The Numbers on Our Arms

Chapter 23

"John," Sera said as she leaned up against the chain link fence on the roof. "How was class?"

He sighed, staring up to the cloudy sky. "I... How do people deal with all that homework?"

"By not procrastinating?" she replied whilst rolling her eyes. "Okay, okay. I get that it takes you longer, but you can always accept my offer for help."

"I guess. Do you want to work on it after school?"

She nodded. "That would work today." She pulled out her phone and he watched her play a round on 'Pig Farm' and receive all three stars at the end. Then she looked up at him. "John, I've been wondering this, but why did you accuse me of flirting with Arlo? It's just it came out of nowhere – I was barely talking to Arlo, even if it was more than before. Did someone else suggest it?"

"Um... So it's all my fault," he replied, staring down his legs to his feet that laid on the floor. "it wasn't someone else's suggestion. My... I made it up. Don't get me wrong, I did believe it but it came from nowhere, as you said. Just... nightmares. I didn't see why you would be talking with him and not me, so that just clicked somewhere. I'm sorry for accusing you of that."

She stared at him for a few moments in slight shock before she let out a breath she had been holding. "No, I get it. I didn't see why someone else would do it except to make you not trust me anymore."

Arlo sat in the armchair of his apartment with a non-fiction biography in his hands. Then ringing vibrated from his pocket.

He pulled his phone out to see the id of his aunt Valerie. He accepted the call.

"Hello," he called out down the line.

"Hello Arlo," she replied. "Are you free right now?"

"Yes." He glanced out the window to see the sunny street below. "Is there any particular reason why?"

"I have an offer for you. Would you be able to come over to my office as soon as possible to discuss this?"

"I can leave right now. Where is the building?" he asked.

Arlo arrived outside the Authorities branch building that his aunt worked in to see her standing outside the grey brick building. She wore a white shirt beneath a black blazer and a knee length, black pencil skirt with her hair tied up in a long ponytail. At the sight of other workers that came in and out of the building to and from their lunch break, he felt underdressed in his white collared shirt, grey business jumper and black trousers, which was something when he was often overdressed compared to the rest of the Royals (and classmates).

"Hello," he greeted as he walked up to his aunt.

"Hello. You're finally here." She swiped her business card against the keypad and the door clicked open. "Follow me to my office."

Arlo followed her through the twisting corridors of the unfamiliar building up to the third floor. His heart pounded in his chest. Did she find out about Remi? Would that fall on him for being associated with her? Maybe it wouldn't legally but reputation why. Remi doesn't exactly make it subtle with her opinions.

Before too long, she clicked open a door with her name and job title on and she took a seat on the other side of her desk whilst he followed her lead to take the seat opposite her.

The draw's wheels grated along the metals tracks as it was pulled out and she flicked through the pages. Then she pulled out a selection of papers to set down next to her on the desk and selected one sheet to pull out of the stack.

"Here at this branch of the Authorities, we hold an apprenticeship position every year for one high-tiered student," she explained. She stared down at the sheet of paper with the bold printed title of 'Apprenticeship'. "I've managed to save this year's position so far and I was hoping you would accept the position."

His heart thumped. It was everything he would have ever wanted even just a few months ago, but now... How was he supposed to trust them?

"You seem a bit hesitant, Arlo," she commented. "I thought you would have wanted this position. Is this about that girl again?"

"No." He straightened his face to be blank. "I just wasn't expecting it. It was later in the year than it would be to apply for an apprenticeship."

"But you haven't accepted any university offers yet, have you?" she asked.

"No, I haven't, but I have applied and received the offers. It would normally be a bit late to apply for something else now."

"But you wouldn't have to apply for this. I've already put in my word for you, so you will automatically get the position if you accept."

But there was still the side of what Kayden had said. Whether he was accurate or not. And his aunt would disapprove of an idea like the Safe House (the Safe House that he currently helped in) – let alone the rest of the Authorities.

On the other hand, he could be the one to lead the change necessary.

"Yes, I'll do it." He accepted.

A/N: I've just completed my first exam today!

I've got two chapters left to go up of this fic before I go on a possible hiatus that are ready to go, or possibly more as I have one ready to type up and possibly another but I have to add a scene into it that I was struggling to write (I skipped on to the next chapter to write) and without it it's like 200 words.

Basically, I'll probably be going onto a hiatus sometime in June. I'm not working on it as much as I'm studying for exams.

Thank you for reading. Please share your thoughts in the comments.