"Wow" I said as we entered in the cafeteria and aroma of heavenly food hit me. Almost all the sits were occupied and everyone was chatting, bright side is all the volunteers brought here seems to be happy, dull side 'for Harley and other's' this might convince them to stay here even if it means to not be able to go outside or communicate with any family member or friends.
"Don't know about you but my mouth is already watering, can't wait anymore" West said as she passed me, but before she could go any further Asher pulled her back by her elbow "You both will be sitting with us" he said.
"Us" I and West asked.
"Yeah other interns, Harley will introduce them to y'all anyway." he said as we walked to towards food counter. "Where's Olivia?" Asher asked West. "She said she will be here in few minutes"
After filling my tray with spaghetti to the point where it is almost overflowing I turned back to Asher and West, their tray looked decent especially West's considering she doesn't get enough to eat. "Let's go" Asher said and turned to leave.
"Hey take more while you still can" I whisper yelled at West "no need to act like some decent rich chick. Look at others they have all taken as much as they wanted to" I said gesturing towards others
"No need to look at others trays, after seeing yours sis" West snickered. I narrowed my eyes "I am hungry, like to the extent where I can eat rations of three to four people alone"
"hey I am not judging you or anything, so don't get defensive" West said raising a hand in front of her "it's just that I don't feel like eating right now. But as you said take it while you still can, I am eating cause you don't get this kind of meal everyday"
"ughh just eat as much as you can when you want to"
"Hey you both" Asher called us.
"He's sure as hell excited to see us again" I said to West. "Well ain't you" she replied. "I.... I don't know what to feel like. I am obviously happy to see him, even excited. But nothing feels like same as before, maybe I need more time"
"yeah maybe." West said sighing.
"Hey" a girl with wheatish complexion said as I and West took our seat on the table. "Hey" I and West replied with the difference West sounded polite where as I sounded like a bitch that I've made myself. Down there being all rainbow means sleeping empty stomach, people sure knows how to take away your meals. When I saw West getting bullied and loosing her meals, I decided someone has to stop being all rainbow roses. Unfortunately unlike Olivia this girl noticed my not so friendly 'Hey' and her smile faded a little. But thanks to Asher for his interruption "Ava this is Talia and West, they were my close friends before things went.... you know downhill. And Talia and West this is Ava, she is the sweetest one out of them all" he said chuckling.
"Hey you are hurting my feelings" another girl said, putting a palm over her heart at which Asher, Ava and three other boys laughed. "And this is Cora" Asher said pointing to either Korean or Japanese girl and she waved at us. "These two are twins like you he is Arther" Asher pointed at the boy with blonde hairs and back eyes sitting on the other side of the table "and he is Benett" Asher pointed at the boy who is replica of Arther. They both waved at me with a smile.
'So turns out people up here are actually very nice. Ahhh wish I got more time to realize this before my mother abandoned me, West left her and we were sent down there to live among wolves. At eleven I was more concerned if West, Asher and Shay were treating my dolls rights and my fake tea parties being perfect, so I hardly ever got time to notice and appreciate actual nice people around me.'
"And he is Leonard" Asher pointed at the guy sitting at the head of the table. He has muddy blonde hairs and brown eyes. "And I am Olivia but I guess you already know that" Olivia said as she took a chair keeping a cup of coffee on table. "Hey you are not eating lunch?" Asher asked her.
"Nope, a cup of caffeine is all I need right now" she replied lifting her cup and taking a sip. "Nopes what you need is a proper meal and some rest, you have been stressing over this mission more than you need to" Asher said passing his tray to her and before Olivia could say anything Ava said "Yeah you sure do need a meal" at which Olivia rolled her eyes. "What are you two now? my mom and dad?" she asked Ava and Asher.
"You can say well wishers" Asher replied shrugging. "well maybe you should take what they are offering to you, what you are turning down now is a luxury people would murder for down there" by the time it left my mouth it felt like I was saying this more to myself then to Olivia. And of course it left an uneasy silence on the table for next few minutes, before Ava decided to break it "and that is the best thing about this mission. We might find a planet where everyone can live the life of their dreams" she said pouring excessive excitement 'totally unnecessary!'
"I thought Harley said that 'it might be habitable'" I said stuffing another spoon full of spaghetti in my mouth "plus we and everyone else will know if that planet is habitable or not only if we live to see it our selves or tell everyone" I said chewing 'yes nothing can shut me up'
"oh you have to be such a buzz killer" West said under her breathe filling her mouth with spaghetti. "Who told you that? we will of course reach there, in fact soon humans wouldn't be bounded to these domes. We would be free, we would form a civilization on Drarth K1 with our families" Ava said smiling uneasily and looking at her friends for support, but the only support she got was Arther's tensed nod.
"haha quite a daydreamer you are." what the fuck is wrong with me why the hell can't I just sit quietly. "Only two out nine probs actually made it to Drarth K1 and those two lost connection not long after reaching there. Plus they choose us for this mission as in the most disposable lives on this planet"
"Oh my god Talia can you please shut up" West said loudly this time grabbing attention of boys sitting near our table. "West it is all right she is free to speak out loud what she thinks of this mission" Asher said trying to sound as casual as he could without being even one bit casual. They all are not sure about this mission, they are maybe even terrified which is enough for me to not want West being a part of it. "Asher I want West to stay here" I decided this as soon as Harley revealed what exactly are we getting ourselves into. Now seeing them so unsure of this has made it even more sure that this is something dangerous and I need to keep West away from this.
"what the hell do you mean you want me here" West said through gritted teeth keeping her spoon back in her tray. "I don't want you to be part of this mission" I said not breaking eye contact with her, "the hell I'll do as you ask me to" with that she got up and stomped off. As she left I turned back to Asher "I'll go, but in return I want her to stay here in some house not in this facility"
"Umm I can't promise you house but yeah Harley won't send you against your will, if West refuses Harley will not send her" he replied.
"Does it looks like she will refuse?" I raised an eyebrow, Asher looked at the cafeteria's door and shook his head.
"What is your problem West?" I said as I stormed into our allotted room, I left my lunch and came straight here, I wanted to get over with this before our roommates join us here. Plus sitting there was awkward 'thanks to me for making a happy get to know each other and rebond with your best friend lunch all awkward'. "My problem?" she came out of bathroom and pointed her index finger at me "you trying to choose for me is my problem"
"You are an A grade idiot, I am choosing the best for you."
"and that's the problem sis, you are so focused on choosing the best for me that you forgot that you are taking away my choice"
"Your choice? well what is that? dying? because that's what it looks like at least to me."
"how are you so sure that we will die, are you a seer?"
"no I am not but sometimes you don't need to be a seer to predict the possibility. Harley said only two probs actually reached to Drarth K1, rest..... they just got lost. Plus their astronauts refused for this mission that's why they are sending us it was written all over Harley's face, why is it so hard for you to do two plus? Is it so hard to understand why they have chosen so many of us as in the most expendable population? There is the problem of increasing population, there will be a culling next month they will kill hundred and thousands of us and it wouldn't matter if we die on this mission infact"
"Great now you are face reader to" West muttered "Keyword here is Possibility Talia."
"Excuse me it wasn't just me who did the math, silence that followed after Harley revealed our big task pretty much tells me everyone did two plus two except obviously you. And yeah it is a possibility but if that possibility turns out to be our final destiny you won't be able to turn back time."
"And what if we reach there safe and sound? what if that possibility never turns out to be our final destiny?"
"Yeah then we might lose our connection and end up like those tow probs, that lost their connection after reaching there."
"I am saying what if we actually make it there safe and sound. What if we don't end up like those probs, you know no losing connection and all."
"Well then you'll be there with me after some time" I stated as a matter of fact.
"What should I do according to you till then?"
"Stay here sleep, work, eat and repeat"
"I don't want that. I don't want to live here."
"You'll not be staying here in this facility, I'll talk to Harley we were just like Asher to her she would let you live in the house they will be providing our good for nothing father-"
"-as a matter of fact I don't want to stay back here" West said folding her arms in front of her"
"What is your problem, you will be getting a safe life. Isn't that what you wanted West? A safe and rainbow kind of life, well now that you are going get one you just want to throw it all away? Have you gone nuts? Plus just few days ago you wanted to live-"
"Yes but again the keyword here is 'wanted' I wanted that. But now I want to volunteer and I will volunteer, you can't stop me"
"The hell I can't-"
"Talia this is the end of discussion"