“Ethan’s not just some high school fling. He’s a little beyond that.” I try to cover my tracks. It’s true that I’ve done little to perpetuate the fantasy of a real relationship. I’m terrified to trust myself around Ethan because I could so easily forget his lineage and give into him if I was just to go on the attraction factor. Ethan sees that Jared has me cornered which must worry him, because he’s over in an instant.
“Hey, beautiful. I missed you.” Ethan stares into my eyes and smiles. He leans down to kiss me, and I’m so taken aback by the surprise, illegal, sweet tasting move that it takes me a couple seconds to pull away. My heart’s going haywire, but my brain resents his gesture. I involuntarily lick my lips to savor the touch of cinnamon he left behind. He gives me his patented smile, spreading from right to left. Lawyers and actors share a lot of attributes, and I’m ready to give him an Academy Award for his “save” performance. I want to hurt him, but instead I plaster on my fake smile and hold my tongue.
“How’s the dinner tasting? Would you rather eat out? I know a great place.” To retaliate, I’m trying to decide between feeding him ten-star spicy Thai food or having him take me to five-diamond restaurant that would put him back a few hundred bucks.
“It’s dreadful,” Ethan whispers, his lips touching my ear which makes me shiver. “However, I wouldn’t want to disappoint your parents.”
“This is my vacation, and I really feel like I’ve had enough family time for tonight…or today.” I correct my mistake. “I insist you take me out and put a dent in your daddy’s trust fund for you.”
Ethan leaves to smooth over our decision to eat out while Jared continues to grill me.
“He’s infinitely more believable than you are,” Jared says.
I roll my eyes at him. “Did you ever think I might just be tired from the time change?”
“What’s the time change again?” he asks, trying to narrow down the possibilities for where I might be stationed or to catch me in a lie. If Jared was half as curious in school, he’d be top of his class.
“You know I can’t talk about it. I would be kicked out of the program. I’m not willing to risk my future over it.” Or your future. Or mom and dad’s futures. I can’t handle more deaths on my conscience.
“All I know is that the secrets can’t be a good thing.”
I try to lighten the mood. “You’re just irked I left you behind to deal with Mom and Dad all by your lonesome. A few weeks ago you were begging to come with me.”
“Does Ethan have a cute sister?” Yikes. I have no idea. I hope my face doesn’t betray my ignorance.
“Sorry, buddy. No sisters,” Ethan says, coming up behind Jared. To me he adds, “Your dad gave me the keys to his Mercedes. Let’s go. I’m taking you for the most romantic date you’ve ever had.” Ethan pecks me on the lips again and then grabs my hand to drag me towards the garage. Jared’s down on one knee and pretending to open a ring box. Funny, Jared. Ethan sees it and winks at Jared. I’m not amused. Once in the garage, I pull my hand from Ethan’s and bring my fingers to my lips to pretend to wipe off his cinnamon taste.
Ethan takes me through the McDonalds drive-through. I hate to say it, but I’ll take the McRib sandwich, a chocolate shake, and french fries over my mom’s cooking any day. We drive to the beach, and Ethan lays out a blanket he must have found in our garage. I’m a little irked my fries are cold by the time we get there. Eating in my dad’s car though…never going to happen. He’d contact the SCI to make sure they grounded me on Thera and may still do that if we can’t air the car out by the time we get back.
“Romantic enough for you?” Ethan smirks. “How can you go wrong with restaurant food, beautiful view, and fabulous company.” He has kicked back on the blanket shirtless, enjoying the relatively hot day for San Diego. He’s like the perfect combination of Tristan and Blake, physically at least. Six foot one, toned, and oozes sex appeal. Even the six-inch scar he has on his hair-free chest somehow makes him look more appealing. His abs…holy smokes. But as nice as he has been to me, I can’t get over his pedigree chart.
“You must not have dated much in college. McDonalds on the beach really doesn’t scream romantic date. Too busy racking up the degrees to figure out the dating protocol, eh?”
“Not at all. I dated. And none of those dates warranted a trip through the McDonalds drive-through. You, on the other hand, are lucky to have gotten fed given your lackluster performance the last couple days,” he says. “A steel post could have mustered up more excitement about that kiss. I expected so much more from you.”
Ugh, he infuriates me. “We’d agreed not to kiss. You caught me off guard.”
“I agreed to no such thing. You were supposed to sell everyone on our incredible whirlwind love story. I managed to get your parents to like me, but your brother’s not buying any of it” He narrows his eyes and adds, “And I knew you wouldn’t dare react to the kiss. You know what’s on the line.”
“Keep up that line of talking. That’ll warm me up to you.” I sneer. “I’m so sick of this crap. Do you honestly think I’ve forgotten the threats? Please don’t treat me like an imbecile.”
“I don’t think you’re an imbecile at all. Just a terrible kisser, so I was disappointed. I could give you lessons,” he says, laughing.
“You think I don’t know how to kiss? I assure you that I do. I just don’t want to kiss you. I don’t like you, and I don’t trust you,” I tell him. He scoots closer to me so, that I have to look him straight in his gorgeous sapphire eyes.
“Really? Can you tell me with all honesty that you didn’t feel anything for me at that party? I kind of thought you were into me, but maybe I was just deluding myself.” He doesn’t say it in an “I think all girls love me” way but in almost an embarrassed to even be asking way.
“Why do you think I did?” I ask, answering his question with a question.
“Well, other than all the flirting and blushing, you just seemed really concerned about whether I was alive when I showed up on Thera and so annoyed that I didn’t come see you sooner. You were keeping track of my whereabouts,” he says in a tentative tone.
I gaze out towards the ocean, not wanting to look at him any longer. I’m embarrassed my feelings were so apparent. “That was before I knew who you were. Your sweet act at that party was just a ruse.”
“Come here.” He motions me towards him. I lean forward slightly. “Closer.” I don’t want him to kiss me to make his point, so I make sure the only thing near his face is my ear, although even his breathing in my ear makes me reconsider. When his lips brush my ear by accident, I have to take a deep breath to keep from suggesting we head back to Thera and Cleave. I’d regret that move, as I don’t ever want Darcton in-laws.
He strokes the side of my face and then says, “You’re going to have to trust at some point that I have as much on the line as you do. Do not, for one moment, think that because Brad Darcton is my father that I get preferential treatment. I do what I’m told, or the consequences are as severe for me as they’d be for you. Stop punishing me for who my father is. I’m nothing like him, and you know it. I never misrepresented myself at that party.”
I turn my face towards him and realize his lips are a mere inch from mine. Swallowing heavily, I whisper, “Really? Are the Ten threatening to kill your family? I don’t think so. Your dad is one of the Ten, and your family is safely on Thera.”
“No, but the Ten will have the girl I love killed,” he says. If he’s being honest which it looks like he is, his perfect girl is still in the picture, and her life is on the line. That means he’s as terrified as I am. I should be relieved to know he’s not evil like his father. But instead, I’m jealous of his girlfriend and angry that Ethan wasn’t born into another family.
Once Ethan confessed his precarious situation to me, and I could see he was a fellow “blackmailee” in this whole mess, I relaxed and decided to enjoy my vacation. We did all the things I missed while living on Thera, from shopping, to eatin
g out at my favorite restaurants, to seeing a movie at a drive-in theater, to spending afternoons at SeaWorld and the zoo. And we hung out by the pool to soak in sun that wouldn’t fry us. We played games and had fun. Ethan acted like a little kid everywhere we went. For the level of enthusiasm he showed, you’d think he was doing it all for the first time.
It hasn’t been hard to pretend that Ethan’s my boyfriend. In fact, sometimes I have to remind myself that it’s all an act and that I’m not just living out the fantasy I dreamed about in the months I thought he was dead. Dates, cuddling, holding hands, laughing, and joking around. After all, even though Ethan treats me like a queen, and an outsider would never know that he’s not completely devoted to me, I remember that he’s in love with someone else. I admit this makes me jealous. So, I remind myself that Blake cares about me, assuming Blake’s alive and will somehow return to Garden City. I’ve come to doubt that Blake is alive or, if he is, that he will return. Wouldn’t they have summoned us back from vacation if they’d found him?
Jared’s now completely sold that Ethan and I are head over heels in love. He has been since he taunted us for not being affectionate enough, and we kissed again.
“Do you think you can sell it this time?” Ethan had whispered, although he said it in a joking, flirty fashion.
I sold it. I didn’t feel it, but I did sell it. No, that’s a complete lie. I felt it. It was impossible not to because of my convoluted feelings. Ethan has exceptional kissing skills and the way he kissed me—like I was the love of his life. We were in the pool. I was in my bikini, Ethan in his swimsuit. The whole thing played pretty steamy, but I figure actors and actresses have to do it all the time. It doesn’t matter. I only did it to support our bogus story. Ethan hasn’t teased me since about needing kissing lessons, and he has encouraged as much repeat behavior when Jared’s around “to further the cover” as possible. Why do I get saddled with the bogus relationships? By deceit or design, they all suck.
The way Ethan looks at me sometimes has me wondering “if that’s the way he looks at me, how does he look at his real girlfriend? And does he melt her heart, too?” Tristan told me he loved me. I know the look. I just don’t know how Ethan pulls it off with me when his heart lies elsewhere. The guy’s a brilliant actor because he acts smitten even better than Tristan or Blake. How easy it would be to fall for him if he didn’t love someone else and I wasn’t so stressed about Blake. He’s just so nice to look at—and so fun.
During our time off, I also spent some time researching “assisted pregnancies” and believe, more than ever, that the doctors harvested my eggs. If they used Blake’s sperm to create embryos, those embryos could have been implanted as soon as five days later. Or they could be frozen and stored for later. Ethan caught me researching it and insisted I explain. He thought I was being paranoid, but I could tell that he saw too many similarities to be dismissed as coincidence.
If I never appreciated my circumstances before, this vacation has helped me count all the blessings I enjoyed before becoming a Recruit for the SCI—daytime living, choices, open schedules, and capitalism. Even the loving concern of my parents beats being used by dictators. The more I contemplate going back to Thera, the more claustrophobic I feel about my freedoms being quashed. Somewhere in the back of my head I hear a voice screaming to remember what happens when I outwardly rebel, but I ignore it.
It’s during this moment of reflection, at the height of my appreciation for earthly life, that Ethan informs me our vacation is over. We’re out by the pool. I’m happily getting my vitamin D fix, drinking a diet soda, and reading a trashy novel. His timing sucks.
“I won’t go back.” I openly tempt Karma and don’t care as I do. “My parents aren’t perfect, but they don’t threaten me with death and Exile if I don’t follow all the rules.” I slurp down the rest of my drink and return to my book.
“Kira,” he says softly. “If it was up to me, you know that I would let you stay. But, it’s not. Bad things will happen if we don’t go back.”
“Did they tell you that my real boyfriend, Blake, is alive and well yet?” I ask. “Because that would be motivation for me to go back. Short of that though…” It’s one of those thoughts that I should have left in my head because Ethan looks offended and hurt by my jab.
“Well, no.” He looks at his hands and nervously runs his fingernails across his thumb. “They didn’t. I wish I had good news for you, but they haven’t said anything about him. I’m so sorry. That doesn’t mean he’s not fine. You can’t assume the worst.”
“Sure I can. Truth is, I can’t handle the bad news. If and when they have good news, then they can come get me.” I don’t bother to look up from my reading, even though I haven’t progressed more than ten pages in the last hour.
“We have to go. Our boat will be here this evening, and they’ll make sure we are on it one way or another.” He looks terrified. What’s he expecting? That they’ll come drag me out of my parents’ house? Let them. My parents can issue an Amber alert and perhaps the goons from the SCI will get arrested.
I finally put down my book and turn to him, speaking in a bitter tone. “Look. I know you’re probably worried about your girlfriend. But it’s not like they are going to punish you for failing to compel me to return. So, feel free to leave any time. Go Cleave Miss Perfect and enjoy the rest of your summer internship with your daddy.”
I shouldn’t bring up the girlfriend, but I think to myself, the girl should dump him anyway. Assignment or not, Ethan has been playing my boyfriend a little too well. There’s nothing I dislike more than cheaters. I mean, sure, he’s doing it because he’s being blackmailed, but I think he could have toned down the PDA and still made his ruse about our relationship work.
“I’m not leaving without you, Kira.” He sits up straight and grabs my hand. “They will punish me, but that’s not my concern right now. I’m concerned about how they’ll punish you.”
“What? They’ll blow up my friends? Been there. Done that,” I say. “I’m not discussing it any further. I think I’ve had enough sun. I’m going to go in to watch some bad TV or listen to some music while I eat some junk food.” He closes his eyes and takes several deep breaths.
He droops his head and shakes it vigorously. “Oh, Kira. You don’t know what you’ve done. You have no idea.”
Ethan’s super clingy all afternoon, almost as if he’s shielding me from the storm that he thinks is coming. He hasn’t let me do anything short of use the bathroom by myself. I had fun most of the trip with him, but this afternoon—it has gotten to the point of being stifling. He completely ruins my recorded season finales marathon with his whiny pleadings.
When the doorbell rings at dinnertime, I assume it’s the pizza guy and answer the door with enthusiasm for some grease-covered bread. Imagine that. You go on your computer, place an order, and someone brings food to you that you don’t have to prepare. Bonus.
It’s not the pizza guy. I curse at Karma in my head when I see our visitors. It’s two men toting guns with silencers. And they have four girls in tow. The men are hooded and are wearing dark sunglasses. They herd us all towards the kitchen where the rest of the family has gathered for the expected pizza. The color drains from every face in the room. It’s clear this won’t end well. The mystery girl guests’ hoods are removed, and they all seem shocked to see Ethan.
“I thought you were gone for the summer,” one of them says. She’s your typical Southern California blue-eyed blonde, with enough unnatural curve to make me wonder whether her plastic surgeon daddy helped her fill a D cup. “How? Why? And who is she? Wait, that’s the girl who you had a picture of on your phone that you refused to delete,” the girl adds, pointing at me. He kept that? Is this his girlfriend? Seriously? Yuck. I’ll add that to “being a Darcton,” “can get clingy,” and “cheats on love of life” on his list of negatives. Bad taste in women. Really bad taste.
“That’s Ethan’s girlfriend—my daughter, Kira. He plans to marry her,”
my father interjects. My dad’s obviously deluded. Did Ethan give him that impression? That we’d get married? No way. He’d have no reason to set that expectation. Ethan shyly avoids my gaze when I look at him.
“You’re what? You are going to marry her?” the girl screams. The other girls look equally as disgusted. “Don’t believe him Kirie—or whatever your name is—Ethan is seriously anti-commitment.”
“Shut up. All of you,” one of the gunmen demands. “You will speak only when directed to do so.” I’m down with that. It has been quite a while since I’ve been in a room with such a low average IQ level, Tristan and Bri’s party being the last time.
“Ethan, if you feel the need, please explain your behavior to your host of girlfriends from the past year. And, of course, say your goodbyes.” Everyone looks confused. I believe the girls think the men plan to execute Ethan. Both Ethan and I know better.
“I’m really sorry, Sarah, and, Beth, and Courtney, and Aliya. When I…dated…each of you, I had no idea that I was putting you in danger. I should have, but I was naive. If it helps, I can assure you there’s life after death in this kind of situation.” He fumbles over his words, shaking with anger and fear. He appears to be collecting his thoughts to say something more.
Too late.
The impatient gunmen execute them—two at a time. Courtney and Aliya first, and then Beth and Sarah.
Less than ten-seconds passed and four lives extinguished.
How could they do that? Why?
They’ll likely show up on Thera somewhere and will gratefully not know Ethan or me from Adam and Eve.
Ethan steps in front of me to shield my body, rigidly holding my arms as if he’s worried that I’m next. We’re all covered with bits of brain. It’s somehow not as messy as I had imagined.
It occurs to me I may be in shock.
Definitely in shock. Because this is not okay.
My mother tries to wipe the blood from her body. When it doesn’t work, she screams. My father begs for mercy. Pleads for the gunmen to leave.
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