The Torn World

Chapter Four | A Grain Of Hope...

The whole way to The Warehouse, Aidan cursed and called Mayor Maurice every bad name there was. The frustration finally got to me and I reacted.

"Ugh! Can you stop now? You're driving me insane with a capital I," I cried.

Aidan's eyebrows knitted together in annoyance, though he almost looked confused. His lips were set in a hard line, nose scrunched up. His expression was so adorable I almost burst out laughing. Containing a laugh, I hardened my features. 

"Stop what? And why would I drive you insane, you can only drive sane people insane," he retorted.

I gasped dramatically, "Did you just imply that I'm insane?"

"Well duh."

I swiveled around and began walking away from him, feigning offence.

"Wrong way," Aidan called out.

Sighing in defeat I the other way, walking past, oblivious to Aidan. He followed me, catching up easily, in step with me, did I mention he was the star athlete of our school? Clutching the crook of my elbow, he stopped me and turned me so he could see me.

"What now," I said, before I realizing our close proximity. Our noses were almost touching, his breath coming in waves, fanning my face, my breathing bated. Abruptly I took a step back, amusement touched his face. He knew he was making me uncomfortable.

"Still going the wrong way, sweetie," he whispered. He was right, we were at a three-way intersection and both of my feeble attempts had failed miserably. He faced away and continued walking –in the correct direction-. I hurried to catch up.

Once we reached The Warehouse, I stared at the jungle of machinery and the hoards of people milling around. The Warehouse was a giant well warehouse, I guess, it was forged of pure aluminum.

"Well I suppose we cant just stand here ogling, lets go inside," Aidan ushered. 

"Yeah, flawless plan," I said sarcastically, "We don't even know who the distributing officer is."

"Then we'll have to ask around for him."

After ten minutes of elbowing through crowds of sweaty people –gross, I know- Aidan finally saw someone he knew.

"Ellena!" He yelled.

Ellena, not again. Please god don't let it be the same Ellena as Will's neighbor, I prayed. My gaze swept over the crowd searching for a tall blonde. There she was, making her way towards us.

"Aidan," she squealed. Ugh! I swear I'd have to wear earmuffs around that girl to prevent my eardrums from exploding. Her voice was not only loud and squeaky but super high-pitched, you know that fake sort of high-pitched which girls pretend to have to attract more attention? I rolled my eyes.

I inwardly groaned, how did literally everyone know her?

"Hey Elle, do you happen to know who and where to find distributing officer, Rhoy?" Aidan asked her.

"Oh yea, of course, he is my uncle after all. Just came by to drop him off some scones and jam for his poor family," she explained.

Scones and jam!? They were awfully expensive. Outside of our ration –which was free-, families could buy extra stuff, but only really well-to-do families could afford stuff like scones and jam. They way Ellena expressed it, it seemed like her family always bought such things and the fact that they bought some for her uncle meant they must be pretty wealthy. She had also mentioned the word poor they probably weren't too poor, a distributing officer had a pretty good salary, after all.