Ava

After dinner, everyone gathered around a bonfire near the far back. A few told stories of history long ago. Some told scary stories, funny ones, and one spoke about the disaster from the meteors. Not only the adults, but even the children were engrossed in the stories. When the storytelling was over, music filled the air. People clapped to the beat and danced.

I sat on a makeshift cement chair next to Reyna. “Do they tell tales and dance every night?”

She handed me a plastic-like tube with a cap and drank from hers. “Nope,” Reyna dragged out the word and snorted. “And I have no idea why we are today. Maybe simply because. Or to celebrate we made it another day without ISAN finding our base.”

“What is this?” I flipped the cap filled with dark liquid.

“Soda.”

“Soda? The last time I had one was when I was thirteen years old. The packaging—”

“Yup. Gone are the cans and glass bottles. These are biodegradable.”

“Cool.” I savored the first sip as if I’d tasted gold.

Little girls and boys gathered around Rhett and Cleo. Everyone linked their arms from one partner to the next in an orderly, practiced fashion. How many times had Rhett and Cleo danced together with the children? How many times had Cleo thought about stealing Rhett from me?

Jealousy slowly circled me, but I squashed it. It wasn’t fair of me to judge or assume again. I reminded myself war was brewing, and Rhett had done so much for me already. I was grateful. I decided to smile and enjoy the festivities.

Through the laughter and smiles of the children, I too lost myself in celebration. What did it matter what we celebrated, anyway? We were alive—and that was all that mattered.

Rhett narrowed his eyes playfully and crooked a finger at me. I shook my head and covered my face with my hands. When the music changed, I peered through the slit between my fingers. Rhett continued to dance with the children, but Cleo had walked away and now sat next to Reyna.

Sweat shone on Cleo’s forehead and she fanned herself. “Those children are wearing me out. I don’t know where Rhett gets all that energy.”

I ignored her comment and let Reyna do all the talking. Not that Cleo was talking to me. I wondered if she knew I sat on Reyna’s other side. Why would she sit close to me when she had given me the cold shoulder?

“Who knows how or why with Rhett.” Reyna cackled and took another sip. “I enjoy watching him. He makes me laugh, but Oz makes me laugh harder.”

Rhett grabbed more onlookers and lured them to dance with his charm, including Ozzie. Ozzie moved stiffly at first, and then began to enjoy himself. Then he shook his ass toward us and yanked Reyna to their group.

Reyna took my comfort with her. She had been the wall separating me from Cleo. Now that the gap was opened, my stomach coiled into knots and cool air replaced the peace. How big and heavy those knots became depended on Cleo.

Be the bigger person. Fix this. You’re the idiot for acting like an ass in the first place.

I stretched my crossed legs—recrossed them to buy time—and cleared my throat. “Everyone seems so happy. The atmosphere is different in ISAN.”

Cleo tucked her knees closer to her chest and wrapped her arms to lock them in place. She kept her head forward and didn’t acknowledge me.

At least I’d tried.

Cleo shifted, then shifted again a second later. “I don’t know much about ISAN except what Reyna and Ozzie explained to me. Rhett hardly spoke when we first met. He only spoke to his friends and my dad. It took a while for him to open up, let alone trust anyone. I used to wonder why he wanted to go back to ISAN when everyone seemed to hate that place. Later I found he wanted to go back for a girl he loved.”

Something inside me trembled, and I had no reply. Rhett had been through so much in ISAN, and even when he was out of ISAN, he was just as miserable. As for me, I hadn’t remembered him during those glassy months. I’d had it easier. Free from the ache of missing Rhett and free from the regret over what I had done. Until now.

Cleo shuffled the pebbles underneath her feet but kept her eyes on the kids dancing. “Over time, he slowly started to open up. He began to trust me. I’m Zen’s daughter. He kind of had no choice. We built a friendship and he even confided in me. We became good friends. I have to admit, Rhett is the type of guy any girl can’t help falling madly in love with.” Her glowing eyes shifted to Rhett. “He’s a perfect gentleman. He’s charming. He’s not just all muscles, he’s smart and brave. I’m not going to lie, Ava. I didn’t know you. To me, you were a ghost of his past. Someone who might be dead. Someone who may never return to Rhett’s life.”

“I understand.” I don’t know why I lied, maybe just to say something. Then I gulped more of the soda, almost all of it.

I wasn’t sure if my words made Cleo turn to me, but she finally did.

“I’m not a threat to you.”

Hell no you’re not. I drew my eyebrows together, my cockiness sidestepped over the boundary for a second.

“You may not believe me, but I assure you nothing happened between Rhett and me,” she went on.

But you tried and you wish it had.

“He loves you more than his own life. And that’s rare to find. Don’t let anything get in the way.”

“Why aren’t you fighting for him then? Why are you telling me all this?” Stupid. Why push it?

She sighed, her chest heaving. “Because I care about Rhett and his happiness. He’s always let me know he belonged to you. His heart belongs only to you.”

I shifted my attention back to Rhett, who had stopped swaying while the kids continued to move around him. His inquisitive gaze homed in on Cleo and me. No doubt he would ask me what we talked about.

“He’s waiting for you, Ava. Don’t let precious time slip away.” Cleo rose and dusted her pants. “Enjoy your days together as if they were your last. We never know when it might be.”

Before she disappeared, I put down the finished soda and stood. Face-to-face, I extended my hand to her, a peace offering.

“We had a rough start. I wasn’t myself when I woke. I’m sorry for the way I treated you. I was upset and I took it out on you. I’m Ava.”

Cleo stared at my hand, and for a moment I thought she wouldn’t take it. But she gripped my hand—firm yet gentle.

“I’m Cleo. And I’ve heard lots of things about you.”

“Good or bad?” I snorted.

“Both.”

Fair enough.

“Thank you for our talk. Thank you for being honest with me.” I released her hand.

“Thank you for listening. Well, tomorrow is going to be a long day, and I’m a bit tired. I’m heading to bed. Goodnight.”

Cleo gave high fives to the children and bid goodnight to the elders and her dad. She and I may never become close, but we had a start. I was grateful she had opened up. It took guts and courage to do what she did. If Rhett had moved on, I would approve of her. But no. I erased that thought glossy clean.

Arms roped around my waist from behind and carried me to the dance area. My squeal became lost to the loudness of the music. When I turned around, I prepared to frown at Rhett, but it wasn’t Rhett’s face that greeted me.

“Oz?” I shoved my fists onto my hips. “First you drugged me, and now you drag me off to dance with you?”

Ozzie’s blue eyes sparkled against the blazing fire and his biceps bulged when he crossed his arms. “You’re still mad at me?” He ducked his head and bit his bottom lip.

Oh, Oz. How could I ever get mad at you? You risked so much for me, too.

He looked so darn innocent, sad, and for his teddy bear size, so small.

The friendship and the love I felt for him, that part that remembered all the laughs, smiles, and heartaches we shared in ISAN, blossomed in the center of my heart.

Ozzie must have thought I wasn’t going to say yes. Raising his eyelashes, he pinned me with his stare. “Do you remember when you hurt my jewels, Ava? You owe me.”

I rubbed a finger under my nose to ignore feeling guilty and slowly, ever so slowly, curled my wicked lips. My cheeks warmed as I prepared for what I’d planned.

“Okay, Oz. You asked for it.” I winked.

His eyes grew wider. Alert. Alarmed. “Ava. I was just joking.”

I danced in front of him, swaying my hips seductively to the beat of the drum. Ozzie stiffened. I bet he regretted asking me now.

Men whistled as I continued to move freely, dipping my hips lower and lower, as I tossed my hair. I’d forgotten I had it in me to be brazen, at least on the dance floor. Then I ran my hand down the middle of my chest as I waved my body like the undulating ocean.

I moved closer to Ozzie, pressing tightly against him, guiding him to move with me. His stiff body made it difficult to move gracefully, but I managed. Reyna joined us, rocking and running her hands down Ozzie’s back. Sandwiched between two women, Ozzie beamed bright and hot as the fire in the center.

I caught a glimpse of Reyna smiling at me and my heart dove into a familiar place. Reyna and I had been a naughty pair at ISAN. Most peers feared her, misunderstood her. But we got along fine. At least that was what I could recall.

“I think that’s enough.” Rhett’s voice echoed in my ear and he swung me around.

My smile widened farther as I draped my arms around his neck.

Rhett angled his eyebrows as he moved us to the music. “You okay? Did you drink a bit too much?”

“I drank soda.” My lips spread to my ears, but my voice sounded chirpy.

Arching my back, I glanced up at the ruined ceiling. The music, the company, the atmosphere ... I was so happy. Except Brooke wasn’t there. I wanted her to experience this kind of happiness as well.

Rhett frowned. “Who gave you a soda?”

“Reyna.”

Rhett chuckled, his lips curving mischievously. “Unless I’m mistaken, I think you had your first taste of alcohol. Reyna likes to spike her drinks.”

“But I didn’t taste ... oh, but the plastic thing had a cap. So easy to open.”

That Reyna. I let out a deep belly laugh. Rhett did the same.

“Perhaps she thought you needed to loosen up and have fun.” Rhett twirled me like he had at the gala.

I returned to his arms and rose slightly on my toes to be face-to-face with him. “I don’t need to loosen up. I’m high from your presence.”

Rhett gave me the most delicious smirk. “I think you’ve stolen my line. You might be high now, but wait until later tonight.”

“Oh, really?” I tapped his nose and traced his soft lips with my finger. “You have a surprise for me?”

“I always have a surprise for you.” Rhett pressed his forehead against mine, like two magnets stuck together.

I dropped my hand to my side when the music stopped, but Rhett gripped my wrist and brought me back into his arms.

“Not so fast, babe. The night isn’t over yet. We have one last dance.”

Babe.

I liked the sound of that and how it made me feel. The music slowed, and the chilly air warmed. Or maybe it was the way Rhett’s body pressed against mine.

“This is nice.” I nestled my head between the crook of his shoulder and neck.

“I wish you didn’t have to go back. If I had to do it all again, I would have taken Brooke as well. But I wasn’t thinking straight. I fought the urge to take you, but at the same time, I didn’t want to take away your choice. And I probably would have needed to knock out Mitch to take Brooke with me.”

“Or ... I could have punched Mitch for you.”

Rhett cackled, but it only lasted for seconds. “We have eyes on us. Many little eyes.”

I looked over my shoulder to see the eager children who wanted to join us. “I never knew how much you like kids.”

“You mean those little people?” He grinned. “Yeah, they grew on me here. They are the most precious beings on the Earth. They are our future. It is our responsibility to mold them to be better than us. Besides, I need practice. One day, we’re going to have a family of our own.”

“You ... you think about the future with me and us having kids?” I tried to cover the jubilation in my tone, but I failed miserably.

I swallowed hard. Flabbergasted? Embarrassed. I didn’t know. Then my happiness faltered because I couldn’t have children. The doctors at ISAN had made that perfectly clear.

When the doctors had told me, I hadn’t cared. My survival and getting out of jail had been my main goal. I had no thoughts of the future. Never would I have imagined meeting someone like Rhett, let alone falling in love.

How could Rhett not know that? He had to know the truth. Sooner the better. And that might change the way he felt about me and our future. I would tell him later when we were alone. At this moment, I didn’t want to think about what was ahead. I wanted what I had right now with Rhett.

“Of course I do. Every single day.”

I closed my eyes when he kissed my forehead with such reverence. Soaking in his love, I memorized the feeling and locked it away. Then I waved at the children, an invitation to join us.

They rushed around Rhett and me. We laughed and danced, having the time of our lives.

Live, Ava. Enjoy every second of these moments.