Sleeping Jenny (24 page)

I shook my head. “Not at all. You win. You can have him.” I looked down at my lunch container. “Just make sure you at least
try
to make him happy.”

The techno jingle rang, and everyone bolted from their seats. Her bombshell brigade deserted her for their next classes, and all she could do was get pushed along by the crowd. She stared at me like a dumb princess lost in a foreign land. But I was the one who was lost in the land of
I give up
.

The injustice of her and Maxim left a bitter taste in my mouth, but I couldn't stay around for a thing that wasn't meant to be.

I figured I'd only live in this era once, so I stared right back at her until she tore her gaze away. I had another card to play, but the results wouldn't materialize until I was long gone. I'd have to imagine her face from this memory alone.

The rest of the day I searched for someone who knew where Maxim lived. This was not a conversation I wanted to have on the phone. I needed to talk to him in person. Exara could have him tomorrow, but that left me with the rest of today. After school, I headed toward the cafeteria, remembering today there was a fencing team match.

Shizznizz met me at the door. He'd dyed his hair a bright shade of orange with white strips, reminding me of Nemo. He held his hand across the door, blocking my entrance. “Touché.”

I didn't have time for his silly antics. Grabbing his arm, I pulled him aside.

He raised his eyebrows with interest. “I like a woman who's direct.”

“Listen, I need to know where Maxim lives.”

His face turned serious. “Wait a second, little lady. You need to stay away from that boy. There are plenty of guys around, like
moi
, yours truly here, who are readily available.”

I rolled my eyes. Why did everyone think I was a home-wrecker? “I'm not trying to steal him from Exara. I just need to talk to him one last time.”

“What? You planning on transferring?” He looked sincerely disappointed, like we could have had something together.

“You could say that.” I bit my lip. I couldn't tell him the truth, but he needed something if he was going to tell me where Maxim lived. “I just need to make sure he's all right.”

Shizznizz put his hands on his hips. “The boy's been tormented ever since you came to Ridgewood. As one of his best friends, it's my job to make sure he's okay. I can tell you right now, he's just fine.”

“Why wasn't he in school today?”

“His little sis had an asthma attack, so he stayed home to look after her. They used to have a real nice robot, a C-9 babysitter edition, but they had to sell it to pay for essentials.”

“That's horrible. Will she be okay?”

“She will if you stay the hell away from him. Exara's family is a big whoop-de-doo around here, and if he wants to have a normal life, he won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Sorry, girl, but he shouldn't touch you with a ten-foot samurai blade.”

“I talked to Exara, and we're good. I just need to see him one more time.”

He gave me a questioning look. “You'll never be good with Exara.” A smile curved on his upper lip. “But I won't, either. She's a tough cookie to please.”

“Please, Shizz.”

“Oh, all right. I'm such a sucker for pretty eyes.” He picked up my miniscreen and typed in the coordinates. “This is his high-rise and apartment number. No shenanigans, now. I wouldn't want to have to use this to defend myself.” He held up the holster for his laser sword. I pictured Exara going after him, and he'd have no chance. She'd win.

I smiled up at him. A real smile, for a real friend. “Thanks. I owe you one.”

“You know it. I won't let you forget it, either.” Turning away, I kept smiling.
Yeah, you can hold it over my cryogenically frozen head
.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Glass Forest

M
axim's high-rise was a lot like Martha's—lingering on the border between sketchy and safe in a part of the city that felt like the middle of nowhere. Paint chipped from the walls, and the hall carpet smelled like old cheese. Couldn't Exara's dad invest in renovations? Or were her beauty treatments too expensive?

Hating her wasn't going to achieve anything, so I threw out my bitter thoughts like old trash and focused on my reasons for visiting.

Why AM I here, anyway?
What was I hoping to gain from one last conversation? Resolution? Or did I want him to ask me to stay? If he did, it'd be a tragedy, because the only answer I could give him would be
no
.

I buzzed the door, and Maxim's face flashed on the screen in surprise. I breathed with relief just looking into the pixels that represented his eyes.

“Jenny?”

“Shizznizz gave me your high-rise number.” I took a deep breath and calmed my racing heart. “I need to talk to you.”

The door panels parted, and he stood in the frame holding a finger to his lips. “Shhhh… Rainy's sleeping.”

“Is she okay?” I whispered as I followed him inside. The apartment was small and plain, but tidy. The appliances were older. There were dents in the metal and they had buttons on the keypads, but the interior of the apartment had been repainted, and the air smelled like clean laundry. He wore a simple cotton shirt and dark pants, much like the clothes from my generation. He must have saved the fancy tunics for school. I wondered how such a hot guy could come from such a dismal place.

“She'll be fine. These kinds of things happen all the time. Usually one of my parents is able to stay home with her, but they found jobs at the soybean factory and work all sorts of hours for a small amount of what my dad used to earn alone.”

“I'm sorry.” I wanted to promise him that I'd make sure no one in his family ever had to work again, but that comment would give me away. I couldn't let him know where I was going. He might try to stop me.

Maxim shrugged. “It's life.” He gestured toward the couch. “Want to sit down?”

“Sure.” Suddenly I had nothing left to say. I wanted to be here with him, but anything I said would only lead me to places I couldn't go. I felt like a ballet dancer with no legs, a bird with no wings.

“I needed to talk to you, too.” Maxim sat beside me, so close our legs touched.

My heart pounded. “Why?”

“I got some strange calls today from Exara and Shizz. Exara said you talked like you were going to die or something, and Shizz said you were transferring schools.” He took my hand and cradled it in both of his. “What's going on?”

Stupid Exara has to ruin everything
. Tears blurred my eyes. “I'm not supposed to say.”

“It's something with the Timesurfers, isn't it?”

“If I tell you anything, I'll put you in danger. You'll become an accomplice, and you can't afford to get into trouble. Not with Rainy in the state she's…”

“Tell me one thing.” Maxim leaned in, his forehead resting on mine. “Will I see you again?”

I closed my eyes and shook my head. He could interpret it as though I couldn't tell him, or as the truth.

Warm lips pressed against mine, and my eyes shot open as he kissed me. I opened my lips slightly and kissed him back, running my tongue over his perfect teeth. His hand traveled up my back to my neck, and he drew me in further, pulling me against him with

need. I tangled my fingers through his hair like all the times I'd imagined in my dreams, but this was better than anything I could have invented. We fell back on the couch, me on top of him, our bodies melting into one another.

My brain shut off, and desire took over. I ran my hands up and down his body, feeling every inch of him, wanting to be closer still. He reacted like my touch was magic, kissing me deeper as my hands slid underneath his shirt.

Must. Come. Off.

I tugged at the buttons as he placed kisses down my neck and whispered my name softly, making my skin tingle. His chest was hard and smooth, and I longed to rub my bare skin over it. He pulled up the sides of my tunic, his hands traveling over the curves of my body, lighting me on fire.

A faint beeping sound stole my attention. Maxim surfaced from a kiss and his eyes opened wide. “It's Rainy. I have to check on her.”

I slid off him, feeling the cool air where his body had been.

Maxim disappeared into her room.

I stood up and inched toward her bedroom door.

“Are you all right?” Maxim's voice shook with worry.

“Yeah, I just need a glass of water.” It was the first time I'd heard Rainy speak. Her voice was soft and sweet, like a fuzzy animal in a cartoon.

“Here you go, Pixiehead.”

She laughed lightly, and I knew she was all right. Then reality came barging in like a semi through a forest of glass. I was leaving tomorrow for Paradise 15. Anything I did today with Maxim would only complicate our lives, only hold us both back. He needed to follow his dreams, and I needed to follow mine. They just didn't intersect like in fairy tales.

I shouldn't be here
.

Maxim would come out any minute. Before I could change my mind, I collected my things and headed for the door. Thankfully, the panels parted silently, and I bolted down the hall toward the hoverbus platform. Each step felt like I was ripping my heart open more, but I forced myself to keep running. There was a bus ready to take off, and I waved it down with tears streaking my cheeks.

The operator gave me an annoyed grimace as I jumped on. “Gonna make me late for the next stop.”

“Sorry, sir.” I took a seat in the first row.

Then I heard my name. The voice was muted, from outside.

Maxim stood on the platform, but he was too late.

I placed my hot hand on the cool glass and watched him grow smaller as the hoverbus sped away.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Clearance

I
scanned my room, glancing over everything I owned. So little, and none of it felt like mine. I'd lost all my real belongings when I was frozen before. These items were just meager substitutes, and I didn't mind leaving most of them behind.

Packing took my mind off Maxim. I focused my efforts on bringing only useful items for the mission. Warm clothes came first, followed by comfortable walking boots. I glanced at the videos as if my parents called my name through the shiny surface. Although they were the only link to my past, I doubted Paradise 15 would have a DVD player. I didn't have time for Valex to transfer the data, and any request like that would alert him of my plan. Instead, I shoved in the album Valex and Len had given me. It took up a lot of space, and I couldn't use it for anything practical, but it held pictures of everyone dear to me. Everyone except Maxim.

I ran my tongue over my lips, thinking about the feeling of his mouth on mine. My heart raced when I thought of lying on top of him, of how he reacted to my touch.

Maybe not having a picture of Maxim was a
good
thing.

I threw in my favorite hairbrush, a pack of soywafers, and my pocketknife. I dug through my drawer. Maxim's card. The one he gave me that first day at lunch. I hovered over the recycling chute. It was the only thing I had to remind me of him.
Just throw it away
.

Instead, I slid it in the backpack under the cover of the album. I knew I couldn't call him from deep space from my frozen cryotube,

but it didn't weigh much or take up additional space. What harm would it cause to take it? I could always throw it away later…or keep it forever on a cord dangling from my neck. I was such a hopeless romantic.

Thursday night passed achingly slowly. The fluorescent numbers seemed to take forever to change on the wallscreen and I braided my hair into a thousand tiny braids and unbraided it, over and over again. My hair looked like I'd crimped it with a hot iron, but I had to keep my fingers busy while my mind ran in circles.

The next morning, I waited until everyone left before exiting my room. Len had knocked on the door twice, but I told her I needed more sleep. If any of them had seen my face, it would have given me away. Besides, it was easier if I didn't have to say good-bye, if I pretended I was heading out for the day and would return after school.

I loaded the letter I'd already written to them on my wallscreen. By the time they found it, I'd be taking off on the ship, already frozen. Besides, they couldn't stop me. I was eighteen, and it was my choice. I could only hope they'd come to accept my decision in time. What I was leaving behind for them would, hopefully, soften the burden.

C-7 dusted the shelves in the living room as I walked toward the door. “Good morning, Jennifer. If I must say, you are quite a bit late for school.”

“I'm not going to school today, C-7.”

He stopped dusting, his silver fingers hovering over the shelf. “Is it time?”

My eyes burned with unshed tears. “Yes. I'm going away with the Timesurfers. I'm going to follow my dreams.”