The Numbers on Our Arms

Chapter 35

A/N: This chapter uses the term 'half-breed' and has classism in it (or whatever the discrimination between levels can be called in unOrdinary).

Seraphina held her secret phone up to her ear with only her lamplight on to give the little light that it gave. She laid along her bed, prepared to slip below the covers at any moment.

"So, I would be staying in your house?" she asked over the phone.

"Yes," Leilah replied. "We don't have any place to stay at the lab, unless you want to make a bed there. I don't recommend that."

"No, it's fine. As long as there is a spare bed or you will get a spare bed."

"Don't worry. I have a spare bed." She paused. "I also have boyfriend. You may be seeing him about quite a bit."

"You have a boyfriend?"

"I do," she replied. "It's not the only one I've had, by the way."

"I am not surprised," she said. "It's just you haven't mentioned him before."

"I haven't?" Leilah questioned. "I guess I'm slightly surprised by that, but we have been a bit rocky recently. Zeta-Sci sent me away for training for awhile – I assume I've told you this before – and I didn't speak to him for awhile. During that and after I found about your ability. It's my fault; my work takes up too much of my time."

"When do you plan on doing this?"

"On moving you in?" she asked. "As soon as we can. I can't risk Kayden for that much longer and also you."

"What do you want me to pack?"

"On moving you in?" she asked. "As soon as we can. I can't risk Kayden for that much longer and also you."

"What do you want me to pack?"

"Anything you don't want to lose," she replied. "And maybe a few sets of clothes. Especially underwear. There's no guarantee when you would get more."

"This would be so much easier if I left after school," Sera said. "I would already have all the stuff I would want."

Leilah laughed on the other side of the phone. "If only we had thought of that sooner."

"I don't think I had come to the conclusion that I had to leave so soon then," she replied. "I thought I could make another year. A lot has happened this year."

"I know, I know." An air of silence fell over the line. "I'm sorry for leaving. I never considered what would have happened to you after I left."

"It's fine, Leilah," she responded. "I know that you didn't have anywhere to take me."

"Yes, yes. I know there were reasons I didn't take you with me and you wouldn't have the same friends you have today if I did. That's a positive you have received from staying."

"I'm glad I made those friends. I'm not sure the kind of person I would be if I hadn't met them, but if I had gone with you, that wouldn't have been necessary."

"You wouldn't have met your soulmate if you had gone with me. Or at least, not in the same amount of time."

"I'm sure John would prefer me there." She glanced to her alarm clock on her bedstand. "It's getting late. I'm not sure what I'm doing tomorrow so I may want to get up early."

"Yes, you probably want to catch up on the lost sleep too."

"Goodnight," she whispered into the phone as it clicked off. She slid the phone beneath the pillow as she rested her head on it.