It was Thursday. Rob still wasn't talking to me. I had been hoping he wouldn't talk to me for the past month, but now that he actually wasn't it felt wrong.

I caught him staring at me, so it wasn't like he'd suddenly forgotten I existed. I hadn't stopped to exist. I almost wished I had. Tyena would be coming for me, but I didn't want to wait. I'd waited this long, but I didn't feel like I would wait more.

The engagement was actually happening. It felt like a train was hurtling at me, and I couldn't move. I was frozen, waiting to get hit.

The government didn't care about me. I was a chess piece, and I always had been. It seemed like it was coming as a shock to Rob, though. I had grown up knowing that they weren't there for me, but he hadn't. He hadn't grown up under the government, and he would pay for it.

I picked at my food. Corey sat silently across from me. They didn't say a word. I preferred it that way.

I muddled through classes. I wouldn't have any classes tomorrow. No, all my time would be the government's. The entire school was coming to the engagement party. I'd always been famous as long as I'd been going to that school. Only now, everyone decided to act like it.

Everyone already had an invitation, but they seemed to think being my friend would make their invitation somehow worth more. The whole city was invited. I didn't know why they suddenly wanted to be my best friend.

Rob also seemed to be enjoying his popularity boost. He still hung with his same group of friends, but he was acting friendly with so many more people than he had been before.

I drummed my fingers on the table. I didn't want to be the center of attention. Mr. and Mrs. Alam normally took the spotlight away from me. They told my story better than I did at that point. If they weren't there, Chase always let me hide behind him. Now none of them were here. I didn't even have T to encourage me, to convince me it was worth moving forward.

At least she was there, waiting. She'd save me from the spectacle. She'd promised, and T was nothing if not a keeper of promises.

Jamie glared at me. She was less actively antagonistic after our rescue team, but she still hated me. If Jamie had started sucking up with me, then the world truly would've lost its mind. I took a kind of comfort in her disdain.

Corey looked up and met my eyes. It didn't last long, but it was a bit of comfort too. A part of me wished they were still my fiancé. I like Corey, even if it was just as a friend. Corey wouldn't pry, either. Corey kept secrets. In a way, Corey offered me everything Rob couldn't.

I wouldn't be able to serve the rebellion if Rob was always there, looking over my shoulder. I knew that. That was why T needed to save me, to rescue me.

I wanted the day to be over. Chase would be joining us at the government building. He'd be escorting me in, which was a kind of cold comfort. I needed him there. He wouldn't be able to take the spotlight from me this time, but he would share it.

Jessica was coming. He'd spend the whole night with her, I knew it. We weren't as close as we'd once been. I felt a slight pain in my chest, realizing that. I wish I'd known when it was happening, so I could've held on tighter.

But it didn't matter now. It was done, and I couldn't go back. I took a deep breath. I would be fine. T would come. All I had to do was wait.

✰ ✰ ✰

We met Sonnet's brother outside of the office building. I hadn't paid much attention to him. I had barely seen him. I'd almost forgotten he was there.

He didn't acknowledge me, walking into the building, Sonnet in tow. I could feel the day approaching, almost like a cold specter. This was all my fault. I couldn't shake the feeling that Sonnet would hate me by the time the night was over.

We walked into the office. Chase seemed extremely uncomfortable. I hadn't noticed before how impersonal the building seemed. The white gave a sterile feeling, the same kind hospitals had.

I didn't want to go another step. The air seemed so dead, like no one had ever made a joke in that hallway. It'd never felt so wrong before. I was watching Chase scan the room anxiously. That was made the whole place seem wrong. Sonnet had never seemed that anxious in the building.

I took another step forward, forcing myself to walk faster so I could catch up with Sonnet. Sonnet glanced over at me.

"Are you okay?"

I just shrugged. I really didn't know. Chase was freaking me out, but other than that, I was fine. I was more popular than I'd ever been. Ted had to beat people off with a stick to have a moment to talk to me. I liked the group more than ever. They seemed to be proud of me, as though they'd seen my popularity coming when they let me eat lunch with them.

Even the jocks seemed to be warming up to me. I was pulling the chosen one thing off after all. It didn't feel like me.

We arrived at Mr. McShane's office. Chase stood, unsure. I pushed past him, opening the door. He followed me in.

Mr. McShane looked right past me.

"Mr. Alam."

"Hello, sir."

Mr. McShane's nostrils flared. He could sense the unease.

"Just head through there. We have a suit for you. We just need to make the last few adjustments."

He turned and looked at Sonnet, asking permission to leave. She gave a short little nod, and he crossed the room, disappearing into one of the rooms that was attached to the office.

"How are you feeling about Saturday?"

Sonnet looked straight ahead, seeming to see through the man. "Nervous, but ready."

"That's what I like to hear. You'll do well."

"I hope so." It came out like a whisper.

He looked at me. "How do you feel, Robert?"

"Good." That was a lie. He didn't seem to notice or care.

He started talking about something or other. I wasn't paying attention.

I wasn't ready for the night. I didn't want to go, and I didn't want to see the look in Sonnet's eye after it became real.

I didn't know what to do with my hands. I didn't know what to do with anything. I was the chosen one. Why did feel so lost?

"Do you understand," Mr. McShane asked.

"Yes," Sonnet answered.

I nodded. Autopilot was kicking in.

"Good, I want to see you both at 7:30 tomorrow."

"I'll see you there, sir," I answered.

Chase came out of the dressing room, and Mr. McShane relayed the instructions for Saturday to him. I barely felt myself walking out the door. Saturday would be there before I knew it. I wanted to slow time, to push off the ball. But I couldn't, so I walked out of the government building, feeling like someone I wasn't.