P L A N B E T A

Chapter Sixteen

November 2nd, 2042

Baker-Crane

"We leave Thanksgiving night," Orren says. "We can say our goodbyes and then we can get out of here. We take a train to New York City and then take a helicopter to Kit-Island," he explains.

"That's a suicide mission, O. That won't work, GZU and all Gen Z buildings are under lockdown, there is no way we can get in," says Maia. I almost roll my eyes at her until I realize that wasn't the best thing for me to do because Maia would probably kick me.

"Okay well then what do you suggest, Miss Wagner?" I ask.

"There's literally no way that we can get to Kit-Island unless—nevermind," Maia suggests but then hunches back and pulls her legs up to her chest.

"Unless what, Mai? We need to get back, what can we do?" Orren urges. I look over at her and nudge her with my elbow.

"C'mon, Maia. You want to go back just as much—more—than we do. We need a way to get back. What can we do?" I ask.

"Well," she starts. "We'd have to take a train down to New York City, but not the one that gets there in like forty minutes. It's the one that goes around New York to pick up more and more people, and a lot of them are children of officials at GZU. They're also going to Kit-Island. After we arrive in New York we have to find the ferry to Liberty Island. From there we can get on another ferry that takes to Coral's Cay, a very, very small island about sixty miles from Liberty. We then take the underwater subway to Kit-Island and end up in the third basement. We'll have to be quick and quiet because you know that everyone's going to be extra alert."

Orren and I nodded and we continued to make our plan. We spent hours looking up routes and booking tickets anonymously. Maia was now in a different mood than she had been for the past couple of months. She was now more interested in life and more focused than normal.

Our plan seemed to be going smoothly, we thought that there was no way it could be messed up.

November 15th, 2042

During breakfast we all walked downstairs and had orange juice and toast, it was going to be another Saturday and we were just going to walk around and explore, but then Elle and Dale came downstairs.

"Kids," Dale said. "We have news."

"Good or bad?" Orren jokes.

"Bittersweet," Elle answered. "Orren, in two days you have a trip back to Kit-Island. Your parents already have the littles and mediums back, but it's time for you to go up there. Arabella and Maia, you are ordered to stay here. Plan Beta isn't allowed back yet."

"Orren is part of Plan Beta now," Maia protested. "He shouldn't be allowed to leave either!"

"Maia sweety, he wasn't an original part of Plan Beta. It's time you and Arabella learn to work together instead of relying on someone else, anyway," Dale reasoned. My mouth dropped and I looked over at Orren, he was already looking at me.

That night I couldn't sleep, so I went down to the living room to see O sitting on the couch. I sat next to him but we said nothing I just laid my head on his shoulder and he swung his arm around me.

"I still want you to come on Thanksgiving night," he said. "I don't want you to come along for me, but for P and Maia. They're your best friends, whether you actually like them or not, they have done a lot for you." I sigh and look up at him.

"Okay," I respond softly. He leans down and kisses my forehead. This seemed like something straight out of a Christmas movie. I wondered why at fourteen I was having the same experience as an adult. But then I realized that we had been forced from a young age to grow up and be ready. So I was currently ready to be a twenty-seven-year-old.

"Ara? Do you actually want to be my girlfriend or do you just want to keep being like however, we are now? Because honestly, I'd like something more than just doing this now and have you freak out when you get back." I sat up correctly and then turned my entire body toward him.

"Orren, of course, I actually want to be with you. I would absolutely love you it's just... I'm a little scared," I admit.

"Of what?"

"Of... having you not be around all the time..."

"How about this," he suggests. I sit up and give him my focus. "How about we hold off for now? Like... why don't we just enjoy each other right now and then once it's all calmed down we can figure out what we want to do. If we are ready to be in a relationship and be public about it then all be it, but if we aren't then we'll figure it out. Is that okay with you?" My eyes bat a couple of times and I'm taken back a little.

"Yeah," I say. "Yeah, that's okay. But does that mean we can't kiss or cuddle anymore?"

"Ara I didn't say that were strictly just friends," he said, winking. He then got up and yawned. "I think it's time for bed, young lady. You have a rough week and a half ahead of you," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me up. Our faces came close together but nothing happened. We departed and I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, then walking upstairs.

I laid in bed for hours until I finally heard the frogs stop ribbiting, and I can't stand the silence. I sit up and look over at Maia's bed. I'm too lazy to actually get up so I just whisper-yell at her hoping that she hears me. "Maia!" I exclaim quietly. I repeat myself a few times, but it doesn't work. "Maia, Maia, Maia, Maia!" I slump back into my bed but then realize I have pillows which can also be used as weapons.

I chuck my pillow at her body and she grunts, "I hate you. I hate you so much leave me alone you parasite let me sleep."

"Maia I can't sleep."

"Then go make out with Orren in his room or whatever."

"He's the one who told me to go to sleep, so I am."

"Oh so now he's telling you what to do—"

"Shut up," I sigh. "I was trying to be friendly and have a nice chat."

"Okay well too late, now it's sleep time," she says, pulling the covers over her face. About a half an hour later she sits up and looks over at my bed. She crosses her legs and it's almost like she can see my smirk. "What do you want, Bella?" I tense up and snap my head toward her, but she just laughs.

We talk until the sun has risen. We went from sitting on opposite sides of the room to being right next to each other in the window. We laughed, almost too loud, and cried nearly until our throats hurt, good or bad.

I learned more about Maia, Orren, and even Jack Peter than I ever thought I would know. I figured out some of Orren's mysteries, I really looked at Maia's life and realized just how unfair it really was, I looked at Jack Peter as a real person, not just a little brother figure who I loved to hate sometimes. I think Maia got to see some more of me too, and I actually told her about Orren and the really personal and important things in my life. I sound it utterly strange how that morning we hated each other but a little conversation got us to crying together.

When we heard the first person get up, we instantly felt terribly exhausted. When we got into our beds Maia whispered to me, "Y'know I really think that we should do that more often. You're a cool person when you're not being a complete bitch."

"You too, Maia," I responded, and nothing more was said.