Doppled in Gray [Discontinued]

Doppled in Gray [chapter sixteen]

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

A boisterous chatter is heard from the other side of the door where the Ceremony is about to take place. Butterflies bounce around in my stomach, trying to cause the biggest amount of ruckus possible and causing my heart to flutter along with the beasts of my anxiety. The journey from the barracks to here was completely silent. Although every time I glance in Haran’s direction he is looking at me expectantly, turning the butterflies within me into a hornet’s nest. I had promised myself not to kiss him and yet I did. What makes it even worse is that I don’t even feel guilt about it anymore. I want him.

“Are you going to speak, Daze?” he asks before we go through the door.

My mouth became dry. It is like he is mocking me. He knows that I like him, but he still wants to hear it. He wants the satisfaction of being right.

“What would you like me to say, Haran?”

He is silent for a moment, like a silent conversation that he is trying to start that I am just not able to understand. I want to ask him why he has treated me the way he has, why he is always around when I need help, but I just stand there waiting for him to answer my first question.

“I want to know why you kissed me.”

As I turn to face him the doors to the Ceremony open, but I do not even notice. All I notice is the frustration filling me. If I knew why I wanted him, why I was so attached I would have tried to stop it. But I just cannot even comprehend it myself. Am I the only one that feels the nearly magnetic energy between us. And if that is so, why does he keep pushing?

“I don’t know!” I yell at him.

The dull roar of chatter silences for a moment as people turn to the entryway where I stand shaking with frustration. I want to cry or scream at him more for even finding me and bringing me here. I suddenly just want to blame all my anger on him. But instead I take a slow shaky breath and walk through the doorway and stand with the other recruits and try not to listen people’s nervous whispers.

There are many people here, many more than I have seen among the people who walked through the hallways of NOIDDoften. I don't bother guessing where they are from but let my mind clear into a calm blank until I watch Captain walk to the front of the room.

He looks much different from how he did this morning. He looks much more alive and purposeful and as he stands at the front of the room he brings a sense of authority that causes everyone to become silent before he opens his mouth.

“To be an agent is to be part of a team that is spread worldwide. We are here to bring justice to the people. To make sure that everyone remains safe. Being an agent in this age may be one of the hardest jobs that there is. But each year we have more than enough recruits to supply the need. Agents have died this year on missions, which is a hard blow to everyone that knew them but especially their partners.”

My eyes move around the room as I try to find people I know. The room is at its maximum occupancy but many of the faces do not even look familiar. As captain speaks of agents that have died this year and of how he believes he is lucky to have such competent recruits I notice how tense he looks. His eyes never waver towards the center of the room where four men dressed are dressed in suits. Not hoversuits but real suits with crisp white shirts and jacket and pants that are black as night. It seems like they have been transported from another time period because of their out of place clothing. I make a mental not to ask if anyone knows them later when people begin to be called up.

“The first recruit to become an agent is one that by far did the best this year. She remained strong and smart throughout all of her challenges and having a senior agent like Chine Morisie as her partner will most likely send her shooting through the ranks quickly.”