The Higher Define (2018)

20

Another one is gone. The same person who got caught during Professional Hide and Seek.

This time, I don't think people believe Friday's words. There are a few hushed conversations and whispers that speak of this person's disappearance and Friday's answer to our curiosity.

I don't think I'm hungry anymore when Friday spreads the word and I put down my fork, ignoring the senior Higher Defines' calls for me to return to breakfast.

I can't eat. Not with all these thoughts that are certain to drive my insane, that make me wonder if Spencer's theory might just be true.

Spencer doesn't follow me out and continues jabbing at pieces of his food when I turn back to check. Maybe he's a little tired of my drama, too.

Just as I step out of the dining room, I bump into someone.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" There is laughter that is so genuine, it sweeps away all the bad emotions that I take with me when I leav ethe room.

I lift my gaze up to meet the amused stare of another girl and the moment that I catch sight of her, a name flashes along my contacts.

Hayley Weathers.

"Yeah, that's kind of my bad." I smile at her.

The grin on her face grows wide and her eyes shine with laughter as she nods at the dining room.

"Not really up for Friday's crap this early in the morning, huh?"

"How-?"

"Trust me, I would know." She runs a hand through her pefect hair that falls across past her shoulders in a neat cascade, the brown strands softening her angular features, giving her face a warmth that isn't present in most of the senior Higher Defines' personality.

My stomach gives a quiet grumble from the lack of food and I blush, turning my head away.

"You should come with me. I know a place where you can dine without having to see Friday."

"It's fine." I reply. I don't know if I can trust this girl, despite how friendly she looks. She may have hidden intentions.

"Sure?" Hayley smirks slightly, her tone slightly resistant. It's enough to convince me to change my mind.

"No."

She laughs again and it's a light tinkling sort of noise that makes me want to smile.

"Follow me!" She says and marches down of the circular room, out into the open.

We're out in the main area of the Hub where the sound of the water crashing against the rocks is loud in my ears and the air that the clouds produce isn't as stuffy as where we were earlier.

I follow her down the path that leads to the waterfall but instead of heading to where the water meets the ground, she twists down another winding route that is marked out with a trail of light pebbles, dusted with dirt.

It goes down a long way and the trail is narrow but we are hidden from plain sight. Dark, tall trees mark and dot the length of the route- not trees encased in glass casings but actual real life trees. Not the fake ones that I see in the Stimulation Room, either.

These are ones that lures me to their trunks, that screams for me to just let my fingers trace the lines of age that crease the tree's features.

The texture against my skin is rough, the weak piece of wood flaking off with my touch.

Hayley turns to watch me and smiles.

"Brilliant, right? It's as real as it can get. Some of the Higher Defines managed to uproot the small plants and smuggle them here. They just lie about the origins when questioned."

"It's gorgeous." I am in awe.

The trail ends at a wide open field that has grass so green, it nearly blinds me.

There is a mat not far from where we stand that is spreaded out across the patch. A few people sit on it, a basket lying in the middle and they dip their fingers in it before pulling out fresh pieces of bread and other edibles.

My jaw nearly drops.

"Why doesn't everyone just eat out here all the time?" I say, shocked.

Hayley takes a glance at the canvass of delight on my face and her lips turn upwards.

"We aren't allowed to. But we try our best not to get caught and everyone here is trusted."

We cross the field and make it to the mat. On closer inspection, the basket is bigger than it seems and there are three people who hang around. They chat lightly and crack jokes. The atmosphere here is a sharp contrast to that in the dining area, it makes my heart melt a little. Who would have imagined that such a huge difference could exist in the same place?

When the trio see me, they fall silent instantly. Their gazes turn cold and I wonder if Hayley has brought me here by mistake. Or maybe it's my mistake and this is one big trick.

"Hey, guys." Hayley greets as she plops herself down next to one of the boys indifferent to the sudden silence.

I finger the hem of the shirt nervously and find myself taking a few steps back.

"Maybe I should go-" I suggest but the boy who sits the closest to Hayley cuts me off swiftly.

"Why did you bring her here?"

The silence grows more awkward as I hold my breath, trying to control the emotions that swamp me. A name pops onto my contacts when he speaks but I ignore the tiny fonts that dance along my lens.

"Yeah, I should really leave." I force myself to say these words without allowing them to waver. I try to turn to leave but my legs feel rooted to the floor. I realise that I'm scared. I'm so terrified that even my body fails to follow my thoughts.

"Be nice, Ian." I hear Hayley say but I don't know what to make do of everything. Is this a big joke? Is this the Higher Defines' way of getting me to leave?

"No, it's fine. I'll go." I quickly try to reason as Ian's focus on me becomes sharp. He gives me such a cold glare that I almost feel it tingling along my spine.

"No. You should stay." Hayley insists and I wonder if she notices how uncomfortable she's making everything. I can't seem to understand how she can be so friendly one moment and so controlling the next.

"Hayley, she's the one that everybody's talking about! She's the one who slept with Friday!" The boy, Ian says to her in a hushed whisper but I catch it.

A strong wave of anger takes hold in me.

"I don't know who told you that but I can tell you for sure that I most definitely did not sleep with him." I snap and force myself to take the position beside Ian, my stare turning angry.

If this is about something that I didn't do, then I shouldn't be scared. I did no wrong. I'm perfect.

Ian opens his mouth to lodge a protest when he sees the daggers in my eyes.

He shuts his mouth quickly and goes back to looking at the piece of bread that he grasps so tightly.

What's wrong with these people? The Higher Defines? More likely the lowly minds.

Now my appetite is truly gone. I stand up and shoot Hayley a look of apology.

"I'm sorry but I don't think I can handle this."

Then I turn to leave.