The Traitor

Chapter Fifteen: A Jealous Warning

I knocked on the door and waited excitedly for it to open, practically jumping up and down. When it didn't, I shouted, "Lauren! Lauren, it's me, Teya. Let me in!" Nothing. I sighed, then glanced up at the clock that hung in the hallway, which read 5:00, the ticking of the second hand reminding me that I needed to hurry. I figured it was best to try to find Lauren, so she could let me into the room since I didn't have my key. That way I would be able to get everything I needed in time to leave tonight.

 I hurried back down the hall and down the winding staircase till I reached ground level, sprinting through the Lobby doors and out into open air. I glanced around, scanning the area for any sign of Lauren, but the only person in my line of sight was Sophia- the girl I sat with on the train. 

I smiled and waved before it occurred to me that I wasn't sure how many people had attended the meeting where Mr. Thomas told them what had happened. Lauren hadn't clarified how many people showed up though I was pretty sure she said it was everyone. If Sophia had heard about it, there was no reason she would want to talk to me, or even return my wave.

But she proved me wrong when she smiled and waved back, then began walking toward me wearing a huge smile.

I realized people might start asking where I've been the last couple days, assuming Sophia wasn't the only one who didn't seem to know what had happened, and I really didn't feel like entering that conversation. I would have to think of something to tell them in case anybody asked.

"Hey," I called out nervously as she neared me. If she was going to walk up to me, the least I could do was say hello and hope the conversation didn't veer in the wrong direction. 

"Hi!" she responded. "It's Teya, right?" And for the moment, I forgot all about my urgency to find Lauren and rescue Jasper. After days of being completely alone, it felt good to be able to talk to someone and forget everything that was going on, even if it was just for a short conversation, or even an exchange of 'hellos.' I couldn't remember the last time I had a casual conversation where something wasn't weighing down on me, not that there wasn't anything weighing down on me at the moment, but with Sophia, it felt easy to forget.

I nodded and grinned. At least someone knew me as something other than a traitor. "Yeah, and you're Sophia?"

"That's me." She smiled and her face seemed to light up as she did. "So what are you doing right now? I haven't seen you around the last couple days." 

And...there it is, I thought. But before my mind could even begin to come up with something to say to her, something that wouldn't make her turn against me like everyone else, her attention was diverted and someone else from behind me called out, "Hey, Soph! How have you been?" I recognized the sweet, honeyed voice as Savannah brushed passed me, not even acknowledging that I was standing there, and embraced Sophia in a hug.

"Hi, Savannah," she responded sweetly as they separated. Clearly, they knew each other really well and I realized just how much I had missed out on while I was locked up. Sophia suddenly remembered I was standing there and exclaimed, "Oh, hey, Savannah, you know Teya, right?"

Savannah turned around and noticed me for the first time. I gave her a polite smile, which she returned with an icy glare, hidden from Sophia by a thick strand of hair that shielded her face from her friend. Surprised by her silent yet cold response, I took a step back, and glanced over at the still smiling Sophia, checking to make sure she didn't see that. Nope- still as naive as ever, not that that's a bad thing. I admired Sophia's innocence, while I was being charged with treason and forced to prove my innocence in a way that I wasn't sure I could.

Savannah spun around and turned her back on me, moving closer to Sophia, as if protecting her from something: me. I stood there, dumbfounded, as Savannah shot me a look that made me think she might actually know more than I thought she did. She proved me right when she said, "Sophia, I don't think you want to be talking to this girl," she told her coldly, her dark eyes drilling a hole through me as we stared at each other, not daring to look away. She reminded me of a mother bear, protecting her young from some type of dangerous predator; and apparently, I was that predator.