It didn't take me long to fall asleep that night, so the morning came quickly.
I stumble down to breakfast and pause for a moment. What would Mara and Syl say if I went to go sit with them? Would they still be mad about last night?
I shrug. If they're mad at least I'll hear it straight from their mouths.
I pull out the chair next to Syl, facing Mara. She's sitting next to the Stiff. "Sorry about yesterday," I say to all of them, plainly. "I was a jerk."
They look up at me.
"Yeah, you were a major jerk." Mara says, in a bored tone. "But it's over, what's said is done. Lets get over it," and with a flick of her hand the topic is dismissed.
Well that went a lot better than expected.
I take my seat and feel more at ease as I listen to Mara speak.
She introduces me to two other initiates. One is a freckly girl named Leala and the other is a a dark skinned boy named Warren. Both from Candor. Sitting to my left is the girl Abbey from my old faction. The one I questioned in the truth game.
I'll have to get over the fact that Codie is still here. I have to keep the peace. It's just so hard to do that, when all I want to do is speak the truth.
My version of the truth, to be specific.
"Where did you go last night, after you ran away form the dorms?" Mara questions.
"Yeah," Syl agrees, "I don't take you as the crying type. Unless you are, and your just a liar." He raises an eyebrow.
I shove him playfully. Using my words against me.
"I went for a walk. Except I was disrupted." I state.
Mara looks curious. "Disrupted? By what?"
I groan. "More like 'who'."
"Then who?" She asks.
"Xavier," I say, and tell my cheeks to stop flushing. Truth serum is going be hard, and this isn't even my big secret.
"The guy you think is hot!" Abbey exclaims, giddy.
I cringe, I guess I'm never losing that reputation. "Yes. Him."
"Oh my god, what did he say?!" Mara can't contain her enthusiasm, and Abbey shakes my shoulder, urging the facts out.
"He thinks I'm not bad looking either," I answer. That's what he said. It's the truth.
The girls look at me with excited faces. Amusement from my love life, if you can even call it a love life.
"Okay, you would make a great couple," Leala says, nearly bursting with passion.
"Agreed," Mara says, "You're welcome."
"For what?" I ask.
She grins. "I got you to admit that he's hot. I'm basically the mastermind behind this relationship."
"Yeah sure," I shove her in the arm, joking. "I'll make you bridesmaid in the wedding, okay?"
She tugs her arm down in a victory motion. "Yes!"
Syl and I exchange glances and shake our heads.
Eventually, the conversation moves on. Good, I've had enough attention for one sitting, even if most of it was positive.
I look at the people around me, laughing and yelling over one another. It feels great to have friends again. People I know are there for me, no matter what. There's no grey area, just black and white.
