xxvii | lauren

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

WAS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE THE NEW NORMAL?

I press my forehead against the cool window panel, looking out at the destroyed city. Before, you could tell how much a city thrived from the buildings in the city. There was a difference between first-world and third-world countries. They all look the same now. The people act the same. Everything is the same. Where's the variety?

Wait, I know. The people in power now have actual powers, or have power over them. But even that will soon be something shared by millions. For now, only the elite have it. World leaders have been replaced by teenagers, taking orders from me, who's taking orders from the heads of the Institute.

Everyone looks so dead on the inside. Bags formed under everyone's eyes. Their walk was sluggish. None of them looked like they had a will to live. Me neither, to be honest. I couldn't live such a luxurious life with so many people in pain.

I hate this. I hate all of this. I want everything to stop in their place and I wanted to talk to someone and try to fix this entire mess. But I couldn't with millions of eyes watching my every move, looking at me as their ruthless leader.

There's a knock at my door. I turn my body slowly, away from the window, but don't say anything. I don't even get up to open the door. There was only ever one person that comes to get me, and if I don't reply within ten seconds, she opens the door herself. I'm not allowed to have it locked.

The door creaked open and in she came, probably with another request. But she doesn't start by screaming and yelling, telling to get away from that damn window and do something useful for once. The one good thing about this really is that I don't actually have to show my face to the world, but Mom makes me do it anyway.

It's crazy how much she's done in the last couple hours. Since that chaotic confession from earlier this morning to getting to the palace, getting everything set and having almost everyone who was still standing and alive connected to some mind control grid.

Did Spencer really just spill everything this morning? Was it really not that long ago. It feels like forever ago.

Mom sits across from me. She's wearing sweats, not a lab coat like she usually did nowadays. His fingers run through my hair, moving stands away from my eyes. Her hands were unnaturally cold. "Sweetheart, are you okay?"

"Is this all really necessary?" I asked in response. "Why do we need to control everyone? Don't we need variety and balance? I mean, we can't have a perfect society if some people are trying to be more powerful than others."

"That's not the perfection we're looking for." 

I already knew my argument was invalid. This was about health and criminal justice and all that. This was about trying to fix everything that is wrong about the world as a whole. "Couldn't you just try and talk to the government or something. Did we have to go down this path?"

"You really think we would achieve anything without force? I'm sorry, sweetheart, but the world is a bit more complicated than that."

I stood up, crossing my arms. "Do you want to tell me why you are here in the first place, mother? I'm pretty sure you aren't here to comfort me."

"Have you had any contact with your brother?" She asked without hesitating. She's never going to talk to me just for comfort, is she.

But contact with Spencer? She's supposed to keep tags on him. I mean, she's the person that wanted him as her successor, plus, she's supposed to be his mother, too. I'm not her only kid. I'm not even her first. "Why would I have contact? I'm stuck here. Isn't he supposed to be with you either way. Did he not want to be apart of this either? You shouldn't force your children into a future they don't want. That's bad parenting right there."

"He ran away with that boyfriend of yours after the virus was released." Boyfriend? Tyson? Aidan? I barely even talked to either of them at this point. They were barely in my life. Neither of them would be qualified to be my boyfriend at the moment. "Blocked any way to contact him before he ran. No one can find him. We still need to teach him about the grid."

"I don't know about the grid."

"Honey, you aren't supposed to know about the grid. One day, sure, but right now, your too emotionally unstable to manage it. Spencer or Aidan would probably let you in on how to control it."

I crossed my arms. "Aidan? Yeah, Spencer basically swore on his life to help you but Aidan is not just going to help you guys. He did it once because we threatened him, but I doubt he'll do it anymore."

"Lauren, you are sure that you tried to control the boy, right? You didn't just, you know, leave him off the hook because you love him, right?" My mother inquired. I didn't even know half the things she was talking about. She probably saw the look of confusion on my face. "Aidan. Why can't you make Aidan do what you want?"

"I don't know! His brain doesn't let me in. You think I'm just not using him on purpose?"

"Knowing you, you'd probably let the boy go. He'll probably be your downfall, the reason why none of this will end up working. He was supposed to be on our side, where did we go wrong with him?" She put a finger on her lips. 

"Believe me, Mom. If I could, I'd bring him right here, beside me. You think I like being alone. He was my closest friend since coming to the Institute. I'd rather have him by my side." I know I would never bring Aidan to do something against his will. I like that he's not with the Institute. But part of me does really want him here. Things could've been so much different with him here. We would be able to suffer together, I guess. 

"There's probably a flaw in his system. Next time we grab a hold of him--" There isn't going to be a next time, Mom.

"Do you need me to go find him?" I asked, cutting her off. "I'm sure he probably wouldn't show up if you send anyone else."

She gave an ungrateful glare. I just smiled innocently. 

"No, Lauren. You are too precious to have go out there."

I laughed. "What's the worse anyone can do to me, Mom? I control all of them, they can't even throw a fist at me, you think they can point a gun at my head." Maybe I could find them, talk to them, try to figure out next steps. If Spencer was here, I'd have a chance to escape my mom's grip. 

Do I even serve a real purpose in all this. I'm not a leader, I'm a puppet. Someone to be afraid of as a result of everything that's happening. Why does the Institute need me if they control everyone.

"Baby, I don't think you understand your role in all of this."

"You're right. I don't."

"I'll see you later, okay sweetheart."

I look down at my feet. "Don't call me that. I don't need pet names."

"Lauren." That's all she said before she got up and walked out of my room, leaving me alone.

I rolled my eyes. Finally.

I crashed onto my bed, pulling out my phone from underneath my pillow. It was pretty useless at this point, besides for entertainment, but if I could get a message through...

aidan

aidan, oh god, if you get this
please reply

pleeeeeeeeeeeeease

why tf would i?

if you didn't want to, maybe you
should've just left me on read

i miss talking to you though

you are doing a horrible 
job with being our enemy

I take a deep breath, wondering if it was actually him or someone pretending to be him. Maybe it was Mom who has his phone.

is spencer with you?

who's asking?

i need to figure out something

spencer probably knows 
the answer to my question.

what if i pretend to be him rn to figure
out if this is some crazy institute business

i want to know what exactly i'm supposed 
to be doing here at the institute 

mom isn't too helpful ;-;

hold up.

I hold my breath. What are the chances they'll even answer my question. They aren't even supposed to be in contact with me. Why did Aidan even answer, knowing I would probably pester him into coming back. I'm annoying. I don't deserve him talking to me.

he didnt really wanna talk. sorry.

you? sorry? i'm the person trying 

to contact the enemy.

tbh, it seems like the institute's rebellion
needed a pretty face to represent it.

Even a few months ago, it would make sense for me to be where I am. Now I'm just a broken girl who can barely dress herself, if I'm being honest. I look down at the soft white dress I was dressed in, picked out by my mother for some reason. 

what are you doing?

that's classified information, lauren.

better luck next time.

Classified information? Something was up their sleeve, and with these circumstances, it would probably be against the Institute. Spencer would be in on it too, since he's there. 

Mom and the others probably have information on it already, right? Or, should I let them know that they were planning something? She'd probably be suspicious to why I contacted them in the first place.

Why did Aidan let that slip? Does he really think I'm not going to figure out what he's going to do.

I rolled off my bed, and headed into my closet and took out the first black piece of clothing I could find. I pulled off the dress, tossing it in the trash. I should probably regain control of my life. I've told myself over and over again, time to live up to my words. 

I tossed my black hoodie over my top, grabbed a gun and put it in my holster. They can't really lock me up, can they? I keep my hair down but put an extra hair tie around my wrist.

"Argh!" I scream out, my hands reaching for the side of my head. I end up back on my bed, lying face down. The pain lasted barely a second, but was sharp, as if someone used a nail gun on the back of my head. It happens again. And again. I hold my breath, trying not to cry.

When I'm sure it stopped, I get up, fix my hair, and collect myself. I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. I don't question why I'm in pain.

I'm ready to leave, to do something that would be useful for the Institute. I'm not running away. Yet, I stand in my room, figuring out whether I should go out the door and head downstairs or jump out the window. 

Do I need backup?

Another person with me probably would mean harder to hide, but everyone here was trained to be spies of sorts. But who could come along? I wasn't particularly close to anyone here. 

Who can I throw under the bus if I need to?

The door swings open, making me jump. Gosh, did they even know how to knock?

"Hey, loser, or Your Highness. Whatever, I don't care. Your mom heard you scream. Just tell me you're okay and I could go back to what I was doing. Uh, where are you going?"

I smirked. Not my first choice, but at least she's prefect to abandon. 

"Depends, wanna come?" I know she's gonna come. 

I'll make her.

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net