Chapter Fourteen

For the next four days before the third Report, I tried to date the other ones, too, but Haley never left my thoughts. I busied myself with work in the morning and two dates a day. But Haley's pained face still haunted me. She didn't wear dresses anymore, and only came out of her room for meals.

I ended up sending home four – Willow, Astrid, Dalila and Zoey – of the eight girls I met that week, but I still had 19 girls here. If I could choose, I would have sent them all then and kept only one. But first I needed to win her back…

The heat of the Report studio made me want to sleep. But I tried to focus on Galaxie and the girls. I saw Haley in the back row, and she was wearing a dress. I guess she didn't have a choice that night. And I'm grateful she didn't, because she was beautiful.

After the Report, we all headed to the Dining Room where a wonderful meal was waiting for us. But I ate without thinking, still trying to find a way to Haley's heart. I tried sending her notes via her maids, but she never answered back. I even copied one of the poems from the book, but she didn't say anything about it. I don't even know if she read what I sent her. I couldn't draw her out of the Hat again. And when I had come to her room, she had opened the door and slammed it back shut before I could say anything.

After dinner, I took a break from dating. I went to the gym and stripped down to put my swimsuit on. I walked to the small pool and switched on the hardest current possible. I swam for a long time, until I couldn't anymore and my muscles were burning. But my mind still wouldn't shut the image of Haley out. I towelled and walked back to my room, taking secret passages. I didn't want the girls to see me half naked with dripping hair.

Jacob was waiting for me and handed me a fresh suit. I couldn't sleep anyway and I still had plans to work on.

A knock on the door made me jump. Jacob went to open it.

"Your Majesty," he bowed low. I turned to see father in the doorway.

"Good evening father."

"Logan, we need to talk."

"Sure." I waited.

"In my office."

I winced but recovered quickly. What had I done now? I followed him to his office and he shut the door behind me. He looked out the window in the setting sun.

"Why haven't you eliminated the fat one yet?"

I straightened my back and tensed my still burning muscles. "I won't."

He turned around. "Why not? She is ruining our image. Your image, when seen with you."

"She's going to be in the Elite. And you can't change my mind."

"Oh, you think I can't?"

I looked at him right in the eyes. "No you can't."

"Come on, Logan! Don't you see she doesn't want to be here? She's doing everything she can to be eliminated." I thought about it, I wanted to defend her, but he was right. She was rude with me, she wasn't wearing dresses and didn't care about anything. She wanted to go home. But I wouldn't let her.

"I won't let her go home."

He eyed me suspiciously "She's the One, huh? I hope for you and for her that she's not…" He turned back to his window and I got out. No use staying here to endure him.

I really needed to find a solution to bring her back.

I went back to my room and Jacob looked at me expectantly. "Don't worry, nothing happened." He sighed in relief. "I'll be staying up late. You can go. Good night, Jacob."

"Good night, Logan." He went out.

I propped myself on my couch and read the poems. I still needed to finish that book.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the alarm rang, deafening and constant. The Resistants were back! It hadn't been a week… I jumped to my feet and found the secret passage to the Safe Room. I was the first one down there after mother and father. I waited near the big metallic doors for the girls, and counted them as they arrived.

Five, six, eight, twelve, thirteen, sixteen, eighteen. One was missing, and of course it had to be Haley. I paced in the doorway and decided to go look for her when father gripped my collar and pulled me in the room, closing the door.

"No! One is missing!"

"I don't care! But you certainly won't go after her!"

I saw Haley running down the stairs, tangled in her robe and she skipped a step and tumbled all the way down. She wasn't unconscious but her forehead was bleeding. Father was still holding me back, I couldn't help her! She tried to stand but fell back to the floor.

Denielle and Beverly ran to her rescue and helped her in the room. Father closed the doors and we were all safely inside. I wrestled myself from father's grip and ran to Haley who was sitting on one of the cots. Denielle was patching up her head-injury, and I noticed the foot was at a weird angle. Was it broken?

Haley saw me watching. "It's only badly twisted."

I sighed, relieved. "Are you all right?"

She didn't even look at me. "I will be once I'm home."

Denielle quickly looked at me, then at Haley, and then back to her wound. "Why would you say that?"

She shrugged. "He knows." She pointed at me with her thumb.

"Haley, I'm not sending you home, whatever you say." And I stood to check on the others. It was the middle of the night.

Father stood in the center of the room, asking for everyone's attention. "All right, everyone. We don't know how long this will take, so we better make ourselves comfortable. There are six of us and nineteen of you, and only ten cots. There is a pile of blankets in that closet. Make yourselves comfortable enough to try to sleep."

Father took a cot and snored right away. Rodrick, Matt and Jaiden all took blankets and went to a corner of the room, and I smiled at the sight, they much more generous than father, who was so selfish by taking a cot to himself. I saw some girls pushing the cots together to make larger beds and sleep three on two cots. That was smart. But there was still not enough for everyone. Haley hobbled to the closet and retrieved a blanket. She went near a wall and spread the blanket before laying down, facing the wall.

I sat on the ground near her head, but didn't say anything. I tried not to look at her bare legs in her tiny pajama shorts, but it was hard. My heart beat a little faster. Wisps of her hair stuck out her long braid. I dared brush my fingers on it, but she immediately tucked her braid under her. I sighed.

I whispered. "Will you ever forgive me?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think you can try?"

She shrugged.

"How's your head?"

"It throbs, but it'll be okay. The cut isn't deep."

"Haley," I was still whispering. "How can I make it up to you? I have been thinking on it for a week but I can't find a solution. You never answered my notes back. Did you even read them?"

"I did." She turned to lay on her back and looked at me. "You know, I think my ego was the most hurt in all this story. I'm a very proud person, I'm afraid. And it's very hard for me to admit it."

I smiled. "You need a pillow?" I patted my thigh. She smiled and put her head on my leg. "Then how can I make it up to you?"

"I don't know."

I played with a strand of hair, loose from her braid. "Can we start over?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Wouldn't it be better if we continued from where we left off?"

I saw a sparkle of amusement in her eyes.

"I'd love that."

She undid her braid. "Here, play with my hair. My mother used to do that when I was little and it would make me fall asleep. That could make up for what you did." She smiled slyly.

I smiled back, more than happy to oblige. It didn't take long before she was sleeping. I could have played with her hair all night long, but I eventually fell asleep, too.

I woke up to a small kick in the feet. My head jerked straight up and father was hovering over me. "Careful, Logan." He motioned Haley with his head. I sighed and saw the metallic doors were opened and people were waking up. I checked the time: 8 o'clock. We had stayed there all night. I gently rubbed Haley's cheek to wake her up. She stirred and opened her eyes, rubbing them like a small child would. I smiled.

"You need to go to the Hospital Wing for your foot. I'll help you there. But don't move, I'll be right back." She looked at me quizzically and lifted her head to let me stand. I ran to her room and thank goodness Calissa was there.

"Calissa, I need a pair of pants or sweatpants or something for Haley."

My urgent tone made her run to the closet and retrieve a pair of sweatpants.

"Thank you!" I said running back to the Safe Room.

Haley was standing up and holding onto Denielle, wincing. Her foot was still at a weird angle.

"I'll carry you there, but first put this on." I handed her the pants.

"No, you won't carry me, and why do I have to wear that?"

I looked at Denielle, and she took my stare as a cue to leave. I mouthed the words thank you and she nodded, smiling.

"Because if you don't, I might to something stupid." She looked at her bare legs and blushed.

"Fine. But you're still not carrying me. You won't make it all the way up there."

I tilted my head. "Is this a challenge?"

"No it's not. I'm just not made to be carried." She blushed and looked away.

"I don't care. You won't walk all the way up there." And I scooped her up in my arms. I was strong, I didn't see where the problem was.

"Put me down!" She hissed between gritted teeth.

"Nope."

I walked the three floors up, carrying her. She stopped complaining after the first floor. Instead, she leaned her head on my shoulder and I wanted to hold her like this forever.