Counterfeit

-thirteen--

-thirteen-- 

CONTINUING ON WITH the tests, Charleston prepared a needle, then hooked it to the machine. He sat behind it, slowly operating it to move closer to me, until the tip rested a few centimetres from my skin. "Tell me when you're ready." He spoke. I was almost more surprised by his patience than the feeling of when the needle came. Though Gus, my former custodian, had been kind, he, along with everyone else, had never asked my permission first before they injected me with medicines, and took away my blood for research. It was nice to know that my consent mattered. It was nice to feel in control of my body, when they had taken rule of so much of it. 

"Ready." I told him. I breathed out when the needed pierced through my skin and into my vein. I was good with pain. I always reminded myself that when we went for testing; I could endure pain well. Although what it was they did here, even something as simple as an injection, it left me aching for days after. 

I could feel his stare on me from behind the machine; even with my eyes screwed shut, I knew he was watching me, making sure I wasn't in too much discomfort. 

Three more needles were inserted into me, and three test tubes of blood taken away. I was no scientist or doctor, but I had no doubt that I could have produced the same prognosis as them. Once all the wires and needles were removed, I looked towards the tray of beakers and tubes which contained my results, and noticed that they were not the same as my past 12 examinations. 

I don't know why I hadn't caught it earlier when he was in the process of running my exam, but he had taken an additional two more tubes of blood from me, and given me an extra shot of a medicine - different to any I have had before.

"Why has my medication changed?" 

He turned around to face me in an instant, at loss for words. "Pardon?" 

"My medication." I stated. "Why is it different today? That's not how Gus used to do it." 

He hesitated before answering, or maybe it was the uncertainty in the distance between us. "It's because of your friend, Teresa. New regulations require a different treatment in the occasion of someone getting infected by The Fog. I wouldn't worry about it." He told me. 

"Oh, I didn't really know Teresa." I told him. "MiKinley did though." 

"MiKinley?" He raised an eyebrow at me. 

I rolled my eyes at the memory, half amused, half annoyed, still. "The one who doesn't like you very much." 

Charleston laughed at my reply. It was a sweet, warm sound which filled the room. I smiled. "You don't have to underestimate it, Pip. That kid hated me from the minute he laid eyes on me." 

"That's not true." I argued back politely, laughing along with him. "He's just... dealing with a few things at the moment." 

"So I heard." Charleston responded, giving me an obvious look, referring back to the night he had caught MiKinley arguing with me. "Everyone here is dealing with things. Most people have probably lost someone to the disease. I'm sure you've lost someone." He spoke, his voice suddenly drawing softer towards the end. 

There was a momentary sadness which pinged at my heart; I wondered if he knew. "Just make sure your priorities aren't always about everyone else. You might all be immune, but life will still be a fight sometimes."

I snickered at his words. 

"What is it?" He searched. 

"The way you're talking; it's like you've known me forever." I laughed, looking down at my feet. 

He offered a short chuckle, and a gentle smile which raised the corners of his lips, but his voice carried a sorrow with it. "I knew someone like you... Once." 

"What happened to her?" I regretted the words as they came out - felt like I was intruding. Still, there was an undeniable amount of curiosity he had given to me, and at the same time, I wanted to know him.

He kept his gaze locked on a certain spot, and I saw a range of emotions cross his face within the space of a few seconds. "She had to leave." 

"Did she get sick?" I didn't know if I wanted to hear the answer.  He obviously cared for this someone a lot, and to find out that she might have gotten sick, would have broke my heart for Charleston's sake. 

"Something like that." 

-thirteen--

I've got sport trials coming up soon! Wish me luck!

I hope you like this chapter! Double update for you guys, aha.

Please, please, please, please comment what you think so far! Any feedback is appreciated.