DANGEROUS OBSESSION

12

LAUREN MOSS

When I asked, all I heard was:

“The helicopter is far too expensive for your unfounded adventures.”

Of course it is.

But my brothers switch cars like they’re changing clothes, and I’ve never heard anyone complain about it.

And look, we’re not even that far apart in age. I just turned twenty-two, one is twenty-four, and the other is twenty-six.

But look at the level of pampering they get, I don’t even get a third of it, and when I do get that third, it’s through my own schemes, which I eventually just gave up on.

Anyways, moving on.

I took the helicopter and went for a ride with Miriam, hiding it from them. I am his daughter, whether he likes it or not, so they didn’t deny me access when I arrived at the heliport.

Miriam was traumatized, but me? Oh, I was far too excited!

So what happened?

We went clubbing with the helicopter, because I’m that kind of person when I decide to be rebellious and embrace the “you only live once” lifestyle.

Honestly, I only tried to fly the thing safely because of Miriam. If I had been alone… Anyways…

My depressive phase is over.

So we went, right? I had a license.

I went without a co-pilot, mostly because I’d gone on a whim. I didn’t warn anyone I wanted to use the helicopter beforehand, especially since I had never been allowed to use it unless I was on a trip with them.

Meanwhile, my brothers can take it and fly to the ends of the earth with their friends whenever they want.

I, on the other hand, had that spot on the rooftop where you can land at the club’s building. So I went down to drink and dance with the girls, obviously with no intention of flying that thing back.

Because I wanted attention, right? So I was going to leave the helicopter there and sleep at Miriam’s place afterward.

I was still trying to get my lovely parents’ attention.

But when it was time to go home, I remembered I had left something—I don’t even remember what—inside the helicopter, as if it were a car.

But everyone was watching me.

“She’s the problematic Moss daughter, arrived by helicopter just to show off, drank so much she danced herself into oblivion, and now she intends to commit suicide by going up to the rooftop. Because she’s like that, crazy. She’s crazy.”

That’s what they must have thought of me, because when I got to the rooftop, they caught me with the police.

All my drunkenness vanished the moment I saw them, and I was simply taken to the station for ‘attempted suicide.’ But I wasn’t even that drunk! I knew what I was doing, I saw everything perfectly fine, I had just become more energetic, not insane.

But oh, the seven-headed monster they made out of it.

Miriam, my friends, and I were taken to the police station, where I calmly explained what I had actually gone up there to do. And that I wasn’t as drunk as they kept insisting I was.

Sometime later, my parents arrived knowing everything I had done and, well… if I wanted attention, I got it, but they almost had me arrested.

After all, I used their helicopter.

Anyways…

That’s how I ended up at the police station, everyone.

Since that day, things just got worse—like, actually worse—and I gave up trying to stir things up just to get even the slightest bit of attention, even if it was angry attention, which happened even when I didn’t do anything major.

Or anything at all.

I tried to speak up, but what I heard was:

“Say thanks to God that you’re here,” as if that were something I was supposed to do.

And I just tried…

I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m probably an unwanted child or, more clearly, an accident.

That’s what I think.

But getting back to the present…

I stayed here waiting for everyone to finish their evaluations, and when they did, they’d come sit where I was.

But unlike Apia’s little group, the others judge me to death. I don’t understand why. I’ve clearly been minding my own business this whole time.

They came and came, and that was it. Everyone arrived. And after a while, they—the agents—showed up.

Blake’s tone of voice just wouldn’t stop echoing in my ears. Even now.

Why did he have to talk like that?

We all got up, and even though I know I did well on the maneuvers, I’m curious to hear their feedback on me, even though I wasn’t really evaluated.

And the one who comments on it is James. He gives feedback on absolutely everyone, and the atmosphere instantly becomes tense. After all, tomorrow three people will be eliminated.

I really hope I’m not one of them. I’m trying hard not to be.

“How was it for you?” I ask Noah when we leave, as soon as they dismiss us. I’m going to sleep a bit before lunch.

“It went well. I only had some trouble with the autorotation maneuver, but I don’t think it was that bad,” he says, and I nod.

“It really is a bit of a risky and complex maneuver,” I comment.

“Lauren!” I hear Sasha’s voice. I look back and wave goodbye, letting Noah walk alone, and I go to her as she’s already walking towards me.

Everyone else already went upstairs.

“Sasha,” I say, looking at her. “Is something wrong? Did I do something?” I ask.

“Nothing, but you need to come with me,” she says, walking through another door, and I follow her.

Hopefully, it’s nothing serious.

I don’t ask her anything, even though I’m curious. We just step into the elevator, and I lean against the metallic wall, exhausted.

“How’s your hand?” she asks, and I look at her.

“Better, thank you!” I reply, when a tiny warning light blinks at me.

She knows? Does that mean Blake mentioned it?

Lauren, your head has been in the clouds lately.

What is going on with you?

“You didn’t rest at all,” she says as the elevator doors open. We walk out.

“I’m trying to catch up with the others on the subjects I missed,” I say as we enter Blake’s office again.

And to think I believed I wouldn’t be coming back here. “Lauren!” Samuel greets me, smiling, and I smile back.

“Hi!” I greet them, letting my eyes wander around the room but now forcing myself not to look at Blake.

First, because I don’t know what happens to me around him. Second, because I don’t want unnecessary hatred. Hailey had a fling with Blake and hates me just because of what I said in the interrogation that day. And now I think Irika is Blake’s girlfriend.

So yeah, I’m not going to mess with people who deal with professional assassins. Imagine if, when I leave here, they decide to eliminate me?

Am I exaggerating?

Maybe. But you can never neglect a possibility, right?

“Hi!” James and Irika say, and I smile. Blake is talking on the phone.

“So?” I ask, confused, with my heart trying to jump out of my chest, and Sasha taps something on the holographic panel.

News about my family pops up, and my face immediately turns red.

What happened?

“You causing more trouble than you should, what else could it be?” Hailey asks rhetorically, and I pretend I didn’t hear her.

“Apparently, the media loves you, darling,” Irika says, and I sigh, frustrated. “Your father is going to the company we used for your departure, to see the project you’re supposedly involved in,” she adds, and I frown.

“That can’t be!” I say, incredulous. “Why?” I ask, stepping closer to Sasha to look at the headlines more carefully.

“Usually, that’s what parents do, isn’t it, Moss?” Hailey asks, as if it was obvious, and I stare at her.

“Not my parents,” I reply, looking her straight in the eyes and making that clear.

“The media found out. Someone from your family probably mentioned something, and now your father felt obligated to show up for a visit,” Sasha explains, and I sigh.

God help me.

“You should be happy. Everyone else won’t have the chance to see their parents,” Hailey says, and I prefer to ignore her.

I’m so done with her at this point.

“So that means I have to go to that company?” I ask Sasha, who nods.

“Exactly. The company works with us, so you have nothing to worry about. You just need to be convincing. Better than anyone, you know how much your family loves the media.” That comment annoys me so much, but it’s the pure and cruel truth.

“Don’t worry,” I say, swallowing hard.

“You’ll go with Samuel,” Sasha informs me, and I nod as he stands up, grabbing his car keys.

“All right,” I say, a bit nervous. “I’ll just go change my clothes…” I make a move to leave, since I’m still in this uniform.

“You need to leave now. You can change in the car,” Irika says, and my cheeks heat up, but I agree.

“Shall we?” Samuel asks, and I nod.

“Let’s go,” I reply, already feeling a headache coming. Why? What’s the point of this happening right now?

Did he think I was lying? Did he find something out?

Because him—him, personally and even if pressured by the media, would never do something like this.

I follow Samuel, overthinking, and then we get into his car. It doesn’t take long before he speeds out of there.