Gemini|| #Wattys2019

Chapter 19

Trekking down the long tunnel away from Atlas' room, I can still feel the warmth of his embrace lingering on my arms. My forehead still feels the small kiss he left there. Without his arms around me, the base is colder. Harsher.

At the end of the hall I find Veridian waiting at the top of the staircase. When she spots me her eyes light up, until she catches a glimpse pf the look on my face.

"Princess?" Her eyebrows furrow with concern and she steps closer to me.

"You could have told me he'd send me away." I can't even look her in the eye. If she really can see the future, she must think it's really funny sending me to get rejected.

"He sent you away?" The look of shock on Veridian's face tells me she genuinely did not expect such an outcome. "Damn, I really thought you guys would work it out."

"Aren't you supposed to be a psychic? How did you not see this coming?" I snap.

"The visions come in my dreams,"

"So?"

"Well, last night I woke up before I could finish it." I drop my face to my hands and rub my temples.

"You woke up before you could find out whether Atlas would take me in? And you brought me her anyway?" Her shoulders droop down and she sighs.

"In my defense, Carver was the one who woke me up so early. So if you think about it, this is her fault."

"Why did she wake you up?" I change the topic so we can stop focusing on my failing love life.

"She was telling me about this announcement thing that General Russo is doing today."

"Announcement?"

"Yeah, it's supposed to be really important.

"Then why are we still standing here? Shouldn't we go down?" I look at her with a single raised brow, trying to comprehend what goes on in her mind.

"Oh yeah! We should." We're about to head down the stairs when footsteps can be heard behind us. We turn to find Atlas freshly showered and clothed in a similar outfit to mine. His hair still drips with water in a gorgeous way and I don't even try to keep from biting my lip.

"What are you guys still doing up here?" He avoids my gaze.

"We're just about to head down for the General's announcement." Veridian says so that I don't have to. Atlas nods.

"Yeah, me too."

Veridian starts down the steps and we follow, walking side by side. My hand hangs at my side, itching to grab onto his which is only a few inches away. When our fingers accidentally brush, I freeze up and jolt my hand away. I steal a glance at his face only to find that he's already staring, his gray eyes, big and sad. I break eye contact and pass Veridian on the staircase to put space between Atlas and I.

My heart flutters at the look he gives me.

"Any idea what this may be about?" Veridian asks Atlas, trying to ease the air. He hesitates at first but then nods his head.

"Yeah," we walk down the stairs in a line with me up front so I don't even have to spare him a glance. He just keeps talking over my shoulder. "I spoke with him last night. We have some plans to put into action."

We finally reach the bottom of the stairs to the bustling common area. I rack my brain trying to analyze Atlas' response.

What kind of plans? Why didn't he tell me?

Veridian voices my thoughts.

"Plans? What did you have in mind?"

"Everything'll be explained once we get over there." Atlas leads us towards the center of the base where everyone gathers around an empty stage. Veridian pushes through people muttering useless 'excuse me's' and apologies. However, once people started recognizing me, anyone within a two foot radius made way, allowing us to pass.