AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Come on, Maité. Don’t be like that. I’m not letting you walk home alone. Not tonight. Not when you’re upset.”
“I can take care of myself, and you have plans. Just because a halfer fifteen hundred miles away is being brutally ripped apart by savage, diseased dogs doesn’t mean I will be. At least hopefully not tonight.” I tried to laugh, but Roan just stared at me.
“I know you’re capable of handling everything on your own, but we both know it’s better if I go with you. No one will bug you if we’re together.”
I didn’t want to mess up his night, but if he was offering, I couldn’t afford to refuse him. “You’re right. I hate it, but you’re right. Will you please walk with me?” I asked as I put my backpack on.
“That’s why I offered.” He pulled me toward the door. “Come on. Let’s get you home. I know how you like that beauty rest.”
I gave him a small smile. “Sleep is very important. Critical even.”
Roan opened the door, holding it for me. “I’m aware.” He might have heard it from me a time or two.
“Well, as long as you know.” I set the lock for the warehouse and then quickly undid my braid. I bent my head down, letting my long hair fall to shield my face as we stepped into the crowded streets. I tried to wear neutral colors that didn’t attract any attention. Since I hadn’t even broken a sweat tonight, I kept on my black active leggings and tank top. I pulled the hood of my thin gray hoodie up over my head. Patrol bots zoomed overhead, scanning everyone. I’d yet to be picked up by facial rec, and I was doing everything I could to make sure it stayed that way.
Someone bumped into my shoulder as they pushed through the crush of people, and Roan pulled me closer to his side.
A ship flew low over the mishmash of buildings in Albuquerque’s warehouse district. The engines were so loud I had to cover my ears. I watched it disappear from view but kept looking up for a second. Smog and light pollution hid any inkling of the night sky overhead, but I still tried to make out the stars. Hoping to see something to wish on. Hoping that something would change. But it never did.
A Tykson revved its engine down the street. The single-person, hovering motorcycle was on the wish list of every eighteen-year-old I knew, except me. I was saving every penny I had to buy my own ship so that I could safely get off this planet. It was my only chance at not getting caught. Another solid five years of saving, and I might be close to having enough.
The blast of air under the Tykson spat dirt along my leg as it zoomed past. “Asshole. SpaceTech isn’t even attempting to clean up the city anymore.”
Roan ignored me because I could go on forever once I started on the company. “Haden stopped by during your intermediate class.”
I winced. I’d seen my ex stop by, but thankfully I hadn’t talked to him. “What’d he want?”
We separated for a second to let someone pass between us. The side streets were way too crowded tonight. It was making me antsy.
“Jorge has a new recruit for you to train.”
“Oh. Really?” Jorge was the head of the ABQ Crew. He’d been the one that found me and my mom eleven years ago when we first got to New Mexico. He set us up with a safe place to live and papers to make us able to work and we were finally able to stop running. I owed him everything. In return, I trained his recruits so they could help patrol the streets. Someone had to make Albuquerque safe, and SpaceTech wasn’t doing shit. This city owed a lot to the Crew, even if SpaceTech viewed them as a vigilante gang.
“Guy a year older than us wants in. He’s got some medical training, so he’ll be an asset, but he has to learn how to handle himself in case shit ever goes bad.”
“I can do that. He’ll have to start in my beginner class, just like everyone else. No bitching about being in class with kids.”
“That’s fine. He’s already agreed and won’t be complaining. He’ll be there tomorrow.”
“Frosty.” Teaching was the only thing I actually liked doing on Earth. It made me feel like I was making a difference.
“And…”
Oh boy. Roan never hesitated to say anything unless he was about to piss me off. “What?”
“Haden wanted to talk to me about something more personal,” Roan said as he pulled me back to his si
de again.
“More personal? With you? You’re not even friends with him.”
“He uh… He wanted my opinion on how to get back together with you.” Roan blocked his face, as if I’d hit him.
I rolled my eyes, and Roan stood straight again.
God. Haden was a bad decision that apparently wasn’t going away. “No. He thinks he wants to get back together with me.”
Roan laughed. “How is him thinking he wants to be with you different than him actually wanting to be with you?”
