Bygones

~{Chapter 20}~

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Flashback

I was reading in my hideout in a vent above my cubical. A blanket was sprawled out, a flash light next to my pillow, and a stack of books by my feet. I heard someone climbing through the vent. I closed my flash light and made no noise. The sound was coming closer to me and I was deciding whether to run or not.
"Sloan?!" a voice whispered out. I could see light around the corner. Then the light turned the corner and shone in my face.
"There you are. Mom's looking for you," Daniel whispered as he got comfortable. He was taller than a normal seventeen year old. I could see his light brown hair and sadden eyes in the dark.
"There doing it again, huh?," I asked him as I picked up my book again.
"Eh, don't worry about them. You know how they are. It's just talk, but louder."
I nodded, but I knew that they were arguing.
He reached over and ruffled my hair, "Your nine years old, go out there and have fun. Get in trouble for all I care. Live out there while you can."
I giggled in response. Daniel gave up his identity so I could live a normal non-hiding life. He never went out of the cubical much before I was born so no one noticed. My mother worked along side Dr. Griffin while my dad was a Commander. They met one day at a masquerade that the Chancellor held to relieve the people's stress. At that time my father wasn't a wreck. His good friend introduced him to my mom and they kept talking every since. They had Daniel and then got married. After, my dad was promoted to Head Commander. Ever since the duties and burdens became more stressful and heavy that he turned to alcohol. My mother tried to convince him to stop for the second baby, me. He yelled at her most nights about getting an abortion, but she had already grown attached to me. Daniel told me she always put a strong face around me and when I was born, she became even stronger.
"Do you hear that?" Daniel sat up a little. There was an echoing of a little girl crying. We decided to follow the sound and discovered a boy holding a little girl crying.
"Stay away or i'll hurt you!" the boy threatened.
"We can help," Daniel whispered calmly.
"We don't need help. We're fine."
I crawled past Daniel and handed the girl my favorite book, "You can have it. It helps me calm down."
The girl was a bit younger than me. She looked at the book and then look at the boy for permission. He nodded and she took the book.
"You're a good brother. Just like mine," I smiled at the boy. He was older than I was, but younger than Daniel. He nodded and I crawled away.

"That was you're favorite book wasn't it?" Daniel asked me when we got back to my hiding spot.
"She needed it more than I did."
"How did you know they were siblings anyways?"
I didn't answer, but I knew by the way he protectively held her. It's the same way Daniel holds me when our dad lashes out.
"It's good to know that we're not the only one."
"True. But I don't want you to go an try to be friends with them. People'll get suspicious. Okay?"
"Mm-hmm," I nodded.

Flash forward four years

I opened the door to my cubical, "...I can't believe you didn't get in trouble! Mr. O was so mad it was hilarious!"
Raven and Finn followed me in.
"It wasn't that big of an explosion," Raven giggled.
"Yeah right! Everyone on that wing had to evacuate. I was two centers down! Each center is a about a hundred cubicles long," Finn exclaimed.
We were back at my cubical. It was after sessions were over. The engineering and mechanical branches came together to take the EIT test. I was on the engineering branch and she was on the mechanical one.
"If you pass you'll make history," I threw my bag down and plopped on my trundle.
Both Raven and Finn got comfortable next to me.
"Nah. I think Mr. O's eyebrows costed me a few hundred points," Raven snickered.
Finn flipped on the TV and browsed through the channels.
"Nothing," he sighed and turned it off, "Wanna do something crazy?"
"Like what?" Raven and I said unanimously.
"We could... race to the main station."
Daniel popped his head around the corner good luck not getting caught. Training's in session and people are everywhere."
Raven and Finn are the only ones who knew about Daniel.
"I'm bored," Finn exaggerated.
"Lets go up to the vents," I said.
"Be careful. Mom wants you back before dinner," Daniel sat on the couch and clicked open the TV.
"Mkay," I hoisted myself up the opening of the vent.

"Listen up boys, this is your first day on duty. Easy day if you ask me. Stay in your assigned area, stay alert at all times, and do what you learned in training. Understood?!"
"Yes, sir!" the soldiers responded.
"Isn't that your dad?," Finn whispered.
"Yeah," I whispered back.
I observed the team. Each one was about Daniel's age, maybe a little older. I saw a boy at the back of group.
"What?," Raven followed my glance.
"Nothing, I just... I've seen him before."
"Come on let's go see what's for dinner," Finn nudged Raven. We climbed out into the main lobby.
"I catch up with you guys later, I'm gonna check up on Daniel."
"See ya," Raven waved.

"Hey, what do you want me to bring back?," I walked in and saw him lying on the couch still watching TV.
"Mmm, that corn bread thing. Oh mom said to meet her at the cafeteria."
"Okay."
I stood there and looked at him. I always had this guilty feeling, like it should be him that's out there enjoying all the fun. He looked at me still standing at the door way.
"Go! Get the good stuff before it's gone."
I nodded and went.

Flashback ends

"Where've you guys been?," Raven asked as we walked back to the camp, "Leyla found something."
We walked into my tent and I saw Leyla sitting there.
"Oh hi..."
"What's wrong? You sound... guilty."
She pulled out a white cloth from her backpack, "I went back to-to the hatch..."
Bellamy took the white cloth and held it up.
"It's a dress..." I scoffed.
"Leyla, that was a dangerous move. Your mom and I are glad you're safe," Bellamy kneeled down.
"I know," she hung her head low.
I put a hand in Bellamy's shoulder and he knew what it meant. Raven and him left Leyla and I alone.
"Sweetheart," I hugged her, "Thank you for thinking about the wedding, but it's really not that big of a deal. Plus how can I plan your wedding if I lost you?"
She smiled apologetically and hugged me.
"I promise I won't do it again."
"Good."
"I'm excited! It's tomorrow!"
I chuckled, "I know, me too."
One thing she didn't know, was that I was nervous. Very nervous.

~{Longer chapter for you guys since I'm always updating late. :)}~

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