Activated: A Calculated Novel by Nova McBee

Author:Nova McBee [McBee, Nova]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781953944597
Publisher: Wise Wolf Books
Published: 2022-04-20T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

After 3 months, 5 days, 28 minutes, 41 seconds of waiting, the boy I’ve longed to see—since he dropped me off at the freeway entrance with Qadar—is in front of me.

I expect him to come to me, but he doesn’t. He stays in the dark corner, as he did in the Bardo Museum. Shadows affect our ability to use numbers to read people. Is he hiding something?

“You found me.” He stands still across the room, the dark shrouding him like a curtain. His feet shuffle on the rug, taking in my new appearance. “You shouldn’t have. I told you not to.”

My numbers glitch like I don’t know if I should scream or cry or laugh. I want to ask why he’s hiding. I want to ask him a hundred things. Instead, I blush. I didn’t realize how embarrassed I’d be, standing here. How vulnerable it is to seek someone out. Especially when they don’t want you to. No matter how smart or strong we are, our hearts don’t always follow the rules.

Even if I don’t know what I truly feel for him—I came here because I thought I could be truly known by him. Or I came because the world needs him. Either way, I step closer to the light where my face is fully exposed. “I came a long way to find you.”

His breath hitches, but he doesn’t move.

Another step closer. “Why don’t you come out?” I ask. He doesn’t answer. I steady my eyes on the shadow. “We need to talk. There’s something wrong. I was sent to find you. We need your help.”

I sense the motion before he moves. Then, his voice again. “Is that the only reason you came?”

“No…” My voice trails out. In two seconds, the vibrations in the room shift.

“No surprises after this…” he says, the shadows fade as his figure emerges. Soon, we’re facing each other, standing in the light.

Then, we see each other. Really see each other. In a way only we can do. His skin is not suntanned like the last time we met, but a pale brown, making his mahogany eyes seem darker. His brown hair has grown out, sweeping against his jawline. He’s just as striking as the first time we met, but this time his beautiful full lips hold a sadness that wasn’t present in Tunisia.

Our numbers trace each other’s movements, gauging each other’s intentions and reactions. He’s right. There is no surprising each other anymore. He’ll know before I take a step. I’ll know which part of him will move first, his arms or legs. Right now, all I can think about is how his whole body is focused on me. His posture longs to lean into mine. The mystery of us is real, even if our emotions are tinged with fear.

The warm house is such a stark contrast from outside that soon, I’ll need to take off this suit. The phantom frequency skitters across my mind. It pulses a warm heat inside me before it vanishes.

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