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“The one that you stole?”
She nods.
“Eventually, I think. I’m pretty sure Zach has made it his personal mission.”
“I still think it was stupid to hide keys to a car like that under your bed.”
I rear back, pulling out onto the road.
“You do realize that every single one of those cars have keys inside of them, right? All of them. You could have gone down and chosen any of them other than that car.”
She looks at me in shock, her mouth hanging open. “That’s not true!”
I laugh, a deep, throaty laugh I haven’t heard from myself in a long time. “It’s true! Look when you get back home!”
It’s only about fifteen minutes back into the city when we park. I round the car to open her door for her. I watch as she slides out, her mess of wavy red hair looking perfect here in the South.
I wonder when I became downright obsessed.
“You know, you don’t have to get my door for me all the time,”
“I’ll remember that,” I tell her with a smile.
I also wonder when I started giving people genuine smiles. I don’t remember the last time I gave out so many.
The restaurant was recommended by Matthew. A fancy steakhouse that serves something called a blooming onion. I’m not quite sure what that is, but Matthew said Stella brought them home for him all the time, and they were always great.
We sit at our table, and the waitress brings us waters, asking for our drink orders. After last night, Sydney doesn’t want anything, and I don’t either. She leaves to grab us the onion dish for an appetizer while we look over everything else.
We both settle on steak and after the orders are in, we settle into another silence.
But this time it’s almost awkward.
I don’t think either of us knows how to talk about things that don’t have to do with the Angels or her crappy childhood.
“What did you study in college?” I ask, figuring this is a great time to get to know more about her. Things that I haven’t gotten the chance to ask.
“I studied programming. Specifically in data science. I love gathering data, and I also love doing things that people tell me I can’t do.”
“People told you you can’t do that?”
She takes a sip of her water, tucking her hair behind her ear as she nods. “I mean, yeah. It’s a male-dominated field. Of course I was going to get people saying that I couldn’t do it. That’s only natural. But once I have my mind set on something, I make it happen no matter what. Programming was a passion of mine, and I was going to make it work for a career.”
And because I’m me and this girl has me wrapped around my finger, I start thinking about the ways that the Agency could use that. Ways that would make it easier for her to plead her case for staying.
Not that I really think she has anything to worry about. Especially after all of this is over. If she manages to help us, I think they’d let her in, no questions asked.
When our meals are placed in front of us, Sydney grows quiet.
“You doing okay?” I ask her.
She nods. “I was going to ask at some point. If I join, I probably can’t speak to Adam at all anymore, right?”
“That’s not true,” I shake my head, cutting into the steak in front of me. “You’re allowed to have friends outside of the compound. You just have to be careful about it.”
She purses her lips, picking up her fork. “We’ve been friends for a really long time, and I just miss him a lot. I hope you’re okay with—”
I put my hand up, stopping her.
