PARADISE PARADOX (#1 PARADISE ISLAND duology)

-- seven --

"Don't get involved, Kera."

In a normal life, on a normal day, this task would have been simple for Kera. She'd shrug, return to her activities, her studies, mind her own business.

But she was stuck on a secluded island with all these people she wasn't supposed to get entangled with, and as the docile, mature-appearing one of the group, she felt responsible for the others and their mistakes. She sort of shouldered the responsibility of warning them that what they were planning was senseless. Stupid. Suicidal.

Yes, the government controlled them. Yes, the universities had gotten out of line by sending them here for flimsy infractions that were common among young adults. Why them? Why not adults, too, in that case? Kera had no doubt plenty of them were doing the same—partying, drinking, doing drugs, fornicating, as Mr. Reynolds had put it—so why were they exempt? Was it because they weren't confined within a college's white walls, restricted to its rules? There were rules out in the real world, too; yet undergraduates were the ones taking the bulk of the punishments because of their age and their location?

Kera tossed and turned all night, thinking about it all. She didn't like Jessa in the slightest, but something told her to issue this chick another warning. Miles, despite criticizing her, seemed ready to abandon all possibility of getting off the island to pursue Jessa's motives, and Kera didn't want him to. She couldn't stop him; but what if she could stop Jessa? If she could convince her to shut up, and to work on fighting with the government on her own time, once they'd all left the island, safe and sound?

Miles had designated himself as Kera's protector; but she wanted to protect him, too. Kera didn't need protecting, because she wasn't a rebel, right? No, but Miles was. Miles Kline—the dreamy-eyed, sweet-voiced, smart young man she'd been admiring from afar for years, and who was finally within reach. Who was, to her shock, aware of who she was. No way would she let this go to waste by watching Miles fall into the traps Jessa was setting out, by witnessing him gobbling up the schemes Jessa was concocting.

Getting to Jessa would be difficult, Kera anticipated. Still, she woke with a firm resolve to approach the siren-like redhead, and prepared to have a private chat with her. She'd have to avoid gawking at all of Jessa's assets—that grassy gaze of hers might hypnotize Kera, if she didn't avoid it. And she'd have to try not to be intimidated by her beauty, or enthralled by it. She'd have to stand her ground and speak with confidence, and show her side of things. Being compliant, no matter her beliefs, would be in Jessa's benefit, as well as in everyone else's. Did she care about these friends she was making, or was she a selfish bitch? Because if Jessa were to act out, and urge others to do so, who was to say the entire group wouldn't be punished? How would they all feel about her getting them into deeper trouble?

Kera's resolve melted at breakfast when Jessa was the one who approached her; she took Kera by surprise and sat at her table. She didn't say anything at first, only staring her up and down, as was her habit. It was unnerving; Kera wasn't used to anyone noticing her, and less so sending her such scathing glares. And even less so glares that were eerily erotic despite the punch they packed, the fury they encapsulated. Jessa's eyes were vivid, violent, and they dug into Kera as if equipped with knives, spades, shovels.

When at last Jessa spoke, Kera clamped her mouth shut, swallowing the cereal she'd been chewing on.

"Scholarship smart-ass, yeah?" Jessa had finished eating—she'd glimpsed Kera the whole time, sucking the food off her spoon languorously—and perched across from Kera with her arms crossed. "And a good, no, a great listener. You've overheard all of it, haven't you?"

Kera wanted to tell Jessa that duh, of course she'd heard, because she was far from discreet, and with that sultry voice and the sensual sway of her hips when she walked, everyone had overheard her. But something in how stiff Jessa's posture was, how short her tone was, told Kera to shut up.