Moira

40.

000d, 00h, 00m, 00s

The only thing Monroe had said afterwards was a simple, "I'll let them know to open your room tomorrow."

I knew it wasn't much, but for me, it felt like I had done something right for the first time in a long time. It showed I'd be rewarded if I was loyal. It showed The System was a fair one. And it showed them that I was proud to be a part of it.

And, so, I was content— sitting in the dining area, a spoon in hand and a bowl of oatmeal in front of me as my eyes absentmindedly darted through the room.

Closing my eyes just for a moment, a deep sigh rattling through my chest, I startled at the sudden presence on the opposite end of the rounded table, Rose leisurely leaning back in the chair.

"Amidelle," The elderly woman smiled as a greeting, giving me a warm nod before popping a cherry out of her fruit-filled bowl into her mouth. "I wondered why you weren't out yesterday already— good to have you back."

I huffed in delight, nodding slightly before the meaning of her words daunted on me. My brows furrowed lightly before I asked, "You were out yesterday?"

"And you weren't," She quipped back lightheartedly, a chuckle slipping past her lips. Though, I just shook my head in irritation, a little confused on how Monroe would've checked on her if she wasn't in her room. I opted to just asking.

"So did Mr. Monroe just talk to you out here—?" I wondered, my voice sounding uncertain as I waited for her head to turn, her dark eyes to connecting with mine.

She halted in her movement once her head snapped in my direction, her own brows knitted together tightly as she looked at me in silence for a while. "Mr. Monroe?" She asked after a solid minute.

I nodded. "I figured after what happened a few days ago he came to check up on... all of us—"

Rose's eyes widened in excitement, though her calm aura was hardly fazed. She simply shifted back and forth on her chair at the information given to her, the prospect of my words making it hard for her to stay still as she subconsciously leaned further towards me.

Her reaction had a proud smile form on my face. Was I different? Was I better? — Why else would Monroe come to see me, check up on me, of all people?

"Check up on you!" She repeated, then, a cheery tone in her still relatively low voice. She made sure not to let anyone else around us hear. "Now, don't make me force it out of you—" She muttered, a joking tone in her voice that made a peal of singular laughter escape my lips.

"Well—" I thought back to yesterday, and how the fact I was the only one he came to made it just all the more special. After all, he came to me for help. I couldn't help but brag.

"He asked me what I thought about what happened and if I was alright," I began, and Rose was listening intently, her brown eyes glistening in excitement and her lips still curled upwards into a smile. "He asked me for help."

Her brows shooting up in surprise and her head tilting at the rather unexpected words coming out of my mouth only egged me on, and I continued as my chest swelled with pride and my eyes roamed the room.

"He asked if I knew a guy, if I could help The System find him—" I explained proudly, continuing to ramble after. "—Christopher I think his name was," I added absentmindedly, wondering what else I could tell her to make her see how useful he must've thought I was to them. "I think my information will definitely help them a lot—"

When my eyes snapped back onto the woman opposite me, I cut myself off at the haunting look in her eyes. My brows furrowed, my mind racing as to what I could've said to make her react like that.