When you walk into the first part of the aquarium there is barely any light. It takes a while for your eyes to adjust to be able to spot the various sea creatures swimming by the glass, through the dark water. The only light is the neon glow of a few colourful LED lights, which match a school of tiny iridescent fish. I pause a minute to watch them flit about through the water. When you walk further, it slowly gets brighter, showing off colourful creatures each in their preferred brightness. The tanks are from the floor to the ceiling on both sides, and black leather benches sit four feet apart all the way down the middle of the hallway. At the end of the hallway, it opens up into a big square room, which the tanks completely surround. In this room the ceiling is glass, making it the brightest part of the aquarium. When no one else is here, like now, it feels like you're standing in the middle of the ocean.

I sit down and watch three of the dolphins playing. My phone beeps, and I see a text back from Carrie.

Sure, I'll be there in like 10 minutes

I decide to text Nate while I wait.

Hey

Within a few seconds his reply pops up.

Hey, Aria!

What's up?

X-box. Jason and Erik playing too. I'm winning LOL. Hbu?

Sounds fun. I'm at the aquarium waiting for Carrie. How are you texting while playing?

I'm just that good. ;) Jk, it's paused while Jason goes to get something from the vending machine.

LOL, we just had breakfast like an hour ago.

So? An hours a long time!

Sure it is.

Mmhm.

So, wanna do something tonight?

I set down my phone and wait for the answer. A minute later my phone lights up, showing the reply.

Aria Parker, are you asking me on a date?

I blush and my eyes widen. I quickly text back

No! Can't I ask you to hang out without it being a date?

Of course, I was just wanting you to admit it.

Admit what? I roll my eyes at the text.

That I'm awesome and you like me.

You're weird.

And you like me.

And you're delusional. How many times do we have to have this conversation? You're wrong, I'm right.

Fine, be that way LOL I'll text you later and we can hang out.

Okay, weirdo.

"He's right though, you like him," Carrie says.

I jump and turn around. "Carrie! How long were you standing there? You scared me!"

She grins evilly. "Long enough. Mu wa. Ha. Ha."

"Whatever," I roll my eyes.

"So, why have you called this secret meeting?" She looks down at her phone while asking the question.

"What'd you pick?"

Carrie looks up. "Um, archery, and swords because it's like in the old fashioned movies."

"You hate those movies," I laugh.

"Yeah but, it's still cool. What did you pick?

"Archery, hand to hand and guns."

"Ah, very spy like."

"The names Parker, Aria Parker," I raise an eyebrow and grin.

Carrie laughs and pulls a fake gun. "Any last words?"

We go on with our jokes for a few minutes before Carrie jumps up. "Shoot!" I have history in ten minutes!"

"Oh, right. I have LA," I sigh. School sucks.

"We're covering World War Three right now."

"Oh how fun," I say sarcastically.

"Absolutely," she shoves her phone into her pocket. "See you after class then?"

"Yeah, sounds good."

We walk back through the aquarium together, then go in opposite directions to our classes.

**********

I walk out of class with an armful of books. I start walking through the crowded halls back to my room when I catch sight of Jason carrying his history book.

I walk up behind him and nudge his arm.

"Hey, how was history?"

"Oh hey. Boring. How was Language?"

"Also boring, but probably less boring!"

"Rub it in why don't you."

"Hey!" I laugh. "I have history next week so..."

"I have science next week, ha!"

"Lucky! That's the only non boring subject."

"I know, right? School shouldn't be so boring, I mean seriously. This is why people drop out."

"Do you think we've said 'boring' enough times?" I grin.

"Nah, how about one more. Boring!"

I laugh again as we turn the bend in the hallway. "Ah, here's my room. See ya later!"

"Yep, see you- oh hey! Do you know what they used to say like a million years ago?" Jason stops by my door.

"Um, what? Roar? Isn't that when the dinosaurs were around?"

"I didn't literally mean a million! More like a thousand."

"Okay, what did they say?"

Jason grins, "See you later, alligator! And now you say, after a while, crocodile."

"That is so weird, they referred to each other as reptiles?" I ask, confused.

"No, no, no. It was just a saying because it rhymed!"

"Ohhhhh! Okay! See you later, alligator!" I smile.

"After a while, crocodile," Jason winks and walks to his own room.

I walk into my room and put my books neatly into Carrie and I's bookshelf. After sitting on my bed with a sigh, I pick up my phone and look through my pictures. I have already transferred images from my old phone onto it, so I have some pictures of my family. I pick my favourite and stare at the now 3D family photo. It was last summer, my family went to a beach and had ice cream. Dad had picked Hanna up and set her on his shoulders, which causes her to drop the ice cream on him. The moment was perfectly captured. Hanna's look of shock, dads and I's laughing faces, and mom giving us the, 'oh my crazy, wonderful family' look. My eyes fill with tears. A picture, 3D or not, isn't enough. I miss them. I know we're not allowed to call our families, or anyone from outside Glaxe, but I want to. So I will. My phone won't work, I know that, but I'll find one that will.

I hop off my bed and walk aimlessly through Glaxe, checking all open rooms for a phone. I walk into an empty office and poke around. After not finding a phone, I turn to leave, but something catches my eye. A folder labeled Private: exclusive personnel only. I open the first page and read the heading, Experimentation, fails, side effects and deaths. I start to read on when a stern voice asks, "Do you need something?"

I hop back and tuck my hands into my pockets, and stare at the guard. "No, I was just looking for someone," I lie.

The guard eyes me funny before speaking. "Go, don't let anyone else catch you snooping, got that? You'll be in more than a little trouble."

"O-okay sir," I put my head down and walk fast out of the room.

What does it mean, fails? Have people been hurt by the abilities? I think about it and realize, of course people have. It's human experimentation. Why else would we've almost never heard from former chosen?

I continue sprinting down the hallway until I reach a bend, then slow down and look behind me. No one is there. It's almost completely quiet here, except for the occasional sounds in rooms behind closed doors. I stop with my back to the corner and slide down the wall, then tuck my head between my knees, and at that moment the weight of everything comes crashing down on me, like I was in a daze all this time, and I've just returned to reality. It's a horrible feeling.

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So, I finally updated! Haha, I know, I'm slow!
I'm back from vacation, and it's now officially summer! Wooo Hoo no more school! (If you're wondering how I was on vacation yet school wasn't over for me, I'm homeschooled!)
Don't forget to vote and comment guys!
Goals for before I post the next chapter:
5k reads on whole story
10 votes on this chapter
5 comments on this chapter
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