"You were squirming around like you had ants in your pants," Orion glares down. His dark hair was ruffled from sleep, and his eyes were red from rubbing them.

"No, I wasn't," I sat up trying to ignore the tremor in my hands. Trying to forget the pale scarred face I saw every time I closed my eyes and the cold sweat that rolled down my back.

He snorts, "whatever you have to tell yourself. You should get ready, the guards are getting people up for breakfast." Orion jumps off the top bunk with ease, tossing the rock up and down (as usual). I watched him closely, while I had tremors he constantly had to move. Everyone had their ticks, the things they did to comfort themselves. Orions clearly was that he liked to fidget with things, whether it is a rock or a plastic fork on the table. My own tick was that I liked to watch, I looked and observed things. It could be people, nature, or even just the setting. I was the watcher and he was the fidgeter.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Orion snapped me out of my gaze, and I tried to ignore the blush that scorched my cheeks. I had been staring at him, and it wasn't a sneaky stare.

"Like what?" I snapped back, not wanting to answer his question.

He raised an eyebrow at me, "like I'm a puzzle to solve. Stop avoiding my questions." I growled at him, not bothering to answer him.

"Don't go all silent on me now, usually you are filled with things to snap back with." Orion pushed on leaning back against the wall. I ignored his comments and started making my bed, and he watched me closely. "Is it about what I said last night? I didn't mean to sound like an asshole about your... disadvantage."

"It's not about my abilities," I snapped.

"Than what is it about?"

"Just bother someone else," I shot it out before thinking about our current situation. He raised an eyebrow at me and motioned at the walls that surround us.

"I do have a lot of options for people I want to talk to, maybe ill have a charming discussion with the toilet in the corner." I snarled at him. "By the way, they delivered a fresh set of clothes for us. Said we need to put our dirty garments in the bin over there." He pointed towards a slot on the wall that pulled out, I eyed it and grabbed the white clothes from in it. Like everything in this godforsaken place is was a blinding white.

I started to peel off my shirt and a sputtering noise came from behind me, I turned around in my bra and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you want me to turn around or something," Orion stumbled out his cheeks flaring. I took a small satisfaction in getting his cold sarcastic face to blush. I simply shrugged, and before I could even move he spun around. His back faced me and I simply scoffed.

I quickly changed into the new set of clothes and discarded the old ones, Orion only turned around when I confirmed I was done.

"Not use to seeing what's under the clothes, Orion?" I taunted. He just looked over at me, the blush long was gone.

Before he could reply the circular door opened in a fast motion, and two guards came barging in. They grabbed us and pushed us out of the cell.

We were ushered back into the cafeteria, where unlike yesterday people were starting to mingle with each other. Yesterday everyone sat like statues eyeing every movement, now the guards allowed them to choose tables and grab their meals from the slightly less intimidating guards who were handing them out.

I stalked off towards a table not bothering to look as Orion followed, I didn't mean to come off so angry today. I was just unnerved from the dream I had last night. I grabbed a tray from one of the guards and slid into one of the cold and slippery metal seats, not giving a second thought about who I sat next to.

I started to angrily stab my peas when I heard someone shift beside me. I glanced up and took in a small skinny girl. She had light brown hair and wide cobalt eyes, and the most petite form. She was young, way too young to be here.

She glanced back warily, noticing my stare. She opened and closed her mouth, and you could see the thoughts racing through her head.

"I-I'm Elara," she went in to shake my hand but lowered it just as quickly as she started to raise it, her eyes darting.

"The names Zara Fujimura."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Published: May 5, 2020, 10:00 PM

Words: 806