Chapter 11

The next morning, I woke up while it was still dark. I was still in the same position where I had my head on Trevor's chest. His arm was around my waist instead of my hair when I woke up. I looked up at him to see if he was asleep and he was. I tried to move his arm as carefully as I could so that I could get up. I looked over at him again to make sure he didn't wake up from my movement and he was still sound asleep. I moved over to get up from the bed and I let my feet fall to the cold floor. I got up and walked out of the room, closing the door behind me and then smiling as soon as I was out of the room.

I don't know what it was but Trevor made me feel so safe. So strong. It was like he was always adrenaline in my body and I was on top of the world with him. He is so perfect, his personality and his looks. The combination of his dark eyes and semi-dark chestnut hair. His perfectly sized biceps. His under-developed abs, even with the small scar that was there. Everything about him was like a trap, to lure you in. Even his natural smell of leather and rain. It was like a drug that intoxicated you.

When I got to the kitchen, I saw the time. 4:05 AM. It wasn't that early and Trevor usually wakes up at around 6 so I could manage to stay up from now until later tonight. I went to the fridge to get some water when I heard a noise from upstairs. I felt my brows draw in confusion, contemplating to wake up Trevor or go check myself. I put down the water bottle that was in my hand and started walking up the stairs. The noise was coming from my room, and it wasn't a bad noise it was more of a grunt of frustration. I walked over to my room and opened the door to see Lydia on my old laptop.

"What are you doing?" I asked, as I closed the door behind me.

I walked to the bed and sat next to her, looking over at the computer.

"About a year ago, in the warehouse, I managed to sneak into the office that was upstairs. In there, it was this site that had all the information on the kids that they had. I managed to get into that site after about an hour and I found some information on the organization that is in control of the experiments they do with The Pure," She said, without breaking eye contact with the screen that was glowing with information.

"It says that the organization is called Fallen Labs...," I took a moment to connect the dots. "Wait like The Fallen? The kids who died because of the vaccination?" I asked, looking over her shoulder to see the screen.

"Exactly like The Fallen," she said, looking at me.

"I think this is where they found out about the other Pures. The ones that have extra side-effects," She said, looking back at the screen.

She clicked a button and it went to different files. On the files, they had the status of the kids and what side-effects they have if they have any. Lydia explained the different files and side-effects.

"Some kids on here have no side-effects. Some have either 1, 2, or 3 side-effects like Trevor. But I have only found a hundred that got different side-effects from the others," She said, switching the file to a 16-year-old boy.

"See this one, he has sight, smell, and intelligence. And this one," She said, switching the file to a 13-year-old girl, "She has sight, smell, hearing, and fast healing. I think it has something to do with access to your brain," She said.

I looked at the blonde girl that was on the screen and then turned to Lydia asking, "What do you mean?"

"Every person has their brain at a certain percentage. Usually, we can only use 10% of our brain's power. But I think the kids like you, they have access to more power in their brain. Think about it. Sight, hearing, and smell are all part of the 10% range of our brain and if those are heightened then you stay in the 10% maybe 15%. But every 10% something else is kind of unlocked. Like 20% could be speed and 30% could be strength," She said.

"So you're saying that the few thousand kids that have extra side-effects have more access to their brain. Giving them more abilities?" I asked.

She nodded.

"So then, if I'm fast healing, what percentage is that in?" I asked.

"Well, I tried searching that up and everything that I have come across says that fast healing comes in at 40% of the brain. So that means," She said. I connected the dots before she could.

"So that means that I still have 2 more abilities that I don't know about?" I asked.

She looked at me and nodded. "So what comes with 20% and 30%?" I asked.

"I think that 20% of your brain means that you have enhanced intelligence. And 30% could be agility. But there could also be a case where the vaccine could skip the percentages in between and only unlock some parts of it. Like you could have fast healing and agility but not enhanced intelligence," She said, explaining her theory.

"So how do we test it out?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. How did you trigger your quick healing?" She asked.

"I think it first triggered when I came to the warehouse. Luke and Jason beat me up and ever since then bruises don't take a few weeks, it takes 2 or 3 days to heal," I said.

"Then that's how we trigger it. It has to be something related to that specific percentage. Here try decoding this," She said, switching the laptop over into my lap. The screen was glowing black and white with numbers and letters I didn't understand.

"What is it?" I asked looking at her.

"I think it's full access to Fallen labs files. Videos of what they do, what they have found for the cure for lightning. All those things," She said. I looked at her and then back at the screen.

The whole screen was almost a foreign language. I didn't understand a single piece of it. I stared at it for almost a full 5 minutes before looking back at Lydia and shaking my head. I gave her the laptop back and she adjusted it in her lap.

"How did you learn how to do all of this? How to decode the site from the warehouse?" I asked.

"My dad used to be a huge computer nerd. It was the only thing he and I could actually talk about. I was always the sibling who was interested in computers and those things. So I learned how to code websites when I was about 9 years old. Trevor was always in the garage, fixing the cars, and Lisa would always be in her room, putting on makeup," She said, moving her fingers quickly around the keyboard typing something in.

"How much sleep did you get tonight?" I asked.

"I went to sleep after dinner. So around 10 and I woke up about 30 minutes ago," She said. I put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it before I got up from the bed. I was about to open the door when Lydia said one last thing.

"I see the way you look at him," She said. I turned around to face her and let her finish. "Believe it or not, he looks at you the same way. He would always ask about you when I talked to him in the warehouse. He loves you, you know," She said, giving a faint smile.

"I'll believe it when he tells me," I said, giving her the same faint smile before leaving the room. As soon as I closed the door, I felt my knees go weak. I bit my lip and then I broke into a smile. Just even the thought of Trevor feeling the same way I do about him made my heart race. Like it wanted to escape my chest.

I walked down the stairs and forgot that I left my backpack on the couch. I walked over to the backpack and the picture that was still lying on the couch. I grabbed the photo and folded it in half again and put it back in the front pocket before grabbing the whole bag and walking to the bathroom to change.

I pulled out my converse and jeans that had one rip on the left knee and grabbed a maroon sweater that had Harvard across the front. I let my mid-length, wavy hair stay down and grabbed the backpack before leaving the bathroom. It was still early enough to watch the sunrise. I walked outside to the van that was now in the driveway and put my backpack in the back. I jumped up in the back of the van, watching the indigo sky turn into a soft orange.

I heard footsteps coming closer to the van and then peeked my head to find Jared walking towards the back, where I was sitting. He came to the back and sat next to me. I turned my eyes back to the orange sky.

"I don't want to go," Jared said. I looked over to him and gave a small smile before putting an arm around him. He laid his head on my shoulder when I did.

"I know. I don't want you to go either but I can't put you at risk. Not with everything that we just learned about the side-effects," I said, turning back to look at the sky.

"You know, whenever I woke up early before a road trip. I would always stand at my window and watch the sunrise. And I knew that even when you were across the country or across the world, you would see the same thing I did. And even though we are apart, we still love each other and always will," I said.

"Is this the best idea? Are you sure I can't come with you?" He asked. I shook my head and answered, "Sorry Jared, but this isn't your fight."

I got up to go inside and get us a blanket. As soon as I did, Trevor was standing in the hallway, listening to Jared and I's conversation. He had his arms crossed over his chest and gave me a look that I can read clearly. I felt my brows draw together and I walked past him to the couch to grab the blanket.

"No," I shouted.

"Why not? He took care of himself for 3 months without you. Without anyone, he will be safe with us," He said, following behind me.

"I am not willing to put his life at risk. Not when I have to take care of Lydia and you too," I said, grabbing the blanket and turning around to face him.

"You're not taking care of Lydia or me. I'm the one taking care of both of you considering that you two almost got taken back to The WildFires," He shouted. I could feel anger building up in me with just the memory popping up in my head.

He took a deep breath before looking at me with caring eyes. "I'm just saying that maybe you should consider the option that he would be safe with us instead of Texas."

"Well frankly, it's not your choice. The WildFires are coming for me and I already have you and Lydia in the mix. I can't put Jared in the crossfire," I said, narrowing my eyes and walking past him back outside to the van, where Jared was now standing in front of the door. I walked past him to the van and I heard him tell Trevor something.

"Let her cool down. She's just trying to protect me, give her a few minutes to think," He said, in a reasonable voice. I heard both of them walk inside and I stayed outside, watching the soft orange sky.

* * *

As soon as it started to sprinkle, I went back inside to find Jared and Lydia talking at the dining table and eating cocoa puffs. She was explaining coding and hacking to him and showing how easy it was. For her at least. I walked over to them and I asked, "Where's Trevor?"

Jared looked up at me and smiled. "He's in the guest bedroom getting his stuff ready to leave," He said.

"Have you packed everything you need for Texas?" I asked. He gave me an assuring nod before he looked back at the computer that was sitting in front of Lydia. I turned around and walked over to the guest bedroom to find Trevor. As soon as I reached the guest bedroom door I hesitated before opening the door, running through my thoughts about what I was going to say to Trevor after this morning. I grabbed the doorknob and entered the room and he was standing in the middle of the room, shirtless.

I couldn't rip my eyes off of him, much less get a word out. Say something, anything. Stop staring. I couldn't help but turn around until he put on the dark green shirt he had in his hands.

I heard him laugh and say, "You can turn around now. It's nothing you haven't seen already."

I turned around and looked away before he could capture me in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. About this morning. I just want Jared to be safe, to be away from this mess, from me," I said, as he walked towards me slowly.

"I know. But he wants his sister. Do you really think he is going to be safe in Texas?" He asked. I finally looked up at him and his face was only inches from mine. I nodded instead of saying anything.

"Ok. If you think so then let's do it. I just don't want to see you hurt," He said, with a faint smile on his face.

"I'm numb, remember," I said, with a small laugh at the end. I turned around, about to go out of the door, when I felt his hand on my waist spin me around to face him. His grip was strong but delicate. My hands were on his chest and I could feel the warmth that his body gave off. I looked up at him and he leaned down. I thought he was going to kiss me, and I craved it so bad but instead he whispered in my ear saying, "I'm sure that's not entirely true."

I felt him let go of my waist and walk out of the room. Something changed in me when we were that close. I wanted him to kiss me. I craved his touch, his soft hair, his perfect lips. I craved him and only him. It took me a moment to snap back into reality from the trance that he put me in and walk out of the room and into the kitchen.

"Are you guys ready to go?" I asked, looking at Lydia and Jared. They both looked at me and nodded.

"Can I keep the laptop? I think I can manage to hack into Fallen Labs systems by the time we get to California. If we know what they do in there, then we can probably find someone that can get it out to the people, without it getting taken down by the government," She said.

"Yeah, if you want," I said, answering her question.

She had a point. The government was funding all of the research and experiments and they didn't want anything that could be held against them out on the internet. Especially if people saw that the labs were mistreating every kid they had in their custody. And they would take down anything that was threatening to the government or Fallen labs.

Lydia and Jared both got up from the table and walked outside to the van. I walked behind them stopping in my tracks, just to look at the house that was filled with memories. And the last place that had memories of my parents. I smiled and then walked out, leaving the memories behind a closed door.