The Alliance (The Alliance #1)

Chapter 3

I keep nagging at him to tell me what the Alliance is, but he's zoned out and his eyes are barely open.

"How bout you come in tomorrow morning, early." He suggests. I agree. I stand up while he closes his eyes, almost asleep already. I'm about to climb out the window again, but I stop.

"So, tomorrow night, huh." I say quietly.

"Guess so." He says, crossing his arms, covering his bare body. I see goosebumps all over his chest and arms.

"I don't even get it. It isn't fair," I say, and he slightly smiles.

"I think you belong to the Alliance too," he says, then yawns and closes his eyes. I don't ask any more questions. I climb back out the window and head back to my room. I try to be quiet, but Tami is still awake.

"Where the hell were you?!" She says, sitting upright in her bed.

"You know," I say, and she does. I told her I was seeing Archer.

"It's almost eleven o'clock!" She says sternly.

"Your not in charge here," I spit out, heading to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

"What's gotten into you? Is it the male?" She asks.

"What? No." I brush my teeth, leaving the door open. "Nothing is wrong."

"You've been more...I don't know. Risky, I guess. Yeah, risky."

"I've changed my routine Tami, what's wrong with change?" I say, spitting in the sink.

"Cause. You aren't you anymore. Your ignoring me and hanging out with that male. He doesn't even belong here!"

"I don't think I do either!" I shout, and Tami freezes. I sigh, angry.

"Forget it. Good night." I say, and I get ready for bed. Tami and I don't say a word the rest of the night. But she falls asleep in minutes anyway. We're supposed to be sleeping by 9:30. Tami and I live in a dorm together, like all the other girls. That's how we became best friends. We almost never get mad at each other. She's pretty much all I have.

Though something in me says that I don't belong here, like Archer said. I belong to the Alliance. What it is, I don't know. But if Archer was willing to risk his life to get there, it must be important. I almost want to go, but that means I'll never be able to go back to my home again. But I'm sick of it. The routine, the fact that we can't even see males. What's stopping me from leaving?

I guess I'm just scared.

I have no time to be scared, if I want to save Archer's life. If I save him, I'll go with him.

To the Alliance.

I fall asleep right away, I'm gonna need it.

***

I wake up right at 5, and run to Archer's cell. I grab the ladder and go through the window again.

"Hey," he says, startling me.

"You should of been sleeping," I say.

"Oh, I barely sleep. You only have 24 hours in a day, you know," he says. "Actually, for me just a few hours."

"I'm not going to let you die. I'm going with you to the Alliance," I say. His eyes look directly into mine. Those insanely blue eyes.

"Mia."

My heart jumps when I hear him say my name. He says it ever so gently, like he's afraid he'll wreck it's meaning. It lingers in the air, swarming around me.