He lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “Busted. It fucking hurts, I’ll tell you that. Q was right—I probably should go to the hospital.”
“Imogene has a medical kit here,” I say. “Maybe there’s something in there that can help with—”
“No,” he says, shaking his head gently. “I … can’t.”
I pull my brows together, but I eventually get it. He doesn’t want our technology. He doesn’t want to be associated with it. I’m reminded of how Jackson went back to his car after interacting with Imogene. I don’t blame him, I guess.
I saw the way Leandra looked at him in the basement of the academy. She thought he was a complication that needed to be eradicated—just like the doctor and the Guardian. She lumped all the men together, with the exception of Winston Weeks.
Jackson’s right to be afraid of her. I lower my eyes, wondering if he should be afraid of me, too.
We sit quietly for a moment before I look over at him again. “When are you going to tell Quentin about us?” I ask.
Jackson licks his lips, taking his time before answering. “Soon,” he says. “I’ll pull him aside and tell him privately.”
“Do you have to wait?” I ask. “He’s your best friend. You can’t just—”
“I’ll handle it,” he says. “I have to tell him, just … not yet. Quentin’s a good guy, but this is too much. It’sa lot.And we have to be careful. He might … He might just leave and never come back.”
He sounds worried. I think Jackson is struggling with his decision to stay with us; he imagines Quentin will have even less of a reason to stick around.
I’m also not as naive as I used to be. I understand our situation better now. Each time someone finds out what we are, it will put us in danger. We are truly on our own. Allowing Quentin in on our secret might not be the best move for us anyway.
“Hey,” Jackson says softly. “Do you want to stay with me tonight? I can watch out, you know? Make sure nothing happens to you.”
I laugh. Obviously, Jackson and his broken leg can’t protect either of us. And knowing it, he smiles. But I don’t want to wake Sydney by climbing into bed with her either.
“Mena,” he adds, the vulnerability returning to his voice. “I’d really like it if you stayed with me.”
“Would you mind keeping the light on?” I ask.
“I don’t mind,” he says. He exhales with relief when I nod that I’ll stay.
I slide my legs under the sheets. Startled, Jackson quickly tries to move over, groaning in pain when he does.
“Where are you going?” I ask.
He looks confused. “I was giving you room so we don’t, like … accidentally touch. I’m sure your school had rules about that kind of thing.”
“Actually,” I say, “this sort of situation never came up. I don’t think they ever expected I’d be in bed with a boy while on the run from the academy. Besides,” I add, “we’re friends. And when I sleep with the girls, we snuggle together. That’s the point. We comfort each other.”
Jackson looks over with the softest smile. “That’s really sweet.”
I agree that it is. He watches me, still seeming hesitant, but then he nods me over. I curl up against him, careful not to jostle his leg.
His body is hot against my skin. I close my eyes, and after afew moments, I feel Jackson begin to relax. He leans his cheek on the top of my head as I rest against his shoulder.
“You’re right,” he whispers. “This is the point, huh?”
I smile and place my hand over his heart. It beats strongly, steadily. His presence lulls me into a feeling of safety, despite the actual lack of it. Maybe I just need to feel normal for a few minutes. Although lying with a boy is pretty far from the normal I’m used to.
Maybe I want to feel human.
“Mena,” Jackson whispers. My lips twitch with a smile.
“Yeah?”
Before Jackson can say another word, there is a high-pitched scream. The sound of it reverberates over my skin, shattering me. I sit up, wide-eyed, as one of the girls cries for help.
