Wanted by Loved Ones

Strangest Feeling

My feet carry me directly in front of Holt's bedroom door and I stop, rummaging through options in my head. Personally, I find that last night's argument was terribly overrated. I mean, he over-reacted and I just don't feel like this is all my fault. Therefore, I shouldn't be the only one feeling guilty and going to apologize. That's it. I'm right...I think.

Raising my chin, I stomp back down the hall and rid my head of all negative thoughts, replacing them with memories. Beautiful and wonderful memories of this morning.

I really wished Mr. Fulton hadn't commanded the shift-bot to shut down so suddenly. If he left it on a few moments later, I could've seen how it reacted. In my dream, I never got to see how the prince was, after I Charmed him... Oh well, I guess it's something else to look forward to next session. Whenever that may be.

Shaking my head, I continue down the hall until I reach the kitchen. I shouldn't have skipped breakfast. Maybe I should ask one of the workers if I could get an alarm clock from somewhere.

"Hey, V! Wait up, will you!" someone calls from behind me.

I turn around to see Brittni jogging to catch up to me.

"Hey, Brit."

Her arm brushes me as she finds a similar pace and then says, "Hey. Are you heading toward the kitchen?"

"Yeah, hungry?" I ask, smiling.

"Starving!" She clutches her stomach like she's just been shot and I laugh at her absurdity.

"You really need to get your brain out of your stomach!" I joke and she sighs and then laughs.

"Tell me about it. So...where's Holt?"

A raggedy breath escapes my lips and I say, "In his room, probably."

"Oh, really? He wasn't there when I knocked on it a second ago."

I shrug my shoulders, trying to act casual. Her gaze sticks to my side like a child gripping her blanket during the night. "Mmhmm..."

I ignore her knowing tone and try to change the subject. "Where's the rest of the gang?"

"Matt should be in the kitchen and Leroy is sleeping. No one knows where Grace is. Probably locked in her room and studying, or something."

"Studying?" I ask.

"Yeah, turns out she's pretty stressed because Mr. Fulton--" she looks at me for confirmation when she says, "you met him right?"

I nod. "So, yeah, it's time for her Monthly Progress Test."

"Oh." I don't need an explanation since the name does all the explaining I need.

"Hey! That's my piece o' bacon, you fool!" someone shouts from inside the kitchen.

Brittni and I look at each other, hands on our hips, and then walk through the--already open--kitchen door.

Matt and Leroy are having another fork battle with some bacon in the middle of the table.

"Le' go! It's mine, I called it!" Leroy cries and then tries to shove away Matt's fork.

Matt does the same to Leroy's and they furrow their eyebrows in foolish determination.

"Watch this," Brittni whispers beside me. She walks to the kitchen table and stands in between the two. She flexes and shakes her arms around and then, with one palm on each of the boys, shoves them to the ground and away from the bacon. She then reaches over the table and snatches the piece of bacon from the shiny platter in the center of the kitchen table. She shoves the whole thing in her mouth, making loud and deliberate crunching sounds as Matt and Leroy both stare at her from the ground. Both dumb-founded and, undoubtedly, angry. They both pick themselves up and then stomp, silently, to their chairs and continue eating.