MATED TO SERIES COLLECTION

3. EVA: EXPLORING

I fell back onto the bed with a groan.

Who fucking knew that settling into your dorm room would be so much work?

Turning my head, I looked across the room at my sister who was still busy. She lingered over the simplest things and it was starting to get on my nerves.

So maybe it wasn't such a good idea to force her to come along with me—not with her hang-ups—but Dad wouldn't have let me off pack ground without her.

I'd probably be skipping class most of the time anyway.

I found humans extremely interesting which was basically the only reason why I applied for college.

Ariana had a hard time understanding that not all humans were the same. She used to love being around them just as much as me, but things changed when she was kidnapped.

Sometimes I wished that it had been me instead. But we couldn't change the past, only the future.

Sitting up, I glanced around the room with my lips tugging up into a smile.

Our own fucking home.

Well, it wasn't exactly home but we had our own room in a place that was far away from Dad. I loved him with all my heart but he was nosy and very overprotective at times.

"What do you say we explore town a bit?" I asked my sister.

She froze for a few seconds and then continued unpacking some of the books she brought along.

"Dad said—"

"Do you always listen to what Dad tells you to do?"

"Yes, because at this stage he knows better than we do," she said. "It's almost dark out."

I stood and walked over to her. "We'll be back before dark."

"You've said that before."

"Come on, Ari. We're only going to a store to pick up something to eat and fill the refrigerator. We won't be gone long, promise."

Ariana lowered the books onto her desk and turned her head to look at me. I wiggled my eyebrows at her but got no reaction. The smile slipped from my face and my brows dipped down into a frown.

"You didn't eat at the reception, did you?" I asked her.

"I wasn't hungry then."

"Shit, sis." I threw my arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly. "Why didn't you say anything? Dad would've gotten you—"

"I really wasn't hungry," Ariana said as she pulled out of my hold. "I am hungry now, but I don't want to eat out."

Not eat out? She was beyond fucking crazy. Eating out was the most exciting thing about the human world. There were so many choices and the food was absolutely delicious.

Especially the pizza.

My mouth watered just by the thought of a greasy, cheesy pizza.

"We can get something for you at the supermarket but I'm ordering pizza," I told her.

Making my way over to my side of the room, I picked up the bag that contained my wallet, and stuffed my phone inside before I turned to Ariana to find her doing the same.

She gave me a small smile. "Let's go."

"Yes!" I squealed with a clap of my hands.

Rolling her eyes, Ariana walked over to the door and pulled it open. We walked out of the room with the thin straps of our handbags over our shoulders.