The Serum

S I X.

"This is breakfast?" Aria scowls at the metal plate in front of her, scoffing in disbelief. She pokes at her cold eggs, disgusted. 

"Something wrong, your Highness?" I say around a mouthful of toast. To be honest, this food is yards better than the microwave breakfasts I somehow ingested back in Ardmore.

"I'm just... not a huge fan of cold eggs and potatoes."

"Well, don't mind if I do." I reach over to her plate and take it, scraping her food onto my empty one. Her eyes bug out of her head as I set the plate down next to her with a clatter. Oliver hides his snort of laughter behind a glass of water. None of us could sleep last night so we basically just bickered the whole night. To my relief, I learned that Oliver has a sense of humor. After a few hours, even Lucas was beginning to tire of Aria's antics. Her moods switched from hyperventilating to snobby, both which I didn't enjoy whatsoever. 

"Are you always like this?"

I swallow before answering her. "What, normal?" 

Lucas and Oliver exchange a glance. A few hours into the night and they had already learned not to mess with either of us when we argue. It earned Lucas a well-earned punch.

"God, I feel bad for whoever had to live with you."

I slam my fork on the table and Aria jumps. Nobody says a word as I battle my rising anger. Tears prick but thankfully, I force them back. Crying won't help my case. 

"Don't ever talk about my family again, you hear?" I warn her. I'm not actively looking at them but the guys can tell I'm talking to them to. Aria looks down at her empty plate, not offering an apology. Honestly, her silence is apology enough. I glance up to see Oliver looking at me, understanding and pain shimmering in his dark green eyes. My curiosity piques. He's lost someone too; the grief in his eyes is familiar. But I know better than to press. 

We eat in awkward silence and I almost wish we could be arguing again. 

Janice chooses that time to prance into the room, this time dressed in a tight, figure-hugging black dress. She smiles at each of us and the two guards she came with position themselves by the entrance. 

"How was breakfast?" No one says a word but Janice doesn't seem to care. She claps her manicured hands together and I notice Aria observing her blood red nails with interest. 

"Come along now, children. We don't have any time to waste." She inflicts a hard edge in her voice and we dully stand, knowing better than to oppose her. Although Janice hasn't told us her job in the government, I know it's probably high-ranked. Her clothes and mannerisms alone say so. 

Guards close in around us and I gulp. The huge guards have trapped me between them like a cage. I gulp. I hate feeling claustrophobic. 

We walk past the bunks and the control room, to a see-through, glass lift. It takes some work to squeeze everyone in, but we do, god knows how. I try to nudge around and get more space but it's clear I have nowhere to go. I'm stuck behind a towering guard who offers no room for me. I guess when you're that big, small people like me are insignificant. I suppress the urge to pinch him, just so he'll startle and move. But I'll most likely end up being squished under him. I think this is what one calls a lose-lose situation. 

Aria, however, has enough space to sleep. When your father is a big shot who has tons of money, most people don't take any chances. Secret Security included. I grimace and press as far back into the railing as I can. In all honesty, I could get there faster if I just jumped. 

Finally, the elevator pings, hissing as the doors open. I don't think I've ever heard such a wonderful sound. I file out and gulp sweet, cold, fresh air. I don't know when that guard last took a bath, but it must not have been recently. I rest on my knees for a brief second.