=𝓡𝓲𝓶 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭=

[7]

[This is the idea of the outfit Y/N would wear, if you don't like it you can make your own :)]

"Why does this shit always happen to us!"

"Take cover!"

The bus is in flames as ships shoot at us. I kick the emergency door open and run out of the bus.

In front of me, the military truck is upside down and smoke is coming out. We run over to it and the soldier before is pinned down. I crouch down and all of us try and get him out. I pull but he's just too heavy.

"Stop you gotta go!", the man pushes me away but I shake my head and continue to pull him.

"We're not leaving you!"

"Stop, it's on you now okay? You have to let me go.", he tells us before turning to Alex and handing him the key. "Promise me you won't let anything stop you", his breathing starts to get heavy as he coughs.

__________________________________________________________

We run down a street I don't know the name of and I can hear Dariush behind me panting as he goes into a jog. "I told you that was a stupid idea, you idiots almost got me killed! I didn't even want to go to summer camp! I should be in Cabo taking jello shots off someone's ass cheeks right now"

I stop and look at Dariush disgusted.

"What do you think these aliens are after?", ZhenZhen asks as she also stops to catch her breath.

"Food maybe? It's possible their planet went dry and they came to raid ours.", Alex says.

"What gives you that idea?"

"Nothing. It's the most common invasion movie plot.", Alex tells Dariush before putting his hands on his head. I listen to them talk but I don't add anything into the subject.

"Let's just head into the desert, okay? As far away as possible."

I whip my head to Dariush and shake my head, "no, our only chance of surviving is if we get the key to JPL."

"(Y/N)'s right, Dariush it's what the soldier guy told us to do"

"Alex, he died! If a bunch of badass marines can't get that key 40 feet away from those things, what makes you think we can get it 40 miles!"

"We have to it's up to us now", Alex says looking at all of us.

"We're not going anywhere until we get some food, maybe even sleep if we can," ZhenZhen tells us. I nod my head, she's right.

"What's up with chico?"I turn and see Dariush looking at Gabriel.

Gabriel's eyes are glazed over as he looks into the distance.

"This is my street," he tells us.

"Great, can we go to your house?", Alex asks eagerly ready to rest.

"It's my house but it's not my home.", Gabriel pauses and glances over at me before continuing, "I haven't been totally honest with you guys... I was in the mountains because I was in juvie. And I escaped. So even if my mom is here she's not gonna want to see me."

Everyone's quiet as we stare at him. I stepped forward until we were eye to eye.

"You have us, it'll be okay." He nods his head and we walk away, following him as he shows us the way to his house.

As we walk in and close the door I look around. It's small but cozy.. well it used to be cozy. Trash and empty containers cover the floor, the table next to the door is cracked in half and where a TV must half be across from the couch is missing.

"Ohh damn, we need to get my man, Jacobi up in here," Dariush says as he looks around. Gabriel locks the door and then looks around.

"Its looters", Gabriel explains before closing the curtains.

"Alright let's get something to eat I need, t-bone steak, cheese eggs, and some Welch's grapes.", Dariush tells us as he goes to the kitchen.

A small giggle escapes my mouth as I help ZhenZhen make a comfortable sitting area. I grab some pillows and dust them off before laying them on the ground while ZhenZhen cracks two glow sticks and sets them in the middle of the floor.

"(Y/N), when we go to sleep.... Can you let me share a bed with Alex?", ZhenZhen asks me after all of the boys go into the kitchen to look for food. I drop the pillow and look over at her, a small tiny tint of pink covers her cheeks as she stares at me.

"Umm.....sure"

I've known she's had a crush on Alex since the van ride over to the canoes when she couldn't stop staring at him, this is the only reason why I say yes. She smiles before sitting down on one of the pillows and taking out the radio from her backpack. It beeps every few seconds telling us Dr.Feilding is still alive.

The boys walk back into the room with handfuls of snacks and water bottles in their hands. I sit down on the floor before Dariush hands me a water bottle and Alex hands me a SunChips bag. We all get into a semi-circle and eat our food.

"I shouldn't have hit you," Gabriel tells Dariush as he eats a candy bar.

"No, it's okay. I mean... it doesn't hurt as much as seeing all this gunk on my new J's" Dariush said sighing sadly. I scrunch my eyebrows at him as he starts humming.

"How do you care about sneakers in a time like this?", Alex asks confused. Same Alex, same.

"You guys are lucky, you guys don't have friends-"

"Damn straight", I sigh interrupting.

"It's hard out here being a pimp, you know? You gotta keep up with the flyer shut, the dopest kicks, tightest whip, and baddest chicks. My friends are like bears, as soon as they smell weakness they come straight for your neck.... That's why I keep this on my neck," he lifts his necklace for us to see, "diamonds".

"Does Dariush mean douchebag in Farsi?", Alex asks smirking.

"What's Farsi?"

"It's the language your mom was screaming when you came out of her ass", Alex tells him taking another chip and popping it in his mouth. I smile before looking down at the floor.

A green light passes by the window and we all sit up straight. ZhenZhen puts her finger to her lips and tells us to be quiet. I crawl to the window and peek out. A spaceship zooms overhead and disappears before I crawl back and nod my head. "There gone."

Dariush nods before looking at Gabriel.

"How did you even end up in jail?". Tension rose up in the room as we waited to see Gabriel's reaction, he sighed before looking up at us.

"My dad left when I was about ten. I got a job as a bag boy at a grocery store my mom worked at. You know, to help her with money.", I sucked in a breath remembering my mom. "one time she stepped away so I took over the cash register... I was helping a customer and he started to accuse me of stealing from him. I guess I gave him the wrong change... I get numbers muddled in my head sometimes unless I see them written down... but he didn't believe me and I lost it... so I decked him and broke his nose. My mom got fired and they sent me away. She never came to visit me. Not even once...."

"You can't choose your family, but you can always make a new one," ZhenZhen tells him. Gabriel stares at her before smiling and nodding.

"Well aren't we just a group of losers.", Dariush said looking at us.

"Yeah", we all muttered.

ZhenZhen grabs an old camera from her backpack and we all huddle into a small group. I lean into Gabriel to fit in as ZhenZhen snaps the picture causing a huge flash to blind me.

"I think I blinked"