THE EPOCH CHRONICLES | ✔

fourteen

IT DIDN'T bother Amelia that she was bi.

What did bother her was the fact that Tina wouldn't stop fussing over the non-existent relationship between she and Dr Royson. She regretted telling the other girl about the other day's romantic escapades, as Albertina called them (she had resorted to calling 'Albertina' to get her to cut it out) and that day, in the hot basket, was no different.

"It doesn't matter that she rejected you," Tina brushed that fact off like it wasn't worth a crumb. Amelia rested her head against the colder wall as she sweated out the steam of the sauna, known as the 'hot basket' by the Learners and marines alike. "Once she realizes what she's missing out on, she'll come running right back —"

She regretfully tuned her friend out, and even more regretfully fingered her hair, which was coiling in wet bunches over her shoulders. Amelia did not look forward to trying to get it under control later on; her hair was always resembled a bush after 'Jurassic acclimatization' — basically suggesting that she would be struggling with her curls throughout the Jurassic. The thought made her want to cackle. So many dangers, and she was worrying about her hair?

It was, however, a valid concern, so she settled that internal debate. "Thanks, Tina," Amelia cut her friend off, though her tongue was heavy like a limp fish with thirst; ironic as they were surrounded by water vapor, albeit shockingly hot water vapor. "Even though I appreciate you going on about how awesome I am, I'd prefer to not talk about it."

Mostly because she didn't like discussing Zoey like she was a test subject. Even though they all were, at the end of the day.

Tina opened her mouth to protest, and Amelia quickly added, to appease her more than reignite her own hopes; "Besides, we'll have a whole one hundred and sixty-fix millennia to sort that out after these two weeks."

Two weeks.

Time — ever fluid, ever impatient — had passed quickly since Amelia's first few days at the facility, and even faster still after the EEG announcement. Dr Samson had withdrawn, though sightings of her still reassured everyone that she was still there, and watching.

Luca had vanished from their group as well, replaced quickly by Lale and Bradley, who —for all their prejudices and suspicion of basically everyone — were pretty good companions in the last leg of training.

The tinted walls of the glass hot basket glowed blue.

"Temperature increase," Tina turned to the dial in the tiled wall, then rolled the small black circle. "How far you wanna go?"

"Let's try fifteen degrees."

Tina turned it up, and the steam seemed to thicken. Steady drips of water fell across the glass in condensation, and the two women sank back as the air pressed against them. Amelia no longer felt the respite of a cold wall against her back, that having heated up as well, and she swiped her bunching fringe out of her face.

"Besides," Amelia continued casually, watching her friend out of the corner of her eye. Two can play at that game. "You can hardly worry about my love life, seeing as you have your own admirer."

Tina scrunched her face up in distaste — else she was just getting hot. "Who?"

Amelia rose her eyebrows in mock-surprise. "You haven't seen the way Bradley looks at you?" And it was true; she had noted that the marine enjoyed sneaking glances at Albertina, especially when she spoke. And she did that a lot.

At least I'm not the oblivious one anymore.

"No ..." Tina trailed off, obviously thinking. Amelia raised her head in victory — she'd beaten Tina at her own game.