I couldn't turn down Rob's awkward proposal. I felt that deep in my soul. I hated him. I should've strangled him. Chase at least would've helped me hide the body. Yelled at me the whole time, but he'd still help.

I'd never strangle him. I hadn't since the last time we had talked. Chase had made sure I had an alibi at every moment I was awake and was confirmed to be asleep when I wasn't. I never had any time to myself. I'm not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

I still hadn't given Rob an answer. I'd told Chase about the question. He just shrugged. He seemed just as lost as I was. I hated it.

Chase had always been so sure of everything. I hated growing up and realizing that he was just as lost as the rest of us.

I hadn't spent that much time with him in a while. He dragged me out in public, but he stuck with me every moment of it. I didn't want to go back to school.

I hadn't talked to Jamie since that day in the bathroom. Jamie avoided me on Monday, which was good. I wasn't ready to talk to her. It seemed like Jamie was trying to piece something together, and I was only glad that I wasn't the mystery she wanted to unravel.

Rob wasn't as eager to be around me anymore. Maybe he figured that he had a better chance getting me to say yes if I forgot who he was. I doubted he had that kind of awareness.

I felt more alone than ever. Corey wasn't much of a comfort.

The classes droned on and on. Corey could never be T. Neither could Rob. I hated them both for that.

I was allowed to have love interests evidently, just not the ones I actually loved. I needed T back. I gulped.

I had minimal connections in the rebellion. I could convince them to get her back for me. She was dedicated to them. She was a member of the clans.

I could figure out the security of the government buildings. I could report my findings and they'd organize an attack. They wouldn't just leave her.

I planned out how it'd be. She'd walk out like a movie star, and we'd walk off into the sunset. No one would be able to stop us.

"Earth to Sonnet."

"What?"

"You've been staring at a wall for the past 10 minutes. Are you okay?" Corey's concerned face snapped into focus.

"Yeah. I'm okay."

"I wanted to talk to you, alone."

I nodded. They navigated me to some obscure part of the building. I took the notebook they handed me.

I opened it. How would you feel if I pulled a runaway spouse?

I scrawled on the page. Just fine.

Corey smiled. Great. I need help. I have a cousin in the poorer districts. I'm thinking I want to disappear.

I asked how long they'd been thinking about it. A while evidently. We'd always discussed how little we liked the idea of marriage, but I never thought of it like that.

Corey didn't like the idea of our future. It felt like a relief or a curse. I wasn't sure which. If Rob wanted to file for an engagement, Corey wouldn't fight it. I had no chance with T.

I excused myself.

Chase sat with me on the train. Rob sat across from us.

"Rob, I need to talk to you." I said, stepping off the train.

I felt like I wanted to throw up. I could claim butterflies. He'd go for that, right?

"Yeah?" He smiled. It would've been cute if he hadn't done such vile things. That smile was going to ruin my life.

I walked him to the library. No one except Tommy hung out there. Chase knew not to follow me.

"I thought about what you said."

"Oh?" He looked like he was about to pass out.

"Rob, I want to take things slow."

"But that's a yes?"

I sighed. He was going to make me say it. "Yeah, that's a yes."

"I've never kissed a girl before." He looked off wistfully.

No wonder.

"Well, I have homework. See you around."

"See you around, girlfriend."

I wanted to throw up in my mouth. Or maybe on him.

I took a detour to my room through T's. T's room wasn't on the way to mine, but not one questioned it.

The bald head of Mr. Luarenz was the first thing I saw. He turned around when I came in the room.

"You two were close, right?"

I nodded. I sat down next to him.

"Was it true? Was she rebellion?"

A lump formed in my throat. She'd kept so many secrets from her father. She deserved her secrets, but he also deserved to know. I nodded.

"Just like her mother." He looked like he was about to cry. "As far as anyone's concerned, both her and her mother are dead to me. I never want to hear about either of them. As far as I ever want to know, my daughter is dead. Understand?"

I nodded. Mr. Laurenz was rarely that forward with us. "I understand."

He was giving me a warning. He was warning me not to tell him anything about Tyena. That meant he knew I wanted to rescue her. That meant he knew I'd save her.

"What would I tell her?"

"Nothing because she's dead. I loved my daughter very much, but she's not around anymore."

I swallowed. The words cut through me like a knife. She's not around anymore. No. No. Mr. Laurenz stared at me.

"Miss Alam?"

I squeaked something out. I'm not sure what.

"Before my daughter, you know... she left something. I'm pretty sure it's for you."

He handed me a disc.

"Thanks."

He nodded and I ran out of the room. I clutched the object to my chest. I wasn't even mad she'd known what was going to happen far enough in advance to make me a going away present.