'Oblivion' is a song by Thirty Seconds to Mars and also feels like my thought process sometimes. Side note: I have a guy crush on Jared Leto and yes this is totally okay.
-
After Ayla was asleep, I locked my door behind me and made my way to Jasmine's room where she requested to see me. And when I got there, the rest of my team and Kyle's brother Ethan were already waiting for me.
I shut her door behind me and let out a sharp breath, "What? Family reunion?"
"You've got the nerve..." Jasmine shook her head, standing up from her seat at the desk in her room. "Talking about family." She slowly walked towards me, her beautifully terrifying presence consumed the room and I quickly backed up against the door.
"Enough Jasmine," Kyle rolled his eyes. "What is this about?"
She didn't take her eyes off me, "Simple, get Ayla out of here."
I groaned, "Of course this is what this is about."
Ethan backed me up, "Ayla is a sweet girl. I've known her for almost a month when I agreed to drive her to and from school and she's a nice girl. I believe we don't have to worry about her."
She glared at him, "Easy for you to say considering I bet you didn't mention her real parentage or all the visions surrounding Martin's fourth child to her during your little Q&A."
I gulped.
Mavis shook her head, "I've been following Ayla's future for months, all the paths I've seen have been positive, nothing about the other side of the foreseer's visions."
"However we can't ignore the threat that she poses! Hello? Am I the only one with a freaking brain?" She circled all of us with her arms out to her sides. "She is the one thing that Martin has been searching for for years. We've all heard the legends about what his previous children are capable of and how he basically cast them aside because they're defects. Now that he knows she's alive and with Reece Gordon he will go to their house and once he sees she's not there guess where he's coming?"
"That's only if he finds out where our base is," Mavis answered. "Ayla is not like Martin's kids. She is the only one that got to grow up as normal as... well as normal can be."
"We have to give her a chance we can't abandon her. And if she is in their hands then imagine what they could potentially use her for if any of the whispers are true!" Kyle cut in.
It seemed like everyone was yelling at each other and I was simply standing back, the orchestrator of it all. I followed Mr. Gordon's wishes but at what cost? If the rest of the base found out what we all know then there's no way this base won't be torn apart. It sucks believing Ayla is good through and through but there's no way of knowing nor convincing everyone that there's nothing to worry about. Truthfully, there could be something to be worried about.
"Guys stop," I was surprised at how soft my voice came out. I took a deep breath and spoke up, "Guys please stop!"
They all looked at me with an array of emotions sprawled on their faces, from anger to shock.
"This... this is my fault," my ears started to ring and I fought back the urge to lock myself in my room and cry. "Yes, we didn't tell Ayla the whole truth but that's a whole different story for later. She just got here. She doesn't need to know about how her family isn't actually her family or that there's a myth amongst our world about her." I sighed, "Shes just a girl."
"Yeah, a girl that's going to be the downfall of this base," Jasmine rolled her eyes. "You're blinded by a childhood crush."
I felt my cheeks heat up and a burning sensation in my stomach, "What? No-"
"You're ignoring the negative side of the vision by hoping the 'goodness of the rebellion' is going to somehow make sure she chooses our side." She groaned. "We're not good either!"
"No, you're just a bitch," Kyle smiled.
"Jasmine we have to try," Mavis said softly. "We owe it to Eveline. This was her dream," she shrugged.
I closed my eyes and let my head hang low. The mention of my sister would always be a touchy subject. I don't even know if I would call this her 'dream.' I wondered what Eveline think if she were here and still the head of this base. Would she help Ayla knowing that Ayla's power and importance within this world would be a huge risk to take? Or would she cast her aside.
No. Eveline could read people so well... she would see Ayla is a genuinely good person and that Ayla's power and importance could easily be used in our favor.
"We can't just toss her out it's too late now," Ethan said. "She has nowhere to go."
Jasmine shook her head, staring down at the ground, "That's not my problem."
"If Eveline saw the good in you Jasmine then if she were here, she'd see the good in Ayla too. She'd help her." Jasmine hadn't mentioned it yet but when I thought about it I made the connection: Jasmine is Martin's niece which makes the two of them family.
"Tons of people here doubted you," I continued on with her icy eyes fixated on me. "They said that because of your relation to Martin that you couldn't be trusted but you eventually proved yourself."
"Don't even act like I don't still get shit for being related to someone-"
"But Eveline always believed in you. She trusted you and you worked together and look at what we've built. More importantly, look what our current head has destroyed."
Everyones faces fell. Our head of the base destroyed my sisters legacy, destroyed her dreams and set us back but Ayla could easily propel us forward.
"Ayla came with ties to this world but she is not a threat, okay? She is unaware of this and we will help guide her through it once she finds out." I looked at Jasmine, "Please just give me more time. And give her a chance to prove herself, too."
She stayed silent for a moment before rolling her eyes, "Whatever. I chose this side, Jack. In some ways she is still a naïve kid they could easily manipulate and take her, she's potentially a weapon Martin intends on unleashing while I got cast aside after he named me his heir. I'm not a threat like her."
I pinched my eyebrows together, "But aren't you?"
She slowly began to grin, "Okay. Whatever I want no part in this. And if I have to come in and put that girl in line I will not hesitate to get rid of her altogether and save us all the trouble of waiting."
I don't doubt Ayla is good, I just don't know if she can handle the power she was born with. And if it ever came down to Martin being here and wanting her to come with him- who would she choose to fight against? It's not like we have a lot going for us here...
"Now all of you get out of my room," Jasmine yelled.
"Wait-" everyone froze. "Do you promise not to tell anyone else here? It has to stay between us."
Jasmine smirked, "As fun as it would be to watch this place fall into chaos, I won't. Anything to keep my uncle away from this place."
I exhaled, "Thank you, Jasmine."