As I walk towards the pavilion I have a sense of relief and nerves all at once. I said goodbye to the note a short time after my conversation with Genevieve, but now I was heading to the location of the banquet out of curiosity. I take a deep breath and decide to take in my surroundings like my mother had taught me. My heels click against the marble floor, and I can see the newly renovated Banquet area. The glass door in front of me shows the Choosing will occur outside. I push open the door with my perfectly manicured nails. The serum really works to the fullest, huh? There is a beep and I hear the automated voice, “We are sorry, but you are not allowed to enter until the pavilion until 8:30 pm, see you again in three hours.”
I ignore the computer and lean against the wall next to the door and peer out. There is no grass in sight, only simple black concrete. Levitating off the center of the area is a large white stage. There are simple marble benches covering almost the whole stage, except for the small extra level at the front. On the benches I can see that they’ve laced around some lightly colored blue and pink fabric. Blue on one side, pink on the other. To distinguish the boys and the girls, I think to myself. It gladdens me that I won’t have any possibility to sit next to Harry.
Suddenly, the glass door fogs up completely, and I can make out a finger curving into letters. The finger forms a TSB on the cold glass. I step back, startled. How did they know I’d come here? I didn’t even know until a couple of minutes ago that I would be here. I am tempted to break open the door and see who is writing behind it, and ask why they came and how they knew I’d be here, but with what? I am not a very strong person myself, and there is nothing that would be of use in this barren hallway. I hear the automated voice,
“Miss Veraga, what has startled you? Our cameras cannot see it from this angle and you aren’t being exactly clear in the thoughts you have been formulating. Please explain what is occurring.”
I sigh, “Nothing, I just felt a sudden chill.”
With the unclear desire to not express the truth to the OverReader I turn and walk toward the opposite door down the hallway and glance just once over my shoulder. The door isn’t there anymore, and I can feel my expression going into shock. My feet stop, even though my mind is racing. Where did the door go? , I pounder. I force myself to move forward and not go back to attempt to discover where the glass door had disappeared to. I place my fingertips on the wall to my right and let my fingers glide across the surface as I finish leaving this corridor. I push open the next door to my right and find myself in the mess hall. The rest of the Investigated are here, all loud and cheery, getting their trays filled with flavorless food, the test food that keeps the OverReaders working strong, and provides all the vitamins and minerals we need.
I can see Genevieve from where I stand. She looks gorgeous as always and is fooling around with a boy who has startling blue eyes. Her straight long hair floats on her back and her grey eyes seem to sparkle as she giggles at the boy’s jokes. I grab a tray from the stands and walk over to my favorite writer.
“Oh hi Sabi,” Genevieve exclaims, “I’d like you to meet Logan Kurtis.” She gestures to the boy. He has light brown freckles across his cheekbones and an impish grin on his face. He smells of wood and chocolate, yet somehow these smells mix well and make him even seem more attractive than he already is. He is wearing a simple black and white suit with a small red bowtie, and I can’t help but smile, he prefers color as well. I stick out my hand,
“Nice to meet you Logan, how’d you meet Genevieve here?”
His tan nimble fingers grasp mine and my heart flutters as we shake hands. He seems familiar, but apparently I don’t uncover lost memories for him.
“I found her writing under one of the war simulations while everyone else was fighting with guns and daggers. I decided I’d figure out who this peaceful Investigated was and here I am.” His hands spread out to his sides for emphasis.
“What a war simulation? When did that happen?” I ask, completely in shock. They had a war simulation? I heard those were the worst and that they made you have dreams with faces of random dead for weeks on end and the fact that Genevieve was able to change her simulation and the fact that Logan could see the other Investigated while in his own simulation is incredible on its own. Not to mention the fact that they JOINED there simulations. They must have a very strong connection of some sort to have made that even happen.
“What? You weren’t there?” Genevieve says surprised and turns to Logan, “I thought you said everyone was there”
“That’s what I heard!” Logan exclaims and looks at me with his startled eyes, “Where were you half an hour ago?”
“Me?” I point to myself in shock, I’ve only known this kid for a couple of minutes and he already doubts me. “Well I was told to head out into the hallways, and I found a…” I stop. Something tells me that I shouldn’t say anything about the door.
“A what?” Logan’s eyes bore into me and he doesn’t seem as loose and attractive anymore, he looks dangerous and deadly.
“Nothing, I just got lost and found a hallway that led me here.” I stutter.
I can tell Genevieve knows I’m hiding something but I don’t fully trust Logan yet, and I’ll tell her later. Logan gives me a weird look but continues, “Huh, I wonder why they sent you away, and not to the simulation.” He’s inspecting me now, and I don’t like it.
“Well how about we find somewhere to sit huh?” Genevieve says, trying to break the obvious tension. She chooses a table close by and as she and Logan walk towards it I call out to them that I still have to get my own dinner.
As my tray is provided with some gooey gray sauce I look over my shoulder to see Logan leaning in close to Genevieve. How had I missed the obvious? It’s pretty clear that there was some chemistry going on here, and I was the third wheel. Great, I’m the oddball once more.
