Page 30 of The Order

“So, why would you go out of your way to draw attention to yourself? Why threaten someone out of a sheer power play?”

The hypocrisy eats me alive.

“I watched them beat down an elderly Unfortunate, and all is well, but the minute I make them feel the same fear, I’m the problem?” I question, cutting off her train of thought. She pauses, waiting for me to clarify.

“What-”

“There was an Unfortunate woman this morning. Josh Seal and Colton Stark beat her down outside the tram before school. Josh and Colton were the ones I got into a fight with.” I say, shaking my head out of frustration, “I already got the speech from Kai. I don’t need it from you, too,” I say, backing away from her dazed expression.

“Were you there?” she questions, ignoring my statement.

“What?” I say, pausing my hands grasp on the doorknob.

“Were you there when the ponds got destroyed?” she questions, keeping her head lowered.

“What does it matter,” I started to leave the room, twisting the doorknob, ready to free myself from this conversation.

“You'd tell me if something happened to you, right?” my mom questions. She speaks as if she already has an answer.

“Are you sure you’re trusting the right people?”

His words swarm my mind. A blink from another device tucked away by the bottom of the door hits my foot. She eagerly awaits a response, joining my stare at my foot.

“Someone is always watching. I'm sure you can get the whole picture from them. My word has never been as good as the cameras anyway,” I whisper coldly, leaving her alone with her countless spiraling thoughts.

Chapter nine

Forest

Myschoolclotheslitterthe bathroom floor, coating the tile in shades of gray and black. My figure looks foreign in the large glass mirror. Weak is the only suitable word to describe how I feel. The bathroom door is locked, keeping away Raegan and her prying eyes. My birthmark rests above my hip, protruding for all to see. The skin of the mark is rougher and much lighter than any other part of my body. It rises above the surface of my skin, not running smoothly like the rest of me. Four bruises from Josh’s fingertips prying into my leg coat my thigh in blue and purple. Where there is muscle on most of the Unfortunates, I see nothing but bone. Most of the Untouchables hold slender bodies meant for anything but labor. The only way I managed to pin Josh was purely out of position. If my knee weren't lodged between his legs, I would have been done for. Even Max, who does nothing but athletics, still holds a more slender build.

My fingers brush over my mark once more. It's nothing more than an imperfection. It’s as imperfect as the countless scars on the Unfortunates. I remember seeing the small part of Fallan’s back I saw earlier today, his scars like a mosaic across the skin there. He was covered in scars, some that seemed old and some much newer. Even Valerie’s hands looked like they had been laid down on a cutting board and sliced repeatedly. What must one do in their sector to receive a punishment like that? The detention device my father showcased at the school is what they are willing to show us they utilize on Unfortunates, but could there be more weapons? Every citizen of New Haven, Untouchable and Unfortunate, has one thing in common.

One imperfection that no one goes without.

I stare at my right pointer finger, looking over the small white scar across its tip. Every single citizen has this scar. Every one of us is born with it to confirm our purity.

I hear the whir of the machine. Their silent voices are stifled behind masks. The countless boxes of latex gloves drown out the smell of blood.

I take a deep breath, blinking my eyes to focus on where I am. The sink faucet runs, splashing onto the counter. I twist the knobs until the water is off, feeling the haze of another blackout surround me. The vivid images from my obscure memory don’t linger in my mind for long, leaving as quickly as they seem to have arrived. At some point, between reflecting on scars and turning on the sink, I’d lost time. It took only a few seconds to disorientate.

Pulling on some black slacks and a gray tank, I move away from my thoughts, no longer wanting to be alone with them. I force my hair down from its straining position high on my head. It covers my shoulders, spanning down my front, only to be tucked away by a sling of my jacket over my shoulders. I reflected on the faucet once more, questioning when I had managed to turn it on.

I spill into my room, looking at Rae's relaxed position against my window frame. She’s almost dressed the same as me, choosing a white top instead of the traditional gray. Unlike me, she takes the time to style her clothes, carefully tucking and rolling each article of clothing to fit her just right. I look her over, anticipating some remark about my thrown-together outfit.

“How do you always manage to look so disorganized?” Rae questions, moving away from the window to pinch my cheeks. I swat her hand away. Her graceful figure navigates my room with gentle steps. Each move she makes is as calculated as every other part of her life.

If perfection were a person, she would be it.

“I do hope to one day achieve your level of put togetherness,” I say as I continue fiddling with the necklace I can now have out in the open. She looks me up and down, giving me a suggestive smile.

“What's that look for?” I question, turning away from her to toss my uniform in a hamper.

“You and that Official seemed close when we interrupted your private meeting in your dad's study,” Raegan says, poking my back from behind. My cheeks fill with fire at her comment.

“Xavier and I-”

“Xavier? So, you are on a first-name basis?” Rae says, adding a sound to her tone that children use to taunt each other about their harmless crushes. I turn to snap at her, her mouth gaping open with a grin.

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