Elite || Marhinki

•Chapter Twenty-Three: Emerald•

It's perfectly quiet when I wake up. The curtains bloke out the sunlight. For the first time in my life, I feel completely refreshed.

A new outfit lied on my bedside table. Jeans and a button-up shirt. After months of the soft material of the Elite outfit, it feels rough.

I quickly get dressed and pull open the curtains. The Diamond District is bustling underneath me. Beautiful people in beautiful outfits rushing to beautiful buildings with beautiful items in their hands. I think of the downtown of my home, and suddenly feel sick. I pull the curtains closed.

Something buzzes against my wrist. I look down at my watch. It's face displays a simple message; go to the first floor.

The door to my room opens as I step to, sliding into the wall. The hallway is empty and quiet. I can hear my footsteps as I walk across the carpeted floor to the elevator.

"How long has it been?"

I freeze and scan the hallway. There's no one there. What was that? 

"Seven months," a familiar voice says. Mr. Lee Yang.

A door is cracked open slightly ahead of me. I creep up to it and peer inside. Mr. Lee Yang is leaning against a wall, while Quinta looks at him while sitting on the bed.

"That's good," she says quietly. 

"No, it isn't," Mr. Lee Yang scoffs. "It should be a year."

"It used to be every night," Quinta stands up. "You've improved. A lot."

Mr. Lee Yang shakes his head. "I know where you're going with this, Quin. I'm not coming back."

"Why not?" she demanded. "It's been five years, Eugene. We both know you're not enjoying your job as a teacher. You were happy here!"

"Yeah, I was," Mr. Lee Yang sounded angry. "Right up until I almost drunk myself to death. I can't risk that happening again, Quinta."

"Eugene-" Quinta started.

"No," he replied sternly. "Now, if you excuse me, I have a train to catch."

I processed his words right in time to jump out of the doorway and run to the stairs. I couldn't risk having him see me in the elevator. He might get suspicious.

Guilt coursed through me as I ran. I shouldn't have done that. It was a complete invasion of privacy. I doubted that Mr. Lee Yang would appreciate me knowing he was an alcoholic. Who would?

In no time at all, I reached the check-in room, where all of the Elites were gathered. I stopped at Mari's side and quickly regained my breath. Mr. Lee Yang was checking us out.

"What took you so long?" Mari asked me, raising her eyebrow.

"Slept in late," I lied. The least I could do was keep Mr. Lee Yang's secret to myself.

Mari didn't look like she believed me, but before she could question me, Mr. Lee Yang walked out the front door, and we all scrambled to follow him.

We found ourselves back on the bus. That took us back to the train station, which Mr. Lee Yang took us through till we were back at the room we'd arrived in. The train was waiting for us, and he led us in. 

The train ride was completely uneventful. Wes joined us at our seat this time, and the three of us played some multiplayer games on his hologram machine. Overall, it was a fun time.

Then the train rolled to a stop. Wes shoved the machine in his pocket, and we exited the train.

Compared to the train station in the Diamond District, this was nothing. The floor and ceiling were made of wood, and the walls were covered with large screens. They all displayed different programs; the left had a woman singing, the center had a woman and a man playing the violin, and the right had a man dancing. I couldn't hear anything, but I could tell that all four of them were incredibly talented, just from watching.