RUN

Chapter 7

"I'm so happy you're here, Mr. Gregory," Gardner said, offering a rare smile as he motioned the man into his office.

"As am I, sir," Mr. Gregory replied, his voice calm but glowing with purpose.

When Will and I had asked him to return with us, I hadn't expected how quickly he would agree—nor that he would come bearing stacks of old photographs and detailed records we didn't even know we needed. Gardner was nearly speechless as he flipped through the contents, and with barely a word, he handed them off to a guard to be taken straight to the labs.

A few minutes later, we were politely—though unmistakably—dismissed.

"I need to speak with Mr. Gregory alone," Gardner said.

And that was that. Will and I stepped out into the corridor, and as we walked, he reached for my hand without saying a word. The hall was quiet, still echoing with the weight of what we'd seen and heard.

"I'm glad I got to hang out with you today," he said, his voice soft.

I smiled. "Me too."

Something about that mission—about everything we'd gone through—had brought us back to a place I thought we'd lost. Back to the old days, when being friends with Will felt like second nature.

As we stepped into the elevator, my nerves prickled. I've never liked elevators here—no windows, no real sense of where you're going, only the press of a button and the hush that follows.

"William, can I ask you something?" I said as he pressed the lower level.

"Sure," he said, grinning.

I hesitated. "Who was the girl you loved? The one who felt like nothing?"

His smile disappeared like a flame snuffed out. His gaze dropped to the floor.

"Please," I whispered. "I want to know."

He turned, something cold creeping into his voice. "You want to know? Ask Evan. Tell him I said you could. See if I care."

He let go of my hand and stepped away, his back turned. I sank slowly to the floor, blinking fast as tears burned down my cheeks. I hadn't meant to upset him. Maybe I was pushing too hard. Maybe I was annoying, like Paul sometimes teased. Either way, I knew exactly who I'd be talking to after this elevator ride.

Lunchtime came, and Evan was scribbling in his journal across the table from me. I sat alone.

"No," he said flatly before I even asked.

"But Will said you could tell me. I'm not lying," I said.

He glanced up like I'd just said something ridiculous. "I'm sorry, Kris. But I think you and Will need to talk it out yourselves."

"I tried," I said, voice low. "He told me to come to you."

Evan paused, pen frozen mid-word. "Why do you want to know, anyway?"

"I... I don't know. I guess I'm just asking." But even I could hear the truth I was trying to avoid.

He studied me for a long moment, then finally said, "You know how there's no 'I' in team?"

I blinked. "Yeah..."

"Well, there's no Kris in team either."

I stared at him. "Wait. Are you saying... William liked me?"

He nodded. "Wow," I whispered. "I never would've guessed—"

"You must be stupid," he interrupted. "I've known you for what, a month? And I still remember the first night we got here. Will was pacing, practically panicking. I woke up to him shouting your name every five seconds."

My heart hammered.

"He said, 'Because she's my everything.' That's what he told me."

Suddenly, all the puzzle pieces came together—how he acted whenever I liked someone, how he glared when I was with Jack, the little things I thought I imagined.

"Oh my god," I breathed.

I jumped to my feet. "Thank you, Evan!" I hugged him quickly, then bolted toward the dorms.

Will was sitting cross-legged on the floor, reading, when I burst in.

"All this time," I said, breathless. "It was me."

He stood quickly. "You really didn't know? I thought I was being obvious."

"I get why you never told me," I said quietly. "But if you had... maybe we'd still be friends. Maybe even more."

He stepped closer. "What do you mean?"

"I liked you too. But I was afraid. I thought telling you would ruin everything."

"I wish we could go back in time and make things right."

"Yeah... me too."

Our faces were only inches apart, the moment stretching, charged with everything we hadn't said. I could feel his breath, hear the silence settling around us like a held breath.

Then—the sound of voices in the hallway.

We stepped apart as if nothing had happened. The air shifted back into place. Will turned away.

"I'll see you later," he said.

I nodded and turned for the door, but before I could reach it, he stepped in front of me, his hand on the knob. Without another word, he leaned in and kissed me.

His arms wrapped around my waist. Mine found their way around his neck. For a moment, there was no hallway, no mission, no past.

Just us.

The next morning, I barely slept. My mind ran circles around what had happened—and what it meant. I was exhausted, and my head ached, but there was no way I'd miss today. I pushed myself down the corridor toward the dining hall.

That's when I saw Evan.

He was kissing Isa.

I turned and walked faster. Then I was running.

And I didn't know why.

Not yet.

But I would.