P L A N B E T A

Chapter Twenty-Five

December 2nd, 2042

Baker-Crane

When I was initially called to the hospital wing, I thought that whoever that boy was, he was dead, and I refused to believe that it was Jack Peter.

However, when I actually saw Maia sitting on the bed and his eyes open and wide, I knew it was him, and I knew he was safe. "Peter..." I said. "You're alive." He smiled at me and nodded. His hair was still short, but it wasn't as clean cut as it was when he left. Surprisingly, he was still clean and when he smiled, his teeth were still as white as ever. "How are you still so clean?" I asked.

"Well," he started, but I jumped at how much his voice dropped. It wasn't jurassic, and I could still tell that it was him, but it was definitely deeper than I thought. "They really set me up in there. They had these shower wipe things that I used religiously and those shampoo caps that those old people wear when they're in the hospital. They work surprisingly well. They also gave me a toothbrush and toothpaste, it was a pretty good deal, but I was really lonely," he explained.

"Realistically you should have gone clinically insane and attempted suicide, you've been gone for almost five months, P," I say.

"Yeah, well I had some really great early-two-thousands music that came on every once in a while that held me over." I laughed and then looked at his family, Gwen was sitting on the bed with Maia but she was practically super glued onto Jack Peter's leg. Cassie looked like she was in a daze and couldn't believe that her son was sitting here in front of her. Emery just looked like he wanted to burst out into some sort of laughter or psychotic rage, but he didn't budge.

I examined Maia. She looked different from when we came from Sleepy Hollow. Before she looked tired and annoyed, her hair was always messy and she seemed like had not a care in the world for anyone's issues. Now, she was brighter and happier. She still looked tired, but now she looked... better. She radiated her warmth, and I wasn't sure how she did it, but she was good at it.

December 3rd, 2042

"I'm fifteen, bitches," is what I said when I walked down the stairs into the main dining area. Orren looked up at me and smiled. Maia also walks into the dining area, and she looks quite nice.

"Happy Birthday, Ara," she says. "I'm so excited for you to do whatever you want to do on this day of your birth within the law and within this building, because we're still on lockdown after like six months but it's fine."

Then, I get the worst news. "Oh my god!" I hear Jack Peter scream. I didn't think that he was allowed out of bed until the eighth, but he was up and clearly having too much fun. I turn around and expect to look down a couple inches, but instead, I have to look up a couple of inches before I even reach his eyes. "Ha! You short prick! This is my revenge! You made fun of me for years but look what I can do now!" he exclaims, leaning against me with his forearm on my shoulder. I glare at him and shove my elbow into his stomach, which is now easily accessible.

"Okay, okay, have your fun, but your little girlfriend is only five-four so do I have news for you—" he covers my mouth and as I try to tear it off I realize he has a stronger grip than he did before. "How did you get stronger in space?" I ask. Even though his hand is muffling my voice. He takes his hand from my mouth and smirks.

"I had five months to do nothing but work out and talk to myself. What do you expect?" he taunted.

"Zero gravity," I argued.

"Tons of weights, you idiot," he argued back.

"I hate you," I said, walking to sit down at the table next to Jameson. Maia has her head down across from me, she's writing something in a notebook. For the last two days, Maia had been clinging onto Jack Peter every moment of every day. Now she was quiet and trying to not draw any attention to herself, which I now knew she was really self-conscious about.

Later in the day, we sat down for dinner. Jack Peter and Maia sat next to each other because that's what I made them do. Before he got back, Maia was so adamant about being with him, but now it was like her anxiety overtook her, I but I knew what she wanted to do. I knew she wanted to be holding hands with him under the table and smiling with him. I knew that she wanted to hug him on a cold day and suddenly be warm, and I wanted that for her.

I smile at Orren, grateful for him being here next to me and that we could actually sit next to each other and when we wanted to we could hold hands or hug, but we weren't necessarily official. I grab his hand that is laying on the table and hear Jack Peter exclaim, "I'm sorry, when did this happen?!" I ponder for a moment before realizing that Jack Peter was not here for the mess that was whatever Orren and I were.

"Oh it's a mess," Maia said. "After you left we were shipped off to Sleepy Hollow and then they snuck out one night and kissed and it was this whole thing and then, oh and then, they came back and they were a thing but then they decided not to be and now they just do what they want and we're all confused. It's okay, P. You're not alone." He looked over and smiled at her nicely, sort of like he was admiring her.

I sighed to myself and wished them the best, I knew they'd get there, but i didn't know when.

Late that night, was the hour was coming down on my birthday, there's a small knock on my door. I stand up from my desk where I had been putting pictures from today into a book and open the door.

Orren stands with his hands behind his back. He's wearing a white button-up and black jeans. His hair is a little messed up like he had been asleep but he looked wide awake. I invited him into the room that I share with Maia but she was down with Jack Peter drinking hot cider by the fireplace.

Orren holds out his hands out to show a small box. "I know you don't like jewelry," he says as I open it to see a small bronze bracelet. "But trust me, this isn't any ordinary bracelet. One you put it one it attaches to your chip. When you need to, scan your index finger for two seconds on the little topaz gem, then it can be harmful to any bad guys you're going after. Also, it can be used as a taser and tranquilizer. I'm sorry that I'm ranting, Ara. just want you to be safe," he explains. I set the box down on my bed and trap Orren in a tight hug. It takes him a second to ug me back but eventually he does.

I put on the bracelet, which leads to Orren and I sitting on my bed talking. Even after Maia comes into the room and goes to sleep we still talk. Eventually, he goes to bed, but I still sit in the dark and examine the bracelet. It nearly brings me to tears to think about how much Orren actually cares. It starts to get to me, even more, when I realize just how much I care about him, it makes me feel sick but for the first time I think that it's okay, and I finally understand that I just might like him more than I thought.