The Brightest Stars

Annabelle

I watch a girl do her ballerina first position at the counter of the hotel I'm staying at.

It's been a week since I've gotten home and the first thought that crossed my mine was AJ. Unfortunately, I haven't seen him at the stallion statue every time I go there....

I feel guilty that I haven't gone to Hannah's house until today. I'm too afraid to face their surprised expressions at the young woman I've become. Into the machine I've become.

I keep telling myself that it's all for a good cause. All those deaths was for justice. I'm not so sure about it anymore when three people have escaped the facility I'm in.

During the week, I've gone to Max's grave several times. I keep putting new flowers and cleaning his tombstone. I wonder if he would be angry at me for what I've done with the opportunity he had for me. I did work with Velvet for my first year there, but then I got too involved with these dangerous missions. I decided to disappear off the face of the earth like Fury had told me.

I started getting these threats and attacks at night that only a few scars on my body will tell those stories. But for love, I disappeared. I keep telling myself this to stop my regret from losing communication with my loved ones. With Kristen....

Yet again, I'm here now. Not only to complete my mission to unite the United Worlds and Force facility with Spain's facility, but also to meet my older brother. I needed to see what other secrets my father has kept from us...

I drive my way to Hannah's house. At a stoplight, I turn to my side and smile at the high school I graduated from three years ago. I stopped by there just to see the last bits of who I was back then. I had to get answers as to how did I get to where I am now.

But all I found was Mr. Suarez. He still looks the same with his warm and gentle smile. As I entered his class to talk with him, I noticed carved initials on the door of the class. My eyes started to water at Max's initials. At our initials. I can tell that this must've been Nate and Kristen's doing....

I enter my old neighborhood and pass by Kristen's house. On the first day that I arrived I stopped by her house. But when the red door opened, there was an old lady instead of my blonde friend. I furrowed my brows at this woman and she asked if I was lost. I asked her if there was anyone with the name Kristen in the house. All she did was shake her head and invite me for a tea. My heart was too heavy to drink tea with a stranger. So I gave her a sad smile and politely excused myself. Since that day, I didn't dare to reach out to anymore of my friends. I'm too afraid to go through another lose...

I park my car in front of my sister's house. There's several other cars here. By the looks of it, Diego moved out. I step out of my car and do a sigh before slowly walking towards the front door. The moment I stop in front of the door, I have an urge to turn around and drive away.

My hand instinctively goes up my chest. I keep doing this even though I rarely use my inhaler now. The Spanish facility has taught me that it is merely in my head. The more you train, the more your lungs learn to obey your commands. I haven't had an asthma attack since the time I've been by the river with AJ. But the last time I did go to a doctor in Spain, she said that my lungs are worse than a ten year smoker. I never went back to the hospital and I trained harder instead.

The low sound of a man's voice spikes up curiosity within me. I don't recognize that voice. I wonder if it's my older brother....

I do a soft and hesitant knock on the door. It's weird that I feel like a stranger when I used to consider this place my home.

The door opens with a soft chuckle from a girl that's looking sideways. When she looks at me, both of our eyes grow wide.

Whomever leaves the facility without giving a reason, becomes enemy.