swollen eye. I’d forgotten about that. I must look horrible. I look away and grab for the bread. He drops his hand.
We eat in silence for the next few minutes, tearing off hunks of bread and chewing, since it seems neither of us knows what to say. Will’s even quieter than usual. I watch his jaw tense as he stares out into the woods. I wonder what’s bothering him. When the food is gone, he packs up his backpack.
“Ready?”
“Sure.” I stand up.
We climb into the Jeep in silence, and I wonder if I did something wrong. Will stares straight ahead as he drives. It’s like I’m not even in the Jeep with him.
“Thanks for showing me all that today,” I say, once he parks alongside the building.
“Yeah, no problem,” he says, still looking ahead. It’s like he purposefully avoids looking at me. I don’t know what I did wrong.
I climb down from the Jeep and head for the door, but Will’s hand on my arm stops me. I turn toward him. “Listen, Eve.” He releases a sigh. “I’m sorry if I acted strange today. I’ll explain all this soon … I promise.”
I watch his eyes, trying to understand. I nod. “When?” I hear myself asking.
His lips quirk up in a half-smile. “Tonight. Meet me in the bunker after everyone’s gone to bed.”
Though I don’t know if I should, the word tumbles out of me without my consent. “Okay.” We part at the door, and I go inside. He doesn’t follow me.
Chapter 20
I’m back in time for dinner and slip into the cafeteria unnoticed. I head for my usual table. Sam and Jake are pressed together, sharing food from each other’s trays. I’m reminded of my afternoon with Will and blush involuntarily.
Sam hardly notices me, distracted by Jake, but Alex perks up the second I sit down.
“Your eye doesn’t look too bad,” he says after a bite of mashed potato.
“Oh, thanks.” I bring my hand up to touch it. “How’s your leg, by the way?”
“Pretty good. It’s healing nicely.”
“What’d you guys do in training today?” I don’t know why, but my conversations with Alex seem to stay at the surface level – just one level up from asking about the weather.
“We ran and did weights in the gym – stuff like that. You didn’t miss much.”
I nod and stir the food on my tray. I’m not hungry after my picnic with Will.
I can hardly wait for everyone to go to bed once we make it back to the bunker. But there are card games and people lounging around talking, and I know it will be a while.
I sit with Alex in the corner of the room. Sam and Jake are completely distracted by each other. They sit facing each other on a small sofa. He winds her hair around his fingers while they talk in hushed voices. I’ve never seen her like this – so completely absorbed, but I kind of like it.
I look over at Alex. He looks nervous. He places one hand awkwardly on my shoulder.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything last night when you fought Drew and Bryce.”
I’m reminded of how he easily lost to Jake. “Oh, I … don’t worry about that. There’s nothing you could have done.”
His eyes don’t leave mine. I look down. I wish Alex didn’t like me like this. I wasn’t sure at first, but now I know he does. I can’t return his feelings; I’m not sure why. He’s nice and polite and funny. I just … can’t. My mind jumps to my meeting with Will tonight, and I sigh knowing how long I still have to wait. “I’m kinda tired, Alex. I think I’ll just go to bed.” I get up to leave.
He doesn’t look happy. “See you tomorrow, Eve.”
I lie down on my bunk and watch the ceiling. Slowly, one by one, girls start to filter into the dorm. When I spot Sam, I get down from my bed.
She’s changing beside her bunk.
“So … you and Jake, huh?”
She breaks into a grin. “I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. When he’s around … I don’t know, I just feel completely comfortable and happy. I never thought it could be like this here, but he’s the first thing I think of in the morning, and I actually want to go to training just so I can see him.”
I’m happy for her – I am. But a twinge of jealousy spreads over me. I used to be Sam’s number one priority.