“Maybe you wouldnʼt be as bored if you listened to me once in a while,” The voice in my head comments. 

Go away.

“Olive, why wonʼt you let me teach you how to use your abilities?”

Because I can survive just as well without them.

“You can protect your little sister...”

I already do. Now go away. I think, staring at the wall. The voice groans, and sighs. 

“Youʼre so stubborn.”

Thank you.

“Okay, you can go in now,” The guard says, opening the door for me. I run inside, and another guard takes me to a door down the hallway, then unlocks it, letting me inside. Someone inside looks up from the floor. 

“Olive!” Cai yells, standing up. We run towards each other, and the collision knocks us both to the floor. He kisses me, his strong arms surrounding me. “Youʼre here.”

“Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” I ask, sitting up.

“Iʼm fine,” He assures me, embracing me tightly. “Generally, you donʼt hurt the people youʼre holding for ransom.” I nod, and lean into his shoulder, breathing in his scent.

“Are you being fed?” I ask, holding onto his dark gray uniform thatʼs just like mine. Cai smiles, and brushes my hair out of my face.

“Yes, Iʼm being fed. You can stop worrying,” He says, putting his forehead against mine. I look up into his blue eyes, and grin.

“I can stop. But I wonʼt,” I say.

“Then Iʼll make you stop,” Cai says, and kisses me again with a smile. The guard by the door groans, and turns around so he isn’t watching us. 

“So do you have a Light Tattoo, or a Metal Tattoo? I’ve been meaning to ask.” I lean against his shoulder.

“Light, sadly. I prefer Metal.” He lifts up his right sleeve, showing his yellow and white swirls, barely visible on his pale skin. Dang, his arms are pretty nice. The voice laughs in my head.

“Oh, listening to your thoughts is hilarious, Olive.” I blush, and hide my red face in Caiʼs chest. He hugs me.

“Howʼs your family?” Cai asks, rubbing my back.

“Theyʼre fine,” I say, pulling away, and sitting up straight. Cai nods, and squeezes my hands. “Iʼm going to find a way to get you out of here,” I tell him.

“And why am I not able to get out by myself?” He asks, a teasing look in his eyes. 

“Whoʼs the one locked in a cell?” I ask. Cai laughs.

“First of all, weʼre both locked in here at the moment…” He explains, pulling me onto his lap. “...and second of all, itʼs not a cell. It has some very nice amenities.” I laugh.

“Like what?” I ask, rolling my eyes.

“Well, it has a bathroom, and a semi-comfortable couch,” He lists. “But no books,” He tells me with a pout. I laugh.

“Books? Thatʼs what youʼre sad about?” He nods. 

“Don’t you even know me? I can’t live without books.” I chuckle. 

“Iʼll try to find you some books, okay? Iʼll bring them tomorrow,” I promise, fixing his hair and straightening his glasses. 

“This is why Iʼm in love with you,” He says, and kisses me again. I blush, and lean against his shoulder, closing my eyes.

“Visiting hours are over.” The guard says, nudging me with the barrel of his gun. I sit up, and look over at Cai, asleep on the floor next to me with our legs entwined. I kiss his cheek, put a blanket over him, and stand up, following the guard out of the cell. 

“Where were you all afternoon?” Casey asks, as I join her at dinner. We get our ration spaghetti, and sit down at the table with our family. Mom sees Flint and Mrs. Sterling, and waves them over. Jackson, Audra, and Adam move to make space for them.

“Mara,” Jackson says, nodding to Mrs. Sterling.

“Mayor,” She replies, almost bitterly, poking at her noodles and sauce. Flint coughs, and stands up again.

“Iʼm going to go sit with the other leaders,” He says, picking up his tray and leaving. I spot Ember across the room, sitting with Austin and Isaiah.

“So, Iʼve always wondered,” Mom says loudly, with a smile. “Did you know each other, in the past? Prior to Oliveʼs hijinks?” She points to Jackson and Mrs. Sterling. The latter doesn’t look up, but the Mayor watches her closely, swallowing his bite. 

“Maybe we did,” Mrs. Sterling says, stabbing a piece of ground beef. “Whether he would remember I existed is the real question.”

“What are you talking about?” Jackson asks, putting down his fork. Mrs. Sterling glares at him, her once-warm eyes hard and cold.

“You know very well what Iʼm talking about, Jack,” She accuses. Jack. “You abandoned me for some stupid Platinum girl the second we graduated!” Her eyes fill with tears, but she’s angry. 

“Dad, whatʼs going on?” Audra asks, clinging to his sleeve. Mrs. Sterlingʼs look softens, as she looks down at his children. She stands up, closing her foil rations container, and walks away, her eyes wet.

“Mara!” Jackson yells, running after her. Audra hugs Adam, sitting obediently in her seat. 

Iʼm not an obedient child, though, and I follow them, Casey at my heels. “I know youʼre mad at me, but at least let me explain?” Jackson says, when we find him, standing in the hallway with Mrs. Sterling.

“Explain what, Jack? Why you promised that you loved me, and then married someone else?” She sobs, her fists clenched. 

“I did love you!” He says. “I still do,” He adds quietly, but Mrs. Sterling doesnʼt seem to hear. Casey gasps, and covers her mouth.

“Then why did you leave? Why did you leave me to marry that cold-hearted monster?”

 “My parents forced me to,” He admits. Mrs. Sterling stops.

“They liked me,” She says quietly. “They were okay with us dating.”

“Until my sister convinced them you were worthless,” He says, and Mrs. Sterling folds her arms, looking down at the ground.

“Amelia always did hate me,” She says, then starts walking away. 

“Where are you going?” Jackson asks, following her.

“Back to dinner. Iʼm hungry. But you wouldnʼt know what thatʼs like. Youʼve always had a perfect life.” She clenches her fists. 

“Whatʼs it going to take for you to forgive me?” He asks, blocking her path. She stares up at him. 

“I donʼt know,” She says, her eyes filled with tears. “I donʼt know what I want anymore. Flintʼs changed, everything I know has been kicked to the curb, and I donʼt even know how I feel any more!” 

Jackson puts his arms around her, pulling her close. She sobs into his uniform, resting her head on his head.

“Itʼs okay, Mara,” He mutters. “I wish I could go back in time and change it all. I never would have listened to my parents.” He kisses the top of her head. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” She whispers back. I grab Caseyʼs hand, and start walking with her back to the cafeteria. Flint, you better not ruin her life any more. We get in, and pass Flintʼs table. I stop, and bend down, whispering in his ear, my teeth gritted. 

“Your motherʼs had enough heartbreak. Donʼt you dare hurt her even further,” I mutter.

“What are you talking about?” He asks, looking back at me. I donʼt answer and continue pulling Casey away. We sit down at our table and eat our cold spaghetti.

“Whereʼs my dad?” Audra asks.

“Heʼll be back soon,” I tell her. Casey nods. Audra pokes at her spaghetti.

“I donʼt like it here,” She says.

“Me either,” Casey replies. A red-haired boy runs over to our table, a big smile on his face. “Hi, Teddy,” She greets, immediately smiling again.

“Your family moved here?” He asks. She nods, and hugs him. “Can I sit with you guys?” 

“Sure,” I say, smirking at Casey. She rolls her eyes, and finishes her soggy garlic bread, blushing. Teddy can’t keep his eyes off of her. 

I finish my own food, and stand up, walking towards Isaiah, Austin, and Ember. Ember smiles at me, and waves. Austin watches her, and his heart has obviously been stolen by her dimples and bright personality. 

“Do you think you could sneak me out for the day tomorrow?” I ask Isaiah, in a lowered voice. “I need to grab some stuff from home.” Isaiah smiles, looking around. 

“Easily done.” He says. “Meet me here tomorrow after breakfast.” I nod, and join Austin and Emberʼs conversation. Ember looks at me, her eyes wide, and her face in a grin. 

“Did you hear they have this thing on the mainland called a marshmallow? Itʼs white, and soft, and it tastes delicious!” She squeals. Austin smiles at her. “I wish I could have seen it all when I went there last week.”

“You were there recently?” Austin asks, turning to look at her. 

 “I was visiting Olive.” She says quietly. We sit in awkward silence thinking about that one night. I glance over at Flint, sitting with the leaders. 

“Olive, you should be keeping to your schedule,” Flint warns, as I hang behind after breakfast the next day, as Isaiah told me to.

“They didnʼt give me a schedule. I have tons of free time,” I defend, pacing around near the table.

“Iʼll get them to make you a schedule. Some training maybe. Youʼd be a good fighter in the revolution,” He says.

“Iʼm not going to fight for this revolution.” I say, folding my arms. Flint comes closer, staring at me with brown eyes. 

“So the mainland really did change you, huh?” He asks, tilting my chin upwards. I slap his hand away. 

“They didnʼt change me. Youʼre the one whoʼs changed,” I tell him. Flint groans. “What happened to the boy your mother swore was the sweetest on the planet?” 

“Iʼm grown up now, Olive.”

“Then act like it,” I tell him, as Isaiah shows up.