to be with you.

chapter two

I put my wrist up to the temperature scanner and waited for it to beep. From there I waited for my other friend, Sabrina, to get her temperature checked. From there we walked upstairs to our room.
"Do you think anyone will notice you're a fake brown-eyed girl?" Sabrina whispered into my ear, her voice taut with worry.
I shook my head. "The entire school promised they would keep the blue eyes safe." I replied. "Even if they knew, the entire town of Kingsland decided we would keep our identities on the down-low!"
     Sabrina nodded as we both walked into class. "Morning, girls." Our teacher, Mr. Pego, said in a cheery tone.
     "Morning." We replied rather gloomily. I set my bag down beside my chair and opened my laptop. Mr. Pego was always a suspicious teacher, so I never made eye contact with him after the government situation. Honestly, he'll probably be the one to rat me out.
     "Ellie, may we speak after class?" Mr. Pego's voice was menacing as I looked up.
     I immediately looked down. "Uhm, yeah, why?"
     "Oh," Mr. Pego's eyes stared me down. I could feel it. "I just want to discuss something."
     Sabrina looked behind herself to meet my gaze. She looked a little nervous for me. I'm sure it's just my grades. That'd be ridiculous if it were my eyes. I remember the last time I was kept after class. Mr. Pego had given me and my friend Ash detention for being 3 minutes late to class, so I'm sure he'll overreact to a simple mistake again.
Just as Sabrina turned around, Danielle came in and sat next to me. I smiled at them through my eyes, and they obviously knew what was up. They gave me a "just be chill" look and we focused on class.
It passed pretty quick, if you ask me. The lecture was over in 20 minutes and we have the rest of the class to work on things. But for me, of course, Mr. Pego was just dying to speak to me.
He brought me out into the hallway and took a deep breath. "I know your secret."
"A-what?" I stuttered. I mean, it didn't matter, but what if I was right? What if he is out to get me? "I-I'm sorry, please don't-"
"You didn't turn in your homework from last night." He chuckled as I seemed a little shocked. "What did you think I was talking about?"
"O-oh, nothing! I'll get that turned in."
I took my seat again and texted my friends so they wouldn't worry. Thank God he didn't know my secret. I couldn't imagine what would happen if my blue eyes were revealed. I pushed that thought out of my head and got my assignments done before class was over. Finally, a free period.
     For lunch, nobody ate. Not even my boyfriend, who loved food. How was he so muscular for a foodie? As for me, I bring lunch but I don't eat until after school, since we end a bit earlier with the virus and what not.
As soon as the bell rang after our last class we were out. Sabrina and I went out to the busses and parted ways. She takes the bus, I'm a pickup. I met Danielle along the side and we both hopped into my car, my mom greeting us with a bright smile.

When we got home, Danielle put their stuff on my bed and looked at me dead in the eyes. "We should go outside."
They say that every time they come over. "It's cold out." I replied with a pout. "And I would love to take these contacts out."
"Don't risk it. Take them out before you go to bed."
Danielle was right. Taking them out now could be a risk, for example:
Somebody could walk into my room asking for something of me. And they'd be a stranger.
I know, I know. That's ridiculous, but it's not impossible. With this year, I'm sure anything is possible. At this point I'm not even fazed by any crisis that goes on in the world. I find the craziest things happening to me, but they really seem normal in my eyes compared to other people.
My dad nearly died after taking a fall in January, then my cat had kittens of which only one survived, and my house nearly burned to a crisp. Honestly; my life couldn't be any crazier. Now that I'm in danger so bad that I have to hide my true identity, I don't know what to think anymore. Did I even mention the virus?
Danielle walked in circles around my room. They stopped abruptly when my other cat walked into my room, meowing and purring as if he had an inner motor. "Lucky!" They exclaimed with happiness, picking up the orange ball of fur.
"At least he doesn't have blue eyes." I gave Lucky a stroke along his back. "I wonder what happens to pets."
"They said humans, not animals, Ellie." Danielle smirked.
I giggled. "None of you will survive without me and my smartness."
"Sure."
Danielle and I had a good laugh for the rest of the day before they had to leave. I sat down in the living room once I was alone. I turned on the news immediately, and just what I thought was turned on.
"Five more have been seized by the government last night." The reporter informed. "Agents are making their way upstate from Montauk tonight, so be prepared."
What?! I nearly fainted. We're upstate from Montauk! My heart felt as if it skipped a beat. Montauk's "upstate" was just a small town above the popular end of Long Island. Was this the end for me? It couldn't be. Thank God my parents weren't home to see this, they'd lock me in a prison to keep me away from the outdoors. Trust me, they'd do anything.
But I won't let them. I won't let the government take me, I won't let anything get a hold of me as long as I can help it.