Remember Me

Movie Night

Warner is absentmindedly playing with my hair. Kenji is sliding a disc into a DVD player. Nazeera is leaning against a wall, arms crossed, brown eyes flitting back and forth in the darkness.

Sometimes I wonder if this life is real.

Then I think

It doesn't matter.

Because I am here. I am living this moment. I am experiencing what I am experiencing. Countless times, I've learned that my own reality was a fabric of lies, in which I have been caught. In less than a year, I went from rotting away in a cell, never having had a genuine human connection before, to having a sister, a boyfriend, best friends, and full control of my powers.

And I've got to say — I'm really, really proud.

And I'm so unfathomably grateful for what my life is right now, at this very second.

My knee is on Warner's right leg. We're sitting on a white sofa, in a small but comfortable 'theatre'. Nouria introduced it to us as the 'entertainment facility' in a brief tour of the compound. Kenji snuck us in after dinner, when everyone else went to bed.

I turn my head slightly and am enraptured by a pair of startlingly green eyes. He's all mine. He's safe. He's alive. I give a small smile.

"I don't know if I can stay awake much longer, love," he whispers sleepily.

I take his warm hand in mine.

"That's okay. I'm tired too." I give him a hug and get a brilliant smile in return. He's so adorable, wearing gray sweats and a white t-shirt, his blond hair a disheveled mess. He looks at me as if nothing else exists. Strong arms wrapped around me are erasing all the trauma of the past few weeks. New Zealand, Emmaline, my parents. I can feel the thoughts dissolving and being replaced by complete bliss. It's the smell of peppermint in his breath and the steady rise and fall of his chest. It's the blueish glow from the TV on his emerald eyes. This is love, I believe. I love everything that surrounds me.

"Alright!" Kenji claps his hands together. "Looks like I got it working, being the tech wizard that I am."

"I think there's a word for that. You're a nerd, Kenji," I say to him.

"Hey, princess. It's not too late for me to kick you out. I'm perfectly fine watching Disney princess movies on my own," he warns, pointing at me.

I roll my eyes. "Okay, I'm sorry. I appreciate your expertise and envy your many talents."

"Better," he nods approvingly.

I feel Warner drifting nearly out of consciousness, his breathing so slow. I could stay like this forever, I think.

"Hey!" Kenji suddenly barks. Warner jolts awake as Kenji snaps his fingers repeatedly. "Don't fall asleep on me now."

* lol oops i'm too lazy to finish this