Jude opened the door and led me to the movie theatre’s entrance in silence, both of us contemplating the meeting we had, but for different reasons.
“Th-thanks,” I muttered, breaking the silence.
I turned to him, and it was like I was looking at a different person. Jude’s pupils flitted like trapped butterflies, reflecting the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind. No longer was his posture loose, but instead, it was stiff and rigid, and each word he spoke was clipped and precise. “I’ll escort you back to your quarters for rest. I have a lot to do before we leave tomorrow afternoon.”
I nodded; the man who was slowly opening up to me disappeared into his duties. In Elysium, I was used to Gabe taking time to distance himself from work, so it was a shock to see Jude like this. Maybe they weren’t so different—one moment, he was the stern, disciplined military leader, and the next, a carefree goofball. The transition was so smooth it was almost unbelievable.
I much prefer the goofball.
He ushered me toward the south end of the mall, where he advised I’d have a room to sleep in. A left turn led us to a seemingly endless staircase spiraling downwards. With every step, I wondered if he was leading me into the pits of hell. Am I really going to sleep down here? Hey, at least it’s not a jail cell.
“Vincent!” Leaning against the cold, steel door at the bottom of the creaking stairs was a girl about my height, her figure round and soft. A wide smile stretched across Nessa’s face as we approached, her eyes sparkling with admiration. “Hey there, Jude.” A tinge of pink reached the balls of her cheeks.
“Call me Vinny.” I smiled. “What’re you doing here?” I was thankful to see Nessa again. I needed someone to feel comfortable around because the Mr. Hyde that Jude turned into wasnotfun.
Heavy, metal doors lined the long, dimly lit hallway, each sealed tight, making me feel as if I were walking the passageway of a submarine. Thick bolts lined the outside of the doors, and the shining handle looked almost nautical.
Opening one of the doors, Jude held his arm out. “This is your room,Vinny.”
My jaw was clenched, my muscles bunching and throbbing with barely contained fury. “Youcannot call me that.”
“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “I have so much to do tonight, I can’t be bothered with your games.”
“Is it okay if Nessa hangs out with me for a while?”
“I’ll need to lock you inside for the safety of Silvertown, so as long as she’s okay with that, I don’t see why not.”
“Am I okay with it? Of course I am!” Nessa’s excited sounds reverberated through the air. “We have so much to share, I need to knoweverythingabout where you’re from!”
By that, I assume she meant boys.
A large bed sat in the center of the small room, flanked by nightstands holding lamps that cast a warm glow, and a bathroom was tucked away to the left. The small apartment was a far cry from my luxurious penthouse, but it could be worse.
Jude’s head poked around the door. “Alright, have fun, you two. Make sure to get some rest, we’ll be leaving in the morning.”
Nessa gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief as the door clicked shut, the sound echoing in the sudden silence. “You two are going on a trip together? We havea lotto discuss.”
I collapsed onto the surprisingly plush bed, sinking into its softness, as Nessa pulled out two bottles of wine and a CD player from the jacket slung over her shoulders. The promise of a night filled with the joyous sounds of laughter, the murmur of gossip, and lively music brought a smile to my face. I needed this. I couldn’t tell you the last time I felt free. Felt fun. As much as I wanted to get home, how could I leave this freedom behind?
Chapter Sixteen
My head was pounding. Resting my cheek against the glass of the car, I sighed with relief because the cool felt nice against my skin. We’d been on the road for hours, the monotonous hum of the tires a constant drone, and although I longed to see the bleak, dystopian landscape, I couldn’t bear to open my eyes.
My night went exactly as you’d expect—Nessa and I listened to the same song on repeat, its melody weaving through our laughter and gossip as we sipped wine. As much entertainment I got out of discussing Nessa’s lust for Jude, as soon as the wine touched my lips, I couldn’t stop. I’ll admit, the wine tasted like vinegar, but I missed the carefree feeling of being silly and giggly with my friend, even if it was fueled by subpar alcohol.
Unfortunately, I was paying for last night’s fun today.
“How’re you doing back there?” Jude’s head swiveled around the seat in front of me with a sheepish smile plastered across his face. “A little sleepy, are you?”
“Fuck off,” I mumbled. He knew I didn’t feel well, did hehaveto be so damn annoying? Maybe I shouldn’t have saved him from the Dog.
“Do you want some water?”
“I don’t want your help.” We don’t get hangovers in Elysium because all our wine is infused with my blood. The chances of finding any to cure me in a van with six other people were scarce. Plus, I didn’t want to start sucking on my wrist and give them a reason to be nervous.
“Alright.” He shrugged smugly. “Then suffer.”
“Been doing that since I met you,” I mumbled, resting my skin against the cool glass again. When we first left Silvertown in the car, Jude turned the radio on and flipped through the channels. We sat in silence, listening to static for hours before he turned it off, leaving the air bathed in silence.
