Chapter 36
Darlia
Weston, Marcus, and Luke are standing around the kitchen table, looking over plans for the new Zone guards. Security has been tightened since Cayden saved me apparently, though I didn’t notice it on our trip to the beach yesterday.
“There’s no way all of us can go in one car.”
“So then Darlia, Cayden, Bella, and I will go in one, and you, Caleb, and Weston can go in another. If we split up and you go ahead, they will search your car, but not ours. It could work.” Marcus crosses his arms over his chest, looking over at me.
I’ve barely woken up, still in Cayden’s shirt and half asleep, so I’m not surprised they didn’t notice me sooner. “Darlia, coffee?”
I nod. “Please.”
The plans don’t continue after that. I’m pretty sure they don’t want me knowing where they plan on taking us. And while I understand, I am still a weapon of The Academy, after all. It still hurts that Cayden doesn’t trust me enough to let me in.
“Here.” Marcus slides me a mug and gives me a smile.
“Thanks.”
It doesn't take long for Bella to walk out, also looking half-asleep and yet like she hasn’t slept at all. She sits down beside me, taking the mug. “I need it more.”
“Rough night?” I laugh softly, earning me a glare. But I don’t miss the way Marcus watches her carefully, almost concerned. I’ll ask her about that later.
It’s no secret to me they’re together, in some sort of way, at least. I’ve known since the night at Cayden’s manor that they were together. But they hide it around the other boys for a reason I’ve yet to learn. I’m sure Cayden has noticed, too, but he doesn’t say anything, either.
I barely get time to process my own thoughts when the sound of the bedroom door opens, and Cayden walks out looking gruff and beautiful.
“Ah, here comes the sleeping beauty!” Caleb smirks as Cayden walks towards us. My face softens instantly as his eyes meet mine.
“Morning, love.”
“Morning.” I smile as Cayden presses his lips to mine, and the room goes quiet. He’s kissed me many times in front of his friends, but not on the lips. Not like this.
“Sleep well?” His voice is deeper than usual, laced with sleep.
“Mhmm.”
Caleb coughs from behind us, breaking the moment as the others stare at us blankly.
“Fuck off,” Cayden groans, burying his face in the crook of my neck and lifting me up off the ground, my legs wrapping around his waist.
“So…You two?” Weston circles his finger around me and Cayden while he walks us back to the kitchen counter, resting me on top of it while he makes us both coffee.
“As if you didn’t know?” Cayden raises a disbelieving brow before focusing on me again, his lips press back to mine, filling me with a warm tingly feeling I’ve never felt before.
Something I want to feel every day as long as he is by my side.
Cayden has made a habit of making me feel things I never have before.
The rest of the morning is spent in comfortable silence. The other boys keep to themselves on the couch, eating whatever ration pack was brought over for them today.
Bella and Marcus sit beside each other on the couch; not touching, but not far apart, either. Weston, Caleb, and Luke all share the other couch while Cayden has me in his lap on the floor. We all talk about nothing, laughing and feeling free.
“You know, I don’t think I remember the last time I saw them like this,” Cayden mumbles in my ear, his arms tightening around my waist as he pulls me back to his chest. “They’re all assholes, but they’re my friends. And they need this as much as you and Bella do.”
He pauses, taking a breath before continuing.
“After the first trials, we made a promise to stick together. We went back to life like nothing happened, like they didn’t torture us.
I didn’t understand at first; I was so lost and couldn’t comprehend what happened.
That’s when I forced my mother and sister to leave.
That was when it first set in what the world was becoming.
And then we found out about the girls, and—”
A loud bang interrupts us from underneath us, followed by screaming and shouting. All of us immediately go quiet.
They found us.
“Luke, Marcus, Caleb, get the guns. Bella, Darlia, get dressed. Weston, grab everything we have and put it in a bag.” Cayden starts barking orders, and everyone moves into step.
Bella and I run into our bedrooms, changing into the dark grey assigned jumpsuits they have for citizens. If we’re going to fight, we need movement, and we don’t get that in the jeans Cayden’s been giving us.
Tying my hair back into a ponytail, I walk back out, seeing the guns on the kitchen table, semi-automatics, pistols, shotguns, everything.
“For my girl.” Cayden holds out a knife to me, and I smile.
“Thanks, do you have a—” I’m cut off when he holds out a sheath and holster to me. Rolling my eyes at the cocky smirk on his face, I strap them to both thighs as Bella does the same.
The bang goes off again, this time closer. They’re breaking down doors, trying to find us.
These poor citizens must be terrified.
“Baby, we don’t have time for this. I need you to be my Darlia, can you do that for me?” I hadn’t even noticed I froze up, Cayden’s hands cup my face as his eyes bore down at me.
“I’m fine, just worried about the citizens,” I admit, and Cayden’s eyes gleam with worry.
“Just worry about you, let me handle everything else. Can you do that for me, love?” I nod. I can handle that.
And then the door breaks down, and Bella drops to the floor.