Page 81 of The Bonding Games: Part 1

“Me neither.” It’s spoken by the entire group in unison—other than Ezla—which isn’t surprising; only dickheads like Troy, I imagine, would waste credits and free time on that. Or lonely people who have no one to visit, or maybe feel the need to escape.

And that’s when I realise Ezla wasn’t the only one to stay silent. Cooper didn’t say anything either.

“You’ve been to one?” I prompt.

His jaw tenses.

Shit. Sensitive subject.

But before I can tell him never mind, he divulges with a forced plain tone while not looking at anything but the hall we walk down, “A few times. I needed a way to forget. To escape my . . .”

He casts another swift glance back at Ezla, and her helmet tilts to the side almost in challenge.

But he only shakes his head to himself before swivelling his attention back ahead.

Odd. What was that about?

From the curious gazes of the others, I know they’re all thinking the same thing.

Well, Tate’s thoughts are probably a little more violent, his face dripping with so much jealousy at the fact his obsession seems to share something with Cooper that she doesn’t with him that I’m a little worried we’re about to have a dead body on our hands.

I send him a warning glance that’s met with an aggressive huff and bulky arms crossing over a broad chest.

Progress. He would’ve grabbed Cooper and shaken him about until his secrets all toppled out of his head just a week ago.

“Well, now we all get to go together and celebrate and have fun!” Tiger pipes up, his energy infectious and immediately lightening up the hall as we stop outside our Bonded washroom.

“Everyone in?”

My question is met with nods and affirmative words from all but one.

“Ezla?” my brother asks hopefully.

His smile falters the longer she stays silent, standing there stoically.

“Ez . . . ?”

Her robotically modified voice slices through the air, toneless as always, perhaps colder, “Do not be late for training tomorrow. I expect you there no later than usual.”

With that, she spins on her heel and strides off down the hall, leaving us like always without a glance back and with a despondency that wasn’t there moments before. The heaviness isn’t able to be lifted by my brother’s forced smile or Tate’s call for her to “keep his bed warm for him until he’s back!”

I sigh. “Come on. Let’s get cleaned up and relax for a while. After dinner, we can head out.”

The dejection clear in all of us, we walk into the washroom.

***

“Lighten up, Tater Tot! This place is so cool!”

A scathing glare is directed at my brother as Tate growls over the synthwave music’s electronic beats, “Nothing is cool without my Havoc!”

I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“We can still can fun!”

“Nothing is fun without my girl!”

The bickering mixed with the flash of bright white, red, and green lights bouncing off the gleaming surfaces of the Neutral club is already starting to provoke a throbbing at my temples, and I rub at them as I ask, “Then why did you come?”