?"

"Yeah, you scan your A-22 number and your record pops up."

"Exactly." She scoots closer to me on the couch and looks around to see if anyone was listening.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Andrea has no record. Nothing. Nada. 0. It's like she doesn't exist."

"How is that even possible?How can she even get into Arden without-"

"Trust me, there's a lot of loopholes that can help you get around. People have probably helped her."

"What does this all mean? She said she was from District 5 maybe it's because of all the poverty over there. Maybe she was never accounted for as a child."

"Look, I'm keeping an eye on her. I'm really not feeling good about her."

"I think you never liked her. Okay? I think you're reading into this." I say as I get up.

"Me? I'm reading into this? Are you serious? Right now we're at the brink of war with the Rahl's. We just had an attack, and you should be the one wanting answers because you lost a friend in that attack-"

"What does Andrea have to do with this?"

"I think she's a defector okay? That's what I think."

"What the fuck Sage? You think she came from Sidus? Wow." I can't even believe what I was hearing right now.

"There's a mole. There's spies everywhere. I'm sure of that now. Someone on the inside here, in Orien, is sending information to Sidus. She could be one of them. Think about it, you don't know anything about her. Where did she say her parents are? Her siblings? Why is she always-"

"Stop, just stop. Do you even hear what you're saying? You think that I'm stupid enough to have someone like that around me?"

"All I'm saying is be careful. Be very careful. I don't like her. I'm just letting you know."

"Devyn where did you put-" Andrea walks into the room with a shirt. After reading the room she realizes that it was probably something serious we were talking about.

"What is she doing here?" Sage asks as she turns to look at me with a stern look.

"Oh, hey Sage. Long time no see huh?" Andrea chimes in.

"Sounds like you missed me." Sage replies as she takes a step towards her.

"Very much."

"Both of you, stop. Andrea, come with me." I grab her hand and walk back to my room.

"She woke up on the wrong side of the bed." Andrea throws the shirt onto the chair.

"Andrea, why didn't you tell me that Sage had you interrogated?"

"What was the point? It's not like I committed a crime. Plus, that's your sister, I didn't want to be the cause of a rift between you two."

"I see." I plop onto the bed as my head was spinning. She sits next to me and rubs my back.

"What is it Dev?"

"Who are you?"

"What?"

"Sage says that you have no record. You're a nobody. Is your name even Andrea?"

She looks hurt as I asked her. I can see her jaw is clenched. I grab her hand and I hold it.

"Andrea, I need to know. I want to know."

"I grew up in District 5, where a meal everyday isn't guaranteed. You know what the rule is down there?"

"No, what?"

"Three kids to a house. No more."

"That ridiculous-"

"Funny that you're saying that, when you're literally the fucking government. But that's how it was- how it is, for the sake of population control. You know what they say about us? Do you know why they're only controlling our populations? It's because we're seen as the bottom of the food chain. We don't have the genius genes, or the strength. So, they call it natural selection and let us die out, so people like you and your friends can go on to pass your genes onto the next generations. "

"I had no-"

"I'm not finished. My family already consisted of my parents, my sister, and my two beautiful brothers. And then I came along unexpectedly, and I had to go into hiding. If the officials had found out that I existed, they'd take me away, and once they take you, you never return. My mother had a home birth, with my dad helping her through it. Can you imagine the pain she went through? So that's how it was. I hid in the shadows, I never talked to strangers, didn't make friends, never went to school. My siblings would come teach me everything they learned."

"Where are your.."

"Parents? They're dead. Everyone is. No one from that District ever survives, and I think that's the point of keeping us there."

"How do they even let this happen? I don't get it. My father loves his people he-"

"He's not what he says he is. You should know that pretty well Devyn. You know what killed my family? The plague. It took everyone one by one. Once I made it out, I realized that everyone out here has never heard of the plague. You realize what that means don't you?"

"I- I do."

"Is that enough history for you, or do I need to tell you more? Do I need to tell you where they dug the bodies- oh wait we couldn't have proper burials, they burned them."

"Stop." I put my hand up to her mouth, and I know she's on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry Andrea, I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry." She moves my hand away and looks down at her feet.

"I know I don't talk about me, but it's because I don't want to remember. And I hate that people here, ask me at every turn, it's horrible. It's like I have to live through it again. Please don't make me repeat it again. Ever. I'm just Andrea, that's it." A small sob leaves her lips and she tries to hold in her tears.

"Come here." I pull her into a hug and she buries her head into my shoulder. I know she's crying because my shirt feels wet.

"It's going to be okay, love. I'm here for you." I kiss her forehead.