Fomalhaut [COMPLETED]

26|| No Sense

"That's the most backhanded compliment I've ever received," I tell him with a hint of humor in my tone.

He scoffs.

"Take it or leave it."

Silence fills the air surrounding us for the nth time as we stare at the star-filled night sky. I'm sure it would've been a better sight to look at if things took a different turn. I sigh as I continue to stare at the stars in envy, wishing I'd brighten up someone's empty sky like that one day. At that moment, I remember the situation with Alexander before we escaped.

"Thank you," I say and quietly watch as his poker face turns into a confused expression.

"What for?"

"For protecting me and refusing to leave me alone," I tell him and my breath almost halts completely when I see the corner of his lips twitch.

"That's all you wanted to say? Be honest, what did you realize?"

I stare back at him and wish that I didn't say anything. "I realized that you care about me. You put your life on the line for me. If I didn't know any better, I would've definitely thought that the person in front of me was a clone," I shyly mutter.

"Sorry for being so terrible at expressing myself," he apologizes sarcastically.

"It's not bad. I know what you've suffered from back at CYP so I really don't blame you. If I were in your shoes, I would've probably ended up the same way if not worse."

"I did suffer but now that I think about it, others had it way worse than I did. At least I got to learn about people's true faces from this," he mumbles the last part in disdain.

"Hmm?" I ask.

"So, how about we head back in? It's starting to get colder and you're not dressed warm enough. Let's not risk you getting sick, yeah?" he changes the topic and doesn't wait a second before he walks away and steps inside the house.

I know that something is bothering him from the way our conversation turned but I cling onto the fact that I should not try to find out more because when he is ready, he will be telling me.

"I was just about to tell someone to go after you guys," Ryan pipes in. "Can you all give me your phones so that I make sure no one is able to track us?" he says and we all do as told.

"I just realized that I'm the only one without a phone here," Yazan grumbles like a child.

"I don't have one either," Dr Collins reassures with a laugh. It's only when I see her that I remember the letter we found in one of Mike's drawers. It's strange how it was there even though the letter reached her one way or another.

"I have a question for you," I say as I occupy the empty spot next to her on the sofa. She hums in a way to tell me to continue what I'm saying.

"The letter that Mike left you. We somehow found it in his office even though it reached you—according to Mrs Martin, of course. How did it end up back in the office? And how come he didn't text you?"

"He texted me in the beginning, hinting at me having to go home. He tried to be discrete in case the company was monitoring our phones. I went back home and found the letter which I guess he pushed through the gap under the door as fast as he could and immediately started running towards his house. He gave me a spare key once in case something like that happened. I wasted no time in getting in and going to the office. However, I felt like something would go wrong. If not with him then with me so I put the paper and left some documents there in case he managed to escape and I didn't to let him know that I got his message. Unfortunately, he was caught and soon enough, I was too because of a mistake on my part and the information we worked so hard to gather was gone within the blink of an eye," she explains tediously. I can tell that she doesn't like remembering the big failure they were met with a year ago.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but where were you when all of that took place?" Ryan asks me as he types some things onto his computer.

"I was at school. It all took place while I was busy studying when he was busy fighting for his life," I utter resentfully. I will never forgive CYP for depriving me of the only parental figure I had in my life for the past few years.

"There's something I still don't get," Alexander claims as he also takes a seat nearby. "Why did you need me? What's my part in the entire scheme?"

Dr Collins sighs.

"Emerson thought that he could use from there to support his words. You could have also been been used to be compared to another successful project as proof."

Alexander crinkles his brows.

"I also think he empathized with you. He genuinely liked you, you know. To him, you were ambitious. I know that deep down, he helped you because he knew that if he were to die and I ended up unable to successfully expose CYP, you would be perfect for it. He knew you'd manage to figure out a way to bring the place down. Have it be a new investigation or merely finding the old documents, he had strong beliefs that you would be able to finish his operation for him."

Yazan pouts.

"So I really was only there as an extra."

Dr Collins laughs.

"No, we needed you too. You were the perfect candidate in cancelling out Alexander's negativity and keeping him on track."

Alexander stares at her in disbelief.

"So you're saying he's my babysitter."

She laughs again as she shakes her head.

"No, you're his babysitter more than anything."

"What? You just said I'm the one who kept him on track, not the other way around!" Yazan defensively huffs.

"Sorry Dr Mrs Martin's sister, but you're actually making no sense right now," Alexander adds.

She rolls her eyes.

"Dr Collins, or Talia. What's so hard to remember?"

I watch their interaction in amusement before a loud giggle escapes me.

I never thought I'd say this but I'm so happy I have these people in my life.