"J-Jade? Is that really you?" Sienna said, running towards her sister. Sienna pulled Jade into a big hug and felt a few tears slip out. "I...I thought I'd never see you again!"
Jade patted her back and giggled a little. Sienna pulled away to look at her face. Once flawless, her face was now tanned and makeup-less. She looked so much older, with countless worry lines and weary eyes. She smelled of gunpowder and pine, But still had a hint of cinnamon, a scent that had always followed her. Jade smiled and stepped back from Sienna.
"How have you been, Sienna?" She asked, breaking the silence first. Sienna shifted her weight back and forth as she felt the watchful gaze of the others in the room.
"Just peachy," Sienna said with fake enthusiasm and obvious sarcasm. Jade laughed and looked around the treehouse.
"Ah, where are my manners? This is Bronze," a very tall man with long hair gave Sienna a quick nod, "Taupe," the buff, a grumpy sounding man gave a grunt, "Topaz," the short, perky girl with short blond hair gave an exuberant wave, "And last but not least, Mauve." The boy who had fallen on her earlier looked her up and down and smirked. Sienna immediately felt self-conscious. She took in his tussled blond and striking green eyes, and devious smirk.
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Sienna." He said softly, grabbing her hand and kissing it. Sienna blushed but rolled her eyes. She knew he was being sarcastic and making fun of her exceptional heritage. "So surprised you actually came, knowing you had to go through" he gasps and puts his hands on his face in mock horror "Muddy woods! Oh no! My dress! It-it's so dirty and ahh! Is that a tree branch? In. My. Hair? I need my butler! And OOF," Having enough of his "comedy" routine, and the mocking of her family, Sienna punched him in the gut.
Sienna grabbed his arm and pulled his face close to hers. She faltered a little when she felt his warm breath tickle her nose. She wore a cold glare on her face, one now capable of rivaling the one her sister always wore around their parents.
"If you ever mock me or my supposed way of life again, you will get more than just a punch to the gut, understand?" She said in a dangerously low voice. She saw his eyes flicker with fear and a hint of admiration, but the moment passed. He stepped back clutching his wrist, with the same smirk he wore earlier.
"She's a feisty one, isn't she Jade?" He laughed nervously. Jade chuckled and response and walked over to Sienna, putting an arm around her sister.
"Yes, yes she is." Sienna looked around the room once more at the group of strangers. Suddenly, she remembered all the hurt she had felt when Jade had "died" and wondered if it was all for nothing. Why did Jade leave her, just like that, to fend for herself? Why did she put Sienna through so much pain and grief, that Sienna never really got over? Jade was her best friend. Sienna suddenly stiffened under Jade's touch and crossed her arms. She no longer wanted to be in her sisters embrace. Feeling betrayed, she took a step back from Jade and walked towards the treehouse window.
"How could you do that to me, Jade? I was heartbroken. I had never felt so alone. You just left me! And for what, to go frolic with some rebels and rob carriages of the people who used to be our friends?" She began to yell, making the others take multiple steps back. "And now after 3 years, put a mysterious letter, confusing, and forcing me to lie to our parents. Our parents! You broke their hearts too, Jade!" Sienna broke off into a loud sob, turning around to face the group, mascara-laden tears streaking down her face, ruining her perfectly done makeup.
"Sienna...I understand why you feel lik-" Jade began to reach out towards Sienna but Sienna slapped her hand away.
"I don't think you do understand, Jade. I locked myself in my room for weeks, too grief-stricken to talk or eat. You lied to me and abandoned me, and I'm not sure I could ever forgive you." Sienna turned back to the window, tracing patterns into the rough wood. Jade turned back to the group and cocked her head towards the ladder, indicating that they should go for a little bit.
"Sienna... please just...just hear me out, ok? Please?" Jade pleaded.
"I...fine." Sienna had a steely look in her eye as she sat down on one of the pillows.
"I couldn't take the test. I just knew once I took it, no matter what happened, I would be unhappy. Our way of life is distorted and messed up. I made some friends from lower classes, like Topaz and Bronze, and they told me about the true brutality of these tests and what happens to people who aren't good enough to even be Deficients. I left because our parents and "friends" are awful people. The observers are awful people. If I took my test and didn't become an Exceptional, our parents and the other observers could have me killed or hidden away forever, just to uphold the family name and our reputation as Exceptionals. You know why you've never heard of an Exceptional who took the test and resulted in a lower class? Because their own family had them killed or captured and staged their death as some "accident". I couldn't have this happen to me, once I knew this information." Jade turned away from Sienna, not wanting her to see her tears. "I didn't take you with me because I knew you weren't ready to make such a life-changing decision. I didn't want to put you through that type of trauma, but I guess I did that anyway by leaving you alone. For that, I will never, ever forgive myself. If you could find it in your heart to forgive me, I would be eternally grateful."
"I can try." Sienna reached out to hug her sister and buried her face in Jades rough, brown shirt. Sienna immersed herself in the cinnamon scent and smiled a real, true smile for the first time in a long time.
"Alright ladies, I see you've had your sisterly reunion, but we've got to explain to Sienna what she's here for." Mauve's smug voice felt like ice down Siennas spine as she felt Jade sigh.
"Yes, I guess we do."
A/N
I honestly have no excuse for being absent for so long. I kind of just lost the motivation to write this story, but some of my amazing friends like nooviegroovie and eli_coop_coop encouraged me to keep going. Thanks for all who've stuck with me this far, and I hope to continue updating more frequently.
-A.Lindsay♥️
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FantasySienna lives in a society where you're judged by your looks, intelligence and how well you fit in. In the ruins of what once was the US, this society is run by the Council of observers who judge you your whole life, and most importantly the test yo...
