soulmate

Betrayed {Chapter 21}

Ella

"Goodmorning.."

I roll over in bed to meet the striking blue eyes of the boy I fell in love with.

Felix groans, reaches out his muscular arms, and wraps me in a strong armed hug. "You're up early." He observes. I melt into the hug willingly.

"Nothing is better than this, you know." I giggle and breath in Felix's strong scent. "Mmm. You smell like the woods. Out for a midnight stroll again?"

He tenses. "Um..yea. I was actually."

"Aren't the woods beautiful?" I muse.

Felix clears his throat loudly. "Very."

This, I figure, is my cue for breakfast. Obviously this was something he was being sensitive about. Seemed like everything these days.

"I'm going to go grab some breakfast. Come with?" I pull a sweater over my head and grab some of my worn out jeans. Felix flops back on the small bed. "Nah. I'll catch you later, okay?"

"Okay. I love you, Fe."

"I uh.. love y-you too."

-

Once at breakfast, I take my seat near John and Eliza. "Goodmorning!" Eliza gives me a quick hug. As I pull away, she tightens her arms around me.

"There's been news from the Utah camp. They have decided to surrender to the Gov." The young girl's face crumples with defeat. I remember the letter we had received from Utah last week; nervous rumors had been flying about camp. Some people insisted we storm the Gov, while others have even tried to leave for their own safety. Cowards.

"Do you think they are doing the right thing?" I ask, finally wrenching away from the suffocating grasp. Eliza shakes her head. "I don't really know. John is trying to convince everyone to fight, but I don't think that would do much." She leans in over the table. "This is only a rumor, but a lot of people are saying that the Gov is capable of implanting some sort of virus in a person's head. It is meant to make them a spy, to-to- turn their brain to jelly." I raise my eyebrows. That sounds absolutely ridiculous. Eliza leans in even farther and whispers in my ear. "Ella. A lot of people think that the spy is you and.. Felix."

I reel back. "What! That's- that's ludicrous!"

"Shh! If they hear us talking about it, I'll be put on the list too. Listen, Ella. You have become a friend. I wouldn't want you to get hurt. Be careful."

With that, Eliza turns around and pays attention to the front. I am frozen in place.

I thought this camp would be safe! I think to myself. Suddenly, I feel as if everyone is watching me. Goosebumps race up and down my back.

"HAve everyone's at-attetion!" Taylor catches my eye, stumbling up the short path to the front. His hair is unkempt; his shirt wrinkled and only half pulled over his skinny body.

Sienna walks behind him in a stiff gait, and I can tell by the look on her face that she doesn't know what is wrong with Taylor either. "Is he drunk!?!" Eliza mutters. People start to whisper around us.

"What's gotten into him?"

"This camp is going all to hell."

"Oh my.."

"Taylor has been acting strangely." John slides in silently by his wife, pecking her on the cheek. "Ella." He nods swiftly and turns back around.

What is going on? It seems as if in a short week everything has gone topsy turvy. And now everyone even believes that I'm a spy!

My hands lay in my lap heavily, while my feet feel like cinderblocks. I thought things would be safer here. I thought maybe I could be trusted here.