“And if you don’t there’s always school…”
Vee groaned.
Cypher wrapped his fingers around her arm and pulled her from her parents. “Time to go,” he said, saving her.
Thank God—thank God—he was there.
Mom kissed her cheek. “Colonize the crap out of that planet!”
Chuckles filled the room.
“We’ll try.” Vee let Cypher lead her to the exit.
“We’ll be right here watching!”
The door shut behind them as Vee pivoted to wave. When her parents vanished, her hand dropped, and she turned to Cypher. “I can’t believe you got them here.”
“They were already here, bothering Nightheart for information. It wasn’t hard once my boss told me to take care of it.”
“Right.” Vee’s smile was genuine this time. “Dad’s right too, you know. You are a good man.”
His face hardened. “If only you knew my thoughts, little human.”
Her lips fell, and she cupped his cheek. Her chest blazed with emotion. “Everyone has bad thoughts, Cypher. Doesn’t change who we are. I can’t say all my thoughts have been good, especially lately. A lot has happened—to both of us—and if someone told me two months ago the guy in my EPED contract was real and that I would care for him like this, I’d have brushed them off. It’s been a rollercoaster, but regardless of all that’s happened, you, Cypher, are a good man. A good Cyborg, if you prefer.”
His hand came over hers, and his sharp eyes pinned her.
There was a flash of emotion, but it was gone too soon. Vee licked her lips.
“Contestants, please make your way to the stadium gates. Introductions start in five minutes.”
Their hands dropped. She had so much more she wanted to say, so much she wanted to convey, but there was no time for that now. There was also so much she wanted him to say, even if it wasn’t what she wanted to hear.
Everything lately seemed like one long goodbye. And the more that goodbye was pushed out, and the longer it expanded, the more she felt she was drowning.
Vee took Cypher’s hand, threaded her fingers through his, and together they made their way down to the stadium.
When they arrived, the other teams were already being announced. Each brought on a roar of the crowd, far louder and far longer than last week.
She shifted from foot to foot, waiting for her and Cypher to be called. He remained quiet beside her. She looked his way. “You’re not going to say you’ll be there with me?” she asked, half-kidding but mostly desperate for him to speak.
“I made that promise last time and broke it. I will try.”
“We have our signal.” They’d come up with a response tactic if they thought NeoElite separated them into two simulations again. She would whispermurder bunnies, and if Cypher didn’t whisper it back, then they’d know.
“We do,” he responded.
Halo Grailwas called.
She cocked her head. His quietness was killing her. “Why are you distant?”
“I’m focused.”
“You’re lying.”
The Brandonswere called. Only three teams left.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said.
