Instability

※ 21 ※

"Ow, loosen your grip," I complain to Vivian as she drags me through the crowd. She just smiles in reply and yanks my wrist harder.

"Hurry up, Ashley. I want to have a good view!"

I sigh and let her pull me through a dense group of partiers. I smack a good number of people with my backpack, but it doesn't slow Vivian down a bit. She finally settles on a spot right in the middle of the crowd, making us the center point of the circular area.

All of the citizens around us buzz loudly and a majority are either wearing Renegade gear or civilian clothes. Surrounding us are a group of girls gossipping, a decent-looking guy awestruck by the crowd, and a Renegade-attired boy with dark hair running through the crowd. I watch him as he heads towards a girl doing the same thing. They hug and he swings her around in his arms, whacking a few people in the process. I smile, mostly to myself, at how happy they look together.

"Man, you are just a party pooper," Vivian says. Someone shoves my shoulder, and I'm drawn back into reality. People everywhere cluster and breathe down my neck. In this warm June weather, the best of the crowd becomes a bit unbearable.

Vivian gives me a look I can't distinguish. "What?" I say defensively. "I didn't even do anything!"

"Oh, but you will," she replies.

"Vivian, don't be so vague."

"I'm not being vague," she says, glancing over my left shoulder. I roll my eyes and turn around to see what she's looking at. It takes me a while to spot the mystery people within the packed audience, but when I see it, my heart plummets.

It's Danny.

With another girl.

Kissing.

Passionate kissing.

The kind of kissing that's too intimate for public eyes.

The kind of kissing that makes me want to vomit.

Oh, crap.

"Ashley," Vivian says, grabbing my shoulder and turning me to face her. I stare blankly and point my finger behind me.

"Did that really just happen?" I ask, laughing dryly. I can't deny how much it hurts to see Danny like that. "That's too much PDA for anyone to see."

Someone jams their elbow into my back, and I momentarily stumble. Was that really necessary? I turn towards the capitol building and focus on that instead. I make myself focus and recite every detail of the stage so I can stifle my feelings.

Already, the Renegade leaders, both familiar faces and strangers, are lined up on the steps. A handful officials adorn the stairs, including General Fadhill. On the left side of the Capitol steps is a podium, a wooden one. The top of the building masks a rolled-up navy banner.

I glance and Danny and his new lover with more pain than my stab wound contained. If this is heartbreak, then Daniel Fadhill can have all the broken shard back.

When Danny turns to face the crowd, I nearly choke on air. That's not Daniel Fadhill. That's a guy I've never seen before.

My heart soars into my throat and lodges itself there. I nudge Vivian a hundred times and spill my discovery to her. She nods with a smirk.

As General Fadhill mounts the podium, the ElectroBoards switch to a live feed. The camera scans the crowd and then casts its focus on the podium. I turn to search for the camera's location, but I also glance at the fake Danny and his girlfriend. Thank goodness he's not my Danny.

I twist around and continue to talk to Vivian. Recalling our previous conversation in the Ruins, I ask her about her previous boyfriend. She refuses to give me a name.

"Then it must be someone I know, right?" I say.

Vivian tries not to look bothered by my comment, but I'm definitely on the right track. I think about my entire experience in Hawaii, but I come up blank. I have no idea who he could be.

"Fine," I surrender, "I'll let it go for now, but you owe me an explanation."

Vivian raises her eyebrows at me with a grin before focusing her attention on the podium. I laugh, shaking my head.

"Greetings," General Fadhill announces. His voice echoes across the circular area. "I'd like to formally recognize every one of you as citizens of our new nation."

Applause erupts across the crowd, and some people whistle loudly or cheer. I manage to let out a loud whoop. It feels amazing to be a successful Renegade, just like my dad.

The General continues. "The first step towards establishing our nation is giving ourselves a name. Since our lives will never again revolve around the Imperial States of America again, I proudly present to you the free republic called the Unified States of America!" Above the capitol building, the strings of the large banner cut loose. The navy banner rolls open dramatically, revealing a navy flag with a black compass in between two leaves.

The crowd chants, "USA! USA!" over and over and over again. Vivian and I join in, clapping and pumping our fists like everyone else in the crowd. The pure teens coming together under new rules makes my heart swell.

General Fadhill quiets the crowd. "We've still got a lot of work to do, and we must all work together and work hard. The basis of freedom is participation and honesty.

"So first, the head Renegades are going to write a constitution and civil rights code to protect everyone's freedoms. The draft will be approved by a majority vote nationwide. Then we'll establish local governments, a national government, and have an election for president. Any USA citizen over the age of 35 is welcome to run for a leadership position. Make sure to see your local Renegade group to sign up.

"For today, everyone will be residing in their current homes, but tomorrow's goals is to re-organize housing and make jobs available. All money-making facilities will be making new currencies, and any old currency will be replaced. In short, everyone is starting fresh under the Unified States of America!"

The crowd cheers again. My mind flashes to think of what I want to do with my life. I could live anywhere, really, and do anything I want. There's a world of possibilities, and the broad feeling is so different than what I'm used to. I clap even louder.

The General finishes his speech, and declares today, June 22, a new holiday called Renegade Day. He also announces that everyone is entitled to a ration of free food. After General Fadhill's gives his closing remarks, the chant of "USA! USA!" starts up again. It brings a wide smile to the General's face.

After stepping down from the podium, the USA flag waves proudly above us. I can't believe that this is happening. The ISA doesn't exist anymore. The ISA is gone!

Music suddenly blasts over the loud speakers, throwing the circular area in party-mode. Music. I haven't heard music in such a long time. The only songs we had were old because songwriting wasn't a career choice. As I follow Vivian through the dancing, laughing crowd, I cling to the lyrics as much as I can, taking in every addicting note.

"And if you, you want me to, let's make a move."

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Question of the Day: what song is playing over the speakers? haha, i find it hilarious that this song hypothetically survives over 100 years later :)

don't forget to go to the beginning of the book and watch the trailer! i just made it in the spring of 2014, and my mom liked it :) shoutout to my mom for being awesome! i also attached an image of what the USA flag looks like in the media section of this chapter.

don't judge those "amazing" editing skills too hard lol.