Alternate: 300 years into the future

Chapter 6

His head was gently on my shoulder and warm tears were streaming down his face.
"I'm sorry." he lifted his head off of my shoulder and looked away in shame.
"No, No - it's fine." I reassured him.
It felt nice if I'm being honest. I liked his head on my shoulder and the fact that he could actually communicate with me. On the other hand, he probably put his head on Dolly's shoulder all the time.
"Uh, maybe you should get to bed. We both should. Not together, I mean, seperately." he stood up and looked at me.
I looked at him in confusion - he so quickly forced all of his emotions away.
"Look, Zion, it's fine. I'm not gonna shame you for actually feeling any emotions-"
"Can we just drop it, please?" he practically screamed down at me.
I raised an eyebrow and stared back at him.
"Zion,-"
"God, just stop. I don't need you coming in here and believeing that you can solve every problem here, okay? Just leave the topic."
He stared at me, icily, which sent a cold chill down my spine. When did Zion start being a little bitch?
"Zion-"
"Stop, Alyssa."
I stood up and looked up at him.
I was amazed by how the whole scene was flipped within a matter of seconds. I mean, one second he's being all emotional and sensitive, then the next he's satan wearing homosapian flesh.
"Zion, I was just trying to help-"
"I don't need anyone's help."
"I mean, you clearly do, considering the fact you were just, I don't know, releasing tears on my shoulder?"
"Stop. I did not cry, I did not have an emotional breakdown. Just go back to your room and forget about this."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why? Because you're so afraid of actually feeling emotions? You're all broken, like little toys that have already been chewed up and spat out by a toddler. You're all so extremely problematic, I'm surprised that you don't see it."
I had no idea where all of the sudden confidence was coming from. I was confused myself. For a second, I thought something great was about to happen - but he just lost his mind and started acting like an animal loose in the zoo in desperate need to be tranquilised.
"I'm problematic? You literally put your life in the hands of a couple of strangers. You're a compulsive liar who claims that she came from 2016. Your modern American accent is so incredibly false and you're calling me problematic. Shall I continue?"
It was horrifying - I have never seen Zion so angry.
I was shocked, but scared. I felt like I was about to burst into tears.
"Fine." I started, tears already streaming down my face. "Good luck with your dead girlfriend."
With that note I stormed out of the area and back down a long, dark corridor.
I was angry and confused as I walked down the hall. I was already crying uncontrollably and I came to the door of 'my room' to find Queno against the door, waiting for me.
"Alyssa, I was waiting for you!" she said excitedly, until she turned and looked at me.
"What happened?" she questioned as soon as she saw me crying.
I just shook my head and wiped my cheek.
"I just want to go home."

*

Her arm was awkwardly around my shoulder as I finally stopped sobbing. We were inside the room sitting on the side of the bed. Seriously, I am such a fucking baby.
"Now that you've stopped releasing water from your tear ducts, why are you crying?"
I looked at her and then looked at the floor.
"I'm just a bit home sick, that's all." I lied.
"No, you're not. What part of I know when you're lying don't you understand?"
"Look, it doesn't matter. I just need to sleep. Probably just hormones, or something." I stood up and wiped my cheek with my sleeve.
"Hormones?" she tilted her head and looked at me, confused.
"Nevermind. It doesn't matter. I need to sleep, Queno."
"Alyssa.."
Suddenly, the doors slid open and Nyla walked into the room.
I don't think me and Nyla had an actual conversation since I was here. The closest I've been to her is when she almost killed me.
"Queno, what are you doing here?" she looked at her exasperatedly, ignoring me.
"I was going to help Alyssa with some things."
Nyla looked at me, shocked.
"Dude, are you crying?" she asked, and I looked at the floor.
"Nyla, God - manners." Queno lectured her.
"Why is she crying?"
They spoke to oneanother as if I wasn't in the room.
"I don't know. She won't tell me."
"Queno, please - I need to sleep." I turned away and practically whispered. Nyla's presence always resulted in me feeling scared.
She walked over to me and looked me in my eyes.
"Why are you crying?"
You might think she was being nice for actually being concerned about my well-being, but she said that in the most intimidated way possible.
"Nyla, what are you going to do? Pry it out of her?"
"Yeah, it's kind of my thing."
I felt absolutely terrified. She had one of those glances that could kill you in the blink of an eye.
"I'm just.. homesick." I lied, again. Barely a whisper came out, again.
"Oh, please. Is it because because of one of us?" her arms were folded infront of me.
I felt my heartbeat speed up in my chest.
"Nyla, scaring her isn't a good anwser."
"Shut up, Queno. It is because of one of us, isn't it?"
Faster and faster.
"Woah, was it me? Still crying over the fact that you're just a replacement until Dolly comes back?"
"Nyla.."
"Was it sweet, little, Queno?"
"Nyla, seriously - stop."
"Beam? Spire? Feras? Hero?"
I didn't react.
"Oh my God." she laughed. "It was Zion, wasn't it?"
My face flushed red and I looked down.
"Oh, Alyssa.." Queno spoke in the background.
I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.
"What's wrong? Have a little crush on our captain?"
"N-no, I-"
"Stop lying." she stepped closer to me.
"Just keep this in your mind." Nyla started. "We're gonna build that stupid time machine to get you back to wherever the fuck you came from. Then Dolly'll come back, and she's gonna be with Zion. Not you. I mean, please. Why would he ever bother with a waste of space as such?"
"Nyla." Queno screamed.
Even Nyla jumped and turned around to face her.
"God, Nyla. We took her in to help her, not encourage her to kill herself because of you scaring her to death. Alyssa isn't here to replace Dolly. It's not her fault that-"
"Don't even start, Queno-"
"It's not her fault you let her get captured by Malis."
I've never seen either of them so angry.
Nyla's fists clenched and for a split second, I thought she was going to hit her. But then her fists unclenched and she slouched down on the bed.
Queno breathed in and out and I stood there, not knowing what to say.
"God, you're so lucky you can cry." I heard Nyla whisper.
Her head was in her hands and she was in a desperate state.
"I just want Dolly back, Queno."
Queno breathed in and sat down beside her.
"We all do."
I felt awkward just standing there.
"I'm sorry." Nyla mumbled to me.
I wiped my face and nodded my head. My voice was raspy and I sighed.
"It's fine."
Queno smiled the kind of apolagetic smile and Nyla spoke again.
"Do you really like Zion? I won't kill you if you do."
I thought for a moment.
"No.." I spoke. "Probably just.. hormones."
They both looked up and and talked simultaneously.
"What?"
I smiled, shook my head, then slouched onto the bed alongside them.