Restless (Element Preservers, #4) (5 page)

Chapter 07

"I didn't expect you to come here. Are you sure you'll be fine?" Paula's forehead was creased with worry as we walked down the empty halls of the lab. "There aren't many people with elements here, but they could still weaken you."

"I'm fine." All the frustration my brother had caused me didn't help, but maybe I could distract myself in the lab. "So, did you find another donor for earth?" I carefully observed Paula's face.

She shook her head. "One person with earth did give us permission to have his element when he dies, but he won't be dying anytime soon. He's in his thirties."

I frowned. "I had no idea people would consider this if they weren't dying. There are still huge chances he dies somewhere where no one can get his element or that he dies at the hands of a carrier."

"Yeah, there's always a risk, but at least people aren't opposed to giving away their elements right before they die." She glanced at me, her blue-green eyes serious. "You know, Michael is here."

"Michael?" I hadn't seen Michael for a while, ever since he left with Amaya. "How is he?"

"He's pretty much involved with Amaya. She's here too." Paula pressed her lips together. "Honestly, I don't think she's good for him. She still wants to get revenge on Adrian and doesn't let anyone into her life. I tried talking to her, but she pushed me away."

"Oh God." The last thing I needed was to run into Adrian's ex. "I'm surprised she didn't run to the press with the story about Adrian and me."

"She's not stupid. She knows no one would believe her without proof, but Adrian and you should be careful because the press is most likely following your every move and can't wait to get something on you. One picture of Adrian and you talking to each other could turn into a proof of a love affair." A playful smile quirked her lips. "How did your date with Ethan go?"

"Don't ask." I groaned. "I have no clue if he's playing me or telling the truth."

"And if he isn't playing you?" She gave me an innocent look under her eyelashes.

"Nothing. I'm not interested. I have a boyfriend." Ethan was handsome and maybe there was some truth in what he had told me, but that didn't mean he had any chances with me.

"Never say never." Paula chuckled. "I know you're in love with the boy who you can't date in public and can't touch for fear you'd lose control, but you need to have other options."

"Other options?" My eyebrows shot up. "Like dating a guy who I can't touch because I might kill him and take his element? A guy who might expose me to the world if he saw I had the symptoms of the disease? A guy who might have been sent by my enemies?"

"Ok, ok!" Paula defensively put her hands up. "Ethan is also a bad choice, but if we get you the fourth element..."

"Is April here somewhere? I'd like to meet her," I interrupted, and Paula licked her lips.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? It might affect your decision to accept the donated element."

"That's exactly why I want to meet her." Paula's reaction only made me more certain there was something important about April that Paula didn't want me to know.

"Alright, but I can't go with you. I don't want to make her condition worse. She's just down the hall in the protected area. Her name is written on her room, so you can't miss it." Paula patted me on the shoulder. "Just be glad you don't have to be isolated like she is." The look in Paula's eyes indicated that she thought I could end up as April very soon if we didn't find a solution for my condition.

"I'll be right back." I flashed her a smile and strode down the hall, fighting the uneasiness in my stomach. It wasn't hard to find April's room because her name was written in huge pink letters on the steel door. I knocked once and pushed the door open. A pair of big green eyes looked up at me, full of curiosity. My breath hitched in my throat as I realized April couldn't be older than fourteen.

"Hi. Are you April?" I asked, closing the door behind me. The girl nodded, her long black curls jumping around her tiny shoulders.

"I know you," she exclaimed, getting up from the bed. The small room was full of sunshine thanks to the huge window that looked on the endless meadow. A desk and a chair stood in the corner, covered in toys and flowers. One of the walls was completely filled with pictures of famous actors and singers.

"You're Ria Milanez!" Her eyes widened as she approached me. "They told me you were just like me. I mean, they told me we had the same elements."

"Yeah, that's me."

April smiled and put her arms around me. "I can't believe you came to see me! I never thought I'd meet anyone famous."

"Well, I'm not that famous." I stepped back and nodded in the direction of the posters where real celebrities were.

"Yes, you are. All carriers know about you." She straightened her purple dress. "Come sit with me."

"Sure." April led me to the bed and we sat down, our shoulders nearly touching.

"I still can't believe you're here. They told me you were too busy." She pouted. "But I did hope you might come."

"Who told you that?" I had no idea who 'they' were, but maybe April could enlighten me.

"Mark and Sasha, my doctors." Her face lost a bit of its cheerfulness. "I wish more people would be allowed to visit me, but I don't want to hurt them."

"I don't know your doctors, but I hope they're taking good care of you. How are you feeling?" I'd freaked out when I was alone in a whole house with a city nearby. I couldn't imagine what April was going through here, trapped forever in a small room with a huge window that showed her what she couldn't have. I thought I was going to be sick.

"I'm fine, but I can't be around people with elements." A frown line appeared on her forehead. "Are
you
ok? You look pale."

"Don't worry about me." I tried to smile, but I could bet it looked more like a grimace. "How long have you been here?"

"A couple of months." She shrugged. "At least no one ties me down in here."

I swallowed the bile that was rising in my throat. No, I couldn't take away this girl's chance to have a normal life. What were Paula and the others thinking? How the fuck could I be the priority? I was the one living at a university full of people with elements and I could do whatever I wanted. If April didn't get an earth element soon, God knew how long she'd have to stay in this room. She needed that element more than me.

"Did they tell you there is a person who could donate his element to you?" I said, staring at my hands in my lap.

"Yeah," she said slowly. "But you need that element, so I guess I'll have to wait a bit longer."

"No, I won't let that happen. You are the one who needs that element the most, not me." I met her surprised eyes.

"But..." She started to protest, shaking her head.

"No buts." I took her hands in mine, squeezing lightly. "Promise me you will take that element for yourself when the time comes."

She stared at me for a full minute, confusion and indecision crossing her delicate features. "I... I promise."

"Good." I bit my lip to push back the tears that pooled in my eyes. "You're going to be fine, April. You'll get out of here and then we'll go shopping together. What do you say?"

"Deal!" April squealed in delight, throwing herself in my arms. I pressed her to myself, closing my eyes. Even if I fell apart and completely lost control, no one could make me take the earth element before April.

I waved goodbye to April, a broad smile on my face. She grinned back at me as I closed the door. I’d made only a couple of steps out in the hall when tears flooded my eyes. I let myself slide down the wall and pulled my knees up, hugging myself. There were so many carriers who would continue to suffer simply because we couldn't do anything for them. I had to do something, but I wasn't sure what.

"Who do we have here?" a familiar voice said. "You're going to get your skirt dirty."

"Michael." I roughly wiped away my tears and looked up at him. He looked good as usual, his brown hair messy, his green eyes warm.

"Did you get tired of playing the president?" He crossed his arms.

"Of course not." I scowled. "But if you'd like to take my place, go ahead. I'm not sure how you could do it under the current system, so I'm really sorry that I'll have to keep my position of the president so that someone with anti-carrier feelings doesn't substitute me."

Michael sighed. "I'm sorry. I forget that you don't have such an easy job. It is so easy to hate you."

"I'm glad to hear you moved on." I rose from the floor and brushed the dust off my skirt. Obviously everyone was too busy with researching to clean up the halls. "Although dating Adrian's crazy ex..."

"Really, Ria?" He shook his head in disapproval.

"Yeah, ok. Who am I to judge? You're right about that." I ran a hand through my hair, wondering whether my makeup was smeared. Asking Michael about it was out of the question, though. Even if my hair looked like a bunch of squirrels had had a fight in it, I'd have to wait until I found a mirror to fix it.

"I'm glad we agree about something." He glanced down the hall and back at me. "Were you visiting someone?"

"Yeah, April." Judging by a troubled look on Michael's face, he knew who April was, but hadn't expected me to go anywhere near her. "She seems like a nice girl." A girl who should be in school with her friends, who should be able to swim in the sea, who should be riding her bike and worry about grades, boys or whatever she liked.

"That's cold. Even for you, Ria." He glared at me. "How can you go visit her when you know she'll have to stay here because of you?"

"I'm not going to take the damn element," I said angrily. "Apparently, everyone wants me to take it, but I can't do it."

"Would you take it if April was older than you?"

"I don't know." Was there actually a real reason why I deserved the element before someone else? Maybe there was, but April wasn't an adult.

"Lily and Paula will fight you on this. You are the only one who can be the president that is pro-carrier. You just told me that yourself a minute ago." His face softened.

"Not you too." I groaned. "Yes, I understand that we're in a delicate situation, but I think I can hold on a bit longer. If Paula hadn't come up with the idea of donations, we wouldn't even be discussing this."

"And if you end up in April's place?" His green eyes bored into mine.

"Then I'll end up in her place."

"Am I interrupting something?" I peered into the room where Paula and Ryan were talking about something in hushed voices.

Paula turned around, nearly knocking a book off the table. "No, of course not." Ryan only grinned at me.

"Right." I'd left Michael in the hall because he was waiting for Amaya, and I didn't want to go anywhere near her, but maybe I shouldn't have come to see Paula instead. She looked positively busy with Ryan.

"Ryan was just telling me how he'd like to help me with my research," Paula said, nudging him in the ribs. "Right?"

"Yeah, totally," he said, placing his hand over the spot that she'd hit. "I'd gladly offer myself to you in the name of science."

I burst out laughing. "I don't think you can refuse this kind offer, Paula."

"Shut up. Both of you." Her mouth twitched. "Ria, how did it go with April?"

"She was happy to see me. Actually, she was happy that someone other than the doctors visited her." My good humor faded. "I think you can guess what I decided to do. I can't believe you didn't tell me she was so young!"

"Ria..." Paula lowered her eyes, taking off the white gloves that she had used for some experiment. "It's horrible what's happening to April and I'd do anything to help her, but you need that element too. We can't sacrifice thousands so one can live in peace. We'll find another donor soon. I'm sure of it, so it's better you take the first element."

"Since when am I thousands of people?" I couldn't understand her logic. If she was sure there'd be another donor soon, then I could wait for him. "I'm the one who can wait."

"The future of thousands of carriers is in your hands. It is possible that you will be able to wait, but we can't risk that something goes wrong." Paula threw the gloves into the trash can.

"I can't change the world, Paula." I chewed on the insides of my mouth.

"No, but you can try." She shot me an annoyed look. "Stop thinking only of yourself and what you want. There's a bigger picture you're not seeing. The decision to take the element or not is yours, though."

"Great. Then we can stop having endless conversations about this." I wasn't going to take the element no matter what. I only hoped that my decision wasn't the wrong one.

Chapter 08

I'd been overjoyed when I heard my idea for a reality TV show had been accepted, but my joy quickly disappeared when they told me I'd be the first guest on the show. It would be beyond awesome if I lost control on live TV. Too bad I'd come up with a show where people actually had to use their elements and I was only limited to fire. If any of my other elements popped up... I didn't even want to think what would happen.