Prologue

PROLOGUE , BETRAYAL IS A PAINFUL THING

━━━━━━━━━━

"What else are we supposed to do, Alice?"

Aiden's small eyes shift between her parents that were arguing. She didn't understand why they were so mad. They used to tell her so many stories about when she was born, how happy they were, and how loud she would cry as a newborn. But this time was different.

Aiden turns to the crib and looks at her baby sister. Anytime baby Charlotte would even make a small coo, her parents would shush her. Anytime she would start crying they would hide her in a wooden crate that had holes drilled into it, then they would place her under a panel in their floor.

It was like that for years, until Charlotte got too big for the box. Then her parents had a long discussion about what to do next. They didn't want their daughter living her life under the floors. So with a help of their good friend, Spencer, they came to the consensus that they should take each kid and live their own lives.

Alice took in Charlotte, she cared and loved her. While Tristan took in Aiden, he prepared her for any situation with the Ark. Aiden would sometimes see glimpses of Charlotte around and see how much fun she would have.

Aiden slowly but surely started to understand what fun was when she met Jasper and Monty.

Those two took a liking to the lonely girl pretty quickly. Soon the duo became a chaotic trio.

Monty and Jasper didn't think the standoffish girl could match their energy and yet there she was, tossing jokes around left and right. But sometimes Aiden wouldn't read the room and would make a joke at the wrong time. Of course it was funny, but no one wants to laugh when someone is talking about their dead grandmother.

While Aiden was working in the medbay, she aided a boy who took interest in her. He thought she was beautiful so he tried to make conversation, he tossed a few jokes around and made her smile.

Nolan was one of the best things to ever happen to Aiden. That is until she saw his true colors. When their relationship became deeper, Nolan became judgemental about her appearance and sent her derogatory remarks.

Nolan found out that Charlotte and Aiden were sisters. Aiden begged for Nolan not to say anything and he promised her he wouldn't. Sadly, he didn't keep that promise. Nolan wanted to get a position on the guard, so he told Kane in order to get ahead.

The guards went after Charlotte and Aiden. Aiden tried her best to protect Charlotte. But sadly, Tristan only taught her the basics of self-defense and the guards were trained fighters.

Both, Tristan and Alice were floated and Aiden was taken to the Skybox. Gwen promised Alice and Tristan that she would watch after Charlotte and Aiden. Not even a few months later, Charlotte was taken to the Skybox due to assaulting guards for taking her parent's and Aiden's things.

Aiden felt tremendous guilt and fear for Charlotte. The young girl was known for not being able to control her emotions. So, the fact that Aiden couldn't watch after her little sister every day killed her.

☆

"This is insane, Addie."

"I know, I know." Aiden nods her head as she twiddles her thumbs. She keeps her eyes on her boots as her boyfriend paces the room.

Nolan runs a hand through his hair. "W-We've gotta tell someone."

"N-No!" Aiden shoots up from the bed. Nolan stops and looks at the blonde-haired girl with a cold expression.

Aiden touches her lower lip, she's never yelled at him like that. He didn't like it.

"I-I'm sorry." Aiden hesitantly walks over to him. "I just...no one can know," she says. "You know what'll happen, my parents will be floated. Then I'll get sent to the Skybox and Charlotte'll be alone. And I won't let that happen."

Nolan pulls his face back, "You won't let that happen? Then what'll you do if I did say something to the Chancellor, huh?"

Aiden's heart rate quickens. "Nothing, I would never do anything to you." she cups his cheeks.

Nolan burns his brown irises into Aiden's small grey-blue eyes. He lightly touches her wrists. "I love you, Aiden," he says.

"I love you too, Nolan." She says. "You have to promise me that you won't tell anyone about Charlotte."

Nolan inhales a deep breath, thinking. Aiden waits anxiously, "Nolan--"

"Relax, Aiden." Nolan scoffs. "I promise, I won't tell anyone," he says.

Aiden exhales softly, "Thank you so--"

"But you owe me." He says to her.

Aiden knits her brows together. "What would I even owe you?" she asks.

Nolan's eyes travel across her body. Aiden's eyes slightly widen, "Nolan, I don't--"

"Come on, Addie," Nolan whispers. "We've waited long enough, right?"

Aiden gnaws on her lower lip. This wasn't right, she hated this. Deep inside her heart sadly, she loved Nolan. But she didn't want to do this.

"Can't we just..." Aiden takes her hands off of her face and grips his jacket. "Do this some other time? Like when we're both in the mood?"

Nolan lets out a huff, "If you don't want to be with me, you could've just said so."

Aiden shakes her head, "That's not it, Nolan. I just want to do it when the time's right."

Nolan raises his brows and gives a curt nod. "I'm pretty tired and I wanna go to bed, so..." he motions toward the door.

Aiden's smile becomes small, she presses her lips together and walks over to the door. Nolan follows her to the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow." He says.

"Actually, I'm helping Dr. Griffin in medbay," Aiden says.

Nolan scoffs, "Of course you are." he looks down at his shoes.

"I'm helping people, Nolan."

"Yeah, well...you do that a lot, don't you think?" Nolan questions. "I never see you for a whole week when you work there."

Aiden bites the inside of her cheek, "Fine, I can...ask Dr. Griffin if she can let me off a few days early...is that okay?"

Nolan shrugs, "It's fine."

Aiden goes to kiss his lips, but he turns his head so she kisses his cheek instead. The blonde-haired girl rolls her lips into her mouth. "You do know I love you, right?" she whispers.

Nolan looks back at her, his stone expression causing her breathing to get caught in her throat.

"You don't act like it."

Nolan then closes the door in Aiden's face. Her lower lip trembles, she covers her face and inhales a shaky breath.

☆

Aiden sits at the table with Monty and Jasper. "Are you sure you don't need to go to the Medbay for that?"

Aiden chuckles softly, "I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine." She says, covering the bruise on her neck. "It's gonna take a lot more than a few bruises during training to take this girl down."

Monty shakes his head, "Jeez, I didn't even think your father was that strict with your training." He says.

"Yeah, I thought Mr. Walker was cool." Jasper eats some of his lunch.

Aiden tenses. "Well, what dad have you ever known to be...cool?" She snorts.

The blonde-haired girl looks back at her book. She kept glancing at her sister who was a few tables away from her, playing with a friend. Aiden looks back at her book and chuckles softly. Her smile saddens when she catches sight of her bruised wrist. She pulls the sleeve of her jacket down, to cover it. The bruises on her wrists were easy to hide, but sadly her bruised neck was very difficult to explain to people.

The sound of the door slides open. Aiden lifts her head up and she's greeted with guards entering the room. The guards abruptly stop and look around the room. She knits her brows together. Any other day she wouldn't be worried, but there weren't usually that many guards in one place unless...

Aiden's jaw goes slack as they make eye contact with Charlotte.

"Charlotte Chase." One of the guards announce.

Charlotte looks up from the chessboard. Her eyes widen when she sees the guards. Monty and Jasper look at the scene.

"What the hell is going--"

Aiden shoots up from her seat and her breathing quickens.

"Charlotte!"

The young girl looks at her big sister. Charlotte reads Aiden's eyes and she nods her head. Aiden runs over to Charlotte and grabs her wrist. The blonde-haired girl grabs one of the chairs and throws them at the group of guards.

Aiden and Charlotte then run to the other door on the other side of the room. As soon as it slides open, Aiden came into class tact with a shock baton. She screams and falls to the ground.

Charlotte's mouth drops open, "Aiden!--"

"Don't move!"

Charlotte looks back at Marcus Kane and her hands start to shake. She looks at Aiden who was having trouble breathing. Aiden makes eye contact with Charlotte. She knew that if she told Charlotte to run, she would run. But they were surrounded, and Aiden wasn't going to get her sister hurt.

"Listen to him, Char." Aiden huffs.

Charlotte's eyes fill with tears as handcuffs are slapped onto Aiden's wrists and she's forced into her feet. The blonde-haired girl looks at Kane.

"This is them, correct?" Kane questions.

Aiden looks at Charlotte, confused who he was talking about. Charlotte's eyes widen from the person in front of her. Aiden follows her sight and her heart drops into her stomach.

"N-Nolan?" Aiden whispers.

Nolan looks at his girlfriend, "Yeah, it's them." He says.

Aiden looks back at Charlotte, her breathing quickens. Then back at Nolan, "You promised..." she whispers. "Y-You--"

Nolan quietly shushes Aiden and lightly touches her face. Tears fill her eyes when she notices the calm expression on his face, but she saw deep in his eyes that he was angry.

"I'm disappointed in you, Addie." He whispers. "Carrying a secret around like this."

Kane clasps his hand on Nolan's shoulder. "You did good, Nolan. The guards will be lucky to have you in the future."

"The Guard?" Aiden whispers.

Nolan's eyes examine Aiden's bruised eye. The one he gave her earlier that day. "And it's all thanks to you, sweetie."

A tear slides down her face and her eyes widen. Why the hell did she tell him?

Nolan looks at Charlotte. "You'll be okay, Charlotte. As long as you stand down."

Aiden is shoved towards the door.

"W-Wait!" Aiden calls out.

"Aiden?!" Charlotte attempts to lunge toward her sister. But Nolan grabs the young girl.

"I didn't get to say goodbye, please!" Aiden cries. She continues to thrash in the guard's grip, trying to break free.

"Aiden!"

The blonde looks at Monty and Jasper. "I'm sorry!" she cries out.

Aiden looks at her sister who was on the verge if tears.

"I'm so sorry!"

━━━━━━━━━━

author's note.

Currently republishing this story. I combined some of the chapters together, so they could be longer.

words : 1868