Free Under Ground by Alice Rachel

should have
rights? Who do you think you're kidding?"
    “You can take my word for it or
not, it's all the same to me. I know I see you as a person and I'd
like to get to know that person. You can take it or leave
it.”
    He shrugs as if he didn't really
care either way, but something flickers through his eyes, betraying
him. He's worried that I might leave without giving him a chance.
This is the second time he’s given me an ultimatum though. I want
to take him up on it and just leave it at that. But I can’t.
Something inside me is keeping me here and I don’t want to walk
away. I’ve already broken a lot of rules to meet him. I might as
well listen to what he has to say.
    I cross my arms over my chest and
raise my chin. "How do I know William didn't send you to test
me?"
    A laugh rolls in his throat, low
at first, and then louder and louder, as if my question were just
hilarious.
    "What do you take me for?" he
asks. "I have better things to do than hang out with jerks like
him."
    "You were talking to him at the
gymnasium," I insist.
    "No, I was not. Trust me. I was
too busy looking at you," he says while raising an eyebrow. My
cheeks flame in an instant and my eyes widen just a bit.
    He sits down in the grass, unaware
of my discomfort, and asks me to join him. I do so, but only
because I need to hide how much I'm shaking right now.
    “I’m glad you came today," he
says. "Believe me, I know what it took for you to be here. I know
the risks. I like that you were brave enough to come.”
    “I prefer not to think about what
would happen if my mother found out.”
    “Well then, let’s make sure she
doesn’t.” He sends me a lazy smile. "You shouldn't leave too
late."
    “Why did you want me to come
today? I mean, really.”
    “This is bigger than you and me,
Thia.”
    It’s the first time he says my
name. The sounds roll off his tongue delicately when he pronounces
it, "Thah-ee-ah." My heart skips a beat.
    “How do you know my name?” I
ask.
    “I did my research.” He locks his
eyes on mine. “Anyway, this whole thing is bigger than us. It’s
finally happening and when I saw you, I wanted you to be a part of
it. I heard you were promised to William. I know him, not too well,
mind you, but he’s not a nice guy. He's a robotic sheep at best. He
doesn't have the brains to question anything he's been fed." His
voice turns acidic as he says it. "And the way he was treating you
at the ball...I don't know, it just pissed me off. I don’t have
status to offer you, and I can’t promise you anything. I just wanna
get to know you. It's just crazy, a girl and a guy can’t even get
to know each other anymore. I saw you and I'd like to hang out with
you, if you'll let me. I don’t care if others don’t like
it.”
    His words sound rebellious, so I
change the subject. “Can you explain that poem to me? The one you
gave me. What is it about?”
    “Things out there are worse than
we think they are. And when I saw you that day..." He pauses, his
eyes still holding on to mine. "The look on your face, it was
heart-wrenching. You looked so fragile." He takes a deep breath.
"And beautiful." His gaze doesn't waver at all when he says it, and
I can't stop the somersault in my chest when the last word escapes
his mouth.
    He catches himself quickly though.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." But there is no need to
apologize, really. No one who truly meant it has ever called me
beautiful before.
    Chi averts his eyes as his cheeks
turn red. I’ve never seen a boy blush. It's endearing and
confusing. I blink at him, my own cheeks on fire. After a few
minutes, he sighs and breathes as if he were inhaling
courage.
    "I mean, aren’t you ever tired of
following the rules and doing what they want you to do? We aren't
even in control of our lives! I've just been thinking about it, and
if I wanna talk to you, that's my own business. I couldn't care
less what other people think!"
    I look away. His subversive speech
terrifies me.