“Uh, thanks.”
“Thanks? For what?”
For calling me your friend.
For dealing with me.
For believing in me enough to put such a responsibility on my shoulders.
“For washing the puke off my face.”
Eh, close enough.
His eyes rounded in momentary surprise before he let out a soft chuckle, “It’s what anyone would do for another person. No need to thank me for it.”
“Still, you didn’t have to. You could’ve waited until I woke up and had me do it myself.” I stuck my arms up, revealing the hoodie. “And you washed this for me. Thanks for that too.”
I was saying ‘thanks’ a lot. Probably more than I’d ever said it in my entire life. Gratitude was an odd emotion to feel. It made my chest swell, and my eyes feel puffy. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.
“You’re welcome.” He picked up his pace as we headed downhill, the city street just below. “Though, as I said, it really wasn’t any trouble.”
Once we half-slid, half-walked down the hill, the trees suddenly fell off, replaced by the smooth, crack-free road. It was a wonder these things were in good condition; they were rarely used. Mother used to speak of the employees driving down the road to do inspections or meet up with people, though by the look of the city, they must not do them often.
The skyscrapers shot up from the ground just on the other side, creating a ring around the city. Alden gestured for me to follow, skipping across the pavement and slipping into a back alley. I was a bit more hesitant to push forward. Last time I’d gone down an alleyway, I’d been grabbed by a dead hand and thrown up everything shortly afterward. However, the idea of being alone in unfamiliar terrain, surrounded by trees and possibly prey to rat people, led me to follow him.
To my surprise, this alleyway was much cleaner. The ground was cleared of any trash bags or human body parts; there weren’t any creatures in sight, and it smelled of asphalt and brick, not decomposition and sewer. The buzzing of the drones was faint, yet growing louder with each step toward the city. I was able to slide through without issue, and not a hand reached out to grab my foot. I breathed a sigh of relief. One less thing to stress me out. My body was already overstimulated, having experienced hamburgers, throwing up, and real nature all in one day. I’d need a good sleep when I got home.
Once we reached the alleyway’s end, right before we broke out into the main city, Alden stopped. He cast a quick, cautionary glance overhead, checking for drones. Once we were in the clear, he turned to look at me.
“I suppose I should leave you here. My house is the other way, and though I would walk you home, I wouldn’t want your parents catching on that we’re hanging out together. Who knows what they’d do if they found out that the son of rebels was friends with their sole heir?” He smiled, though it held no real weight. “I suppose I’ll be seeing you next week at school, yes?”
I nodded. I’d use the weekend to process and rest up, then I’d be totally prepared for whatever else they might throw at me on…how did you say the day’s name? Mon-ter-day? Yeah, that sounded right. I’d be ready for whatever they threw at me on Monterday.
“When I see you again, I’d like to get a good idea of your schedule. If you’re going to be part of our cause, you ought to see our headquarters. I’d originally planned to take you there today, but Link’s plans and your passing out put quite the damper on that. Let me know if you can get out any evening or night, and I’ll try to make a plan for when we can take you there.”
A whole evening or night out? Going home after the sun had set? Fear bubbled in my stomach. I’d be skinned alive if my parents found out I was sneaking around in the city’s underground past curfew.
Guess I’d just have to be careful to ensure they never find out.
“Alright, I’ll let you know. See you on Monterday, Alden.” I stuck my thumb up. Felt right.
He tilted his head, a tiny smile creeping up his face. “See you on Monterday, Brash.”
With that, he took off down the road, head low as he headed toward the slums. I went the opposite way, keeping my eyes on the sky as I headed for my apartment. For once, I had something to look forward to.
END OF PART ONE
