It was never effortless to love Aaron Warner. He was a difficult teenage boy who seemed to forget a lot of the time that that was what he was-a teenage boy. He'd always felt that loving or even caring for him would be impossible for all the world to...
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"OKAY, AND OUTFIT?" I ask Winston and Brendan, holding up two different shirts. A green one—it compliments my eyes—or a black one—makes me look more sophisticated.
Winston drags a hand over his face and falls back onto my bed. I demanded he and Brendan come over to help me out. The guys'll be back sooner or later and they'll be bringing the infamous Juliette Ferrars with them from Sector 45's base.
A place I know all too well.
"I don't wanna be, like, too peppy and girly," I tell them, "but I also don't wanna act like I know everything and I'm better than her, you know?"
"Mara?" Winston says.
I smile. "Uh-huh?"
"It isn't that important."
"I know it isn't," I lie. I care more about this than I'd ever admit aloud. "Still. I want to make a good first impression."
"The green one then," Brendan tells me. "Makes you seem nicer. Won't scare her off if she's nervous."
"If?" I chuckle dryly. "Of course she'll be nervous."
Winston sits up. Frowns and asks, "Why? What reason would she have?"
"Oh, I don't know," I start sarcastically. "Maybe because she was most likely tricked into coming here and she doesn't know anyone. Not to mention the fact that she's totally traumatized."
Winston blinks. "You don't actually think Kenji would be dumb enough to trick her into coming here, do you?"
"He definitely would."
"A hundred percent." Brendan and I say simultaneously.
Winston rolls his eyes. "Whatever," He gets to his feet. Points at me. "Put on whatever you goddamn like and leave me alone, Lockhart. I got shit to do before they arrive."
"That was rude." I say.
"Sorry, 'kay, bye—"
And he's walked out of the door already.
I turn to Brendan and raise an eyebrow. "Can't you control your boyfriend somehow?"
He flushes pink instantly and it pulls my lips into a smile. I've always known he and Winston like each other—they make it too obvious not to—and I've also always been their biggest supporter. Since I've only ever had one boyfriend—and that definitely didn't end well—I want someone to be happy. And these two really deserve it.
"Mara—"
"What?" I grin. "Come on, just admit to it, for the love of God!"
"I have nothing to admit to," he replies quietly, walking towards the door.
"Liar, liar, liar—"
"Mara, leave the poor guy alone and come with me."
I glance over Brendan's shoulder and my entire body lifts when I see him—Isaac. He's there, standing by the door with crutches. His hair looks even messier and dirtier than usual, but still brown and intact, which is good. He's like my big brother and I haven't seen him since he left for the same mission that Kenji did.
