Scott turned to me, as everything around us seemed to change.

Alice was Noah's daughter.

Suddenly it all made sense, why Noah had acted so nervous. How Alice had seemingly got past everything that should have prevented. Why Evan simply brushed off that there was an error in the system.

But we still didn't know who visited her earlier. Nor did we know who Yasmin was.

"D-do you know him?" she stumbled over the words, obviously sensing that something was up. However, this opened up something new, as more of this story unravelled it began to tie itself back up.

"We work with him," I said, my mind running over what to ask. There was so many things I needed to ask, "Who else knows?"

"Nobody else, well... beside you three now I guess," she said, starting to fiddle with her sweater. My heart was racing faster with every breath.

"Who was Yasmin?" Scott asked. I was glad he asked, as if I tried to all the words would come out in a mumble, "Is she the girl from the Alice profile?"

"I think, yeah," she said, glancing from between Scott and I, "I really don't know much. But apparently she's alive and was a part of some weird revolution in another city? Wait, actually. Now that you mention it I think-"

She was cut off by a knock on the door. I froze, and her eyes darted to the door. I immediately tried looking for a camera, if we were all about to be killed. But obviously, even if there was a camera, I couldn't see it. If the cameras in our apartment had anything to show it was that.

The door opened, and there stood Amanda. At this point, Alice appeared to be completely normal, if not a little nervous. She seemed to relax a bit as she saw who it was.

"You know you guys shouldn't be in here..." Amanda said, shaking her head. She sighed, "C'mon, I can't turn a blind eye forever,"

My heart was still beating a million times an hour, turning to Scott, I saw he was just as baffled and curious as me. Jake, on the other hand, was completely confused. I decided that explaining everything to him later would be the best option.

"Sorry," I said, as we all left the room. She sighed, locking the door quickly by swiping her keycard. She turned to me, sighing.

"I know you love this place," she said, grimacing. She began to walk us out into the main foyer of the building, "And you're welcome here wherever you want. But you're all grown up now, and I still have laws to follow,"

"No I get it," I said, turning to her. She gave me a warm smile, her hazel eyes bright with kindness. I sighed, trying my best to not show the nervousness, "I just wanted to see the place one last time,"

"Just remember this is Yasmin's job now, not yours," she said, and the words were a lot painful then I expected. It was although a knife was shoved into my stomach and twisted. This was all I wanted. To grow old surrounded by all these books, live in a world that isn't mine.

"We'll get going now," Jake said, after I didn't say anything. Alice began to walk away, but not before mouthing a thank you to me.

As we exited the library, we scanned out watches to sign out. And as the moment the air hit my face, I realized I was crying.

Quickly wiping it away, I turned back to the boys, who had very conflicting emotions to when we had first walked in. Scott, who had looked beyond annoyed, was now ringing with a sense of curiosity and excitement. Jake, on the other hand, had his brow furrowed and hands crossed.

"Explain," he said bluntly, and I sighed.

"Not here," I said. He uncrossed his arms and I continued, "We need to see Charlie and Lillian,"

I turned towards the direction of the station, and walked.

I didn't want to talk. I didn't even want this situation. But if I hadn't noticed that L on the back of her neck then this entire thing wouldn't have happened. I would be in a mindless job, ignoring Scott and trying to get along with Jake.

And now I had this.

Alice was a girl who was Noah's daughter. After Alice was assigned, her match killed himself. Her father, my co-worker, had switched her profile around with a girl called Yasmin. Yasmin, who was not a Lower and would have been matched that day, was actually alive. The real Yasmin was also possibly apart of a revolution in another city.

And yet, it didn't feel right.

Part of me wanted to say this was all a lie. It would be easier to just be another piece in the system, ignore what she said and live a simple life. Not to interfere with Noah, not to get involved in this. That part of me wanted to get on the train, go home, and ignore what had happened.

But another part of me believed it. Realized that society wasn't perfect, that there's corruption hidden in the cracks of a dodgy computer lab. That lies and truth were synonyms to each other, that a girl could change who she was. That there was a group out there breaking out of it.

It's hard to explain what you're thinking when it feels as though you're split in two.

At the station, I heard Jake and Scott talking quietly. Scott appeared to be explaining everything to him, but I couldn't seem to focus on the words. I just stared at the advert across the station, which had a man and woman holding a baby. Staring into each others eyes with deep compassion and love.

I wanted something like that. To have someone to look at me like that, to have a child. But I didn't want it in this life, in this world. I didn't want that with Jake, and I certainly didn't want it with anyone else.

What I really wanted was not to become someone like that, but to be that.

I know I couldn't live life wanting another. Couldn't stare at pictures and wish I could be somehow put into another's life. For my entire life I knew this.

Until today.

Because today I had learnt that things weren't as set as the leaders made it seem. That all those lessons about trust were coated with a thin layer of lies, which then soaked into every crevice and crack in truth. That a man with my job had changed the system, had given a girl my age a life she wanted.

And that gave me hope.

The train arrived, and I stepped onto it. Jake and Scott followed. They must have disagreed on something as they were eyeing each other off with disgust.

"This is such a bad idea," Jake said, as we sat down in a seat of four. Scott stared out the window, and I sat down beside him, "What if she wasn't... y'know? What if we got killed? Do you realize how whatever you do effects Jessie?"

Scott flinched at the mention of Jessie. As Jake noticed this, his jaw tightened, and he sat forward.

"I swear on my life, that if anything happens to her because of you, I'll make it my goal to hunt you down before they do," Jake said, poison in his words. It made the pain in my heart continued to grow as I turned away. He looked away, clearly pissed.

"Why do you care so much about her?" Scott asked, turning to him. Jake seemed taken aback by this question. I wanted to intervene but couldn't find any energy to, "She is just some girl,"

"She's not just some girl," Jake spat, crossing his arms. He sighed deeply, pain crossed his eyes. He shook his head, "You'll never understand,"

"You know you can't feel this way forever," Scott said, the curiosity which had been so intense earlier was now dull, his voice a monotonous statement. He continued, "Someday you'll have to get over her,"

"Maybe," Jake said, less anger in his voice. Instead, it was now quiet, "But if I gained anything from today it was that things aren't exactly set in stone."

And with that, the train came to a slow stop.