The Program

Chapter Seven

It's been two days since i've seen Annie, and John has been acting kinda weird. I mean, he's still acting like John but, I don't know, just different. But he's hanging out at his house more, allowing my house to finally be free of him each day. The only problem is, because he has been at his house, so have I. Apparently I wasn't aware that friends have to help hide other friends from their parents at times. But then again, I wasn't aware we were friends.

And Annie, well, i've talked to her on the phone a little but not enough for her to really understand everything. But i'll have you know that if you put John and Annie on the phone, those two start bickering horribly. I've learned my lesson, no more talking for them. It's times like when they fight that make me see just how lucky I was that neither of them really talked in the test.

Besides for the unlucky part about being sent to the test that is.

But hey, i'm trying to look on the bright side.

"So, Lexi, have you figured out that paper yet?" John asked me.

It turns out the entire reason John even took me to see Annie was because he found a paper in his parents' room and tucked it in his pocket while coming down the stairs. Which would explain why, even though he had been up there forever searching, he had nothing in his hands when he rudely stopped mine and Jack's hug. But that doesn't matter right now, what matters is what was on the paper, a list of names.

"No, not really." I said, giving the paper to him that I had been looking at for at least the past hour. John had handed me the paper while driving me home two days ago, hoping I could make sense of it. Parts of it were simple. The paper had one hundred and fifty names, causing us to believe that the names belonged to each of the people from the test. Among the names we found all my friends including Jack, John, Annie, and myself, basically confirming the list had something to do with the test. And what was next to each name, the person's address, which is why John knew exactly where to find Annie and that she was my dad and Mary's neighbor. "I just don't understand why your parents would leave something this important lying around, or at least, I think it's important."

"Well," John started. "maybe it's not that important. Maybe they wanted us to find it and hoped it would throw us off. After all, they lied to me pretty easily about all of this, they could do anything." I knew John was right, and if they wanted to throw us off, they were doing a pretty good job of it.

"That would explain the groups a bit." On the paper there seemed to be certain names on each side, separating the one hundred and fifty teens into two groups, one of the groups labeled A and the other B. As I searched through the names to try and figure out what the different groups were about, I saw that me, Annie, Luke, and John were on the front. And Jack, Danny, Caleb, and even Brittney were written on the back. 

"Maybe the people in group A are different than the people on the back." John suggested, flipping the paper over. "Maybe you and me are on the front because we're classified as different than Jack or something."

That actually made sense.

"Yeah, we are different. For one, we actually remember the test. And so does Annie, and she's in the same group as me and you too. Maybe group A shows who remembers and group B tells us who doesn't." 

"Sure, but we're different in other ways too. I mean, we know that me and you are disrupters and we remember. I'm pretty sure Jack's not a disrupter, Natalie probably would have mentioned it if he was considering how involved with the whole ordeal he was." John pointed out. "So, Jack isn't a disrupter and he doesn't remember but we do, maybe that's not a coincidence." 

"Wait, are you saying that the reason me or you or even Annie or anyone else knows about the test is because we can disrupt?" I asked.

Again, that actually made sense.

"It's always possible." He answered.

"What is?" Someone said from the living room before I heard the front door close behind them. As they walked into the kitchen, I saw that they were Jack. "Hey, Lexi." I did a tiny wave and smile back and watched as John quickly folded up the paper and put in his back pocket.

"I thought you were spending the day with Ben." John said. 

"Oh, well, dad got a call or something and told me I should just go home. He says work's pretty demanding and he's been busy. But Martha says he can come over for dinner so it's all good." Jack told him. When did he start calling his mom Martha? Maybe it's got something to do with her not actually being his mom.

"What a joy that will be." John replied, rolling his eyes as he did so. And I guess Jack chose to ignore his comment. "But what i'm wondering is why you haven't just moved in with him already. I mean, he is your dad." Now John sounded annoyed.

"I'm not really sure, i've asked before but all he said is it wouldn't really work out right now or whatever. So, here I am, still living under the same roof as you, isn't it lovely?" He said. "But what i'm more interested in is why Lexi is here, again."

"What, can't I have a friend over?" John asked.

"It's easy to see that you two don't exactly like the other, i'm sure you're not friends." 

"And yet, you continue to think we're dating." I spoke up. "It's about as annoying as Mary."

"Ha ha, really funny, Lexi. But being annoying is only natural for me, it's one of my many amazing qualities." Jack said, smirking as always.

"I've noticed." I mumbled. 

"And the reason she's here," John started, kinda pointing at me. "is because she's staying for dinner too." And maybe I should have spoken up and said I didn't really feel like sharing a meal with someone who tried to kill me, but John gave me a look which seemed a lot like him pleading for me to stay and I couldn't open my mouth.

"You are?" Jack asked, turning to me.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Great, first I was forced to have dinner with Mary the other night. Now i'm being dragged into this.

What a joy tonight will be.

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"Yeah, mom, I get it. It's not like I leave the house all the time." I said into my phone.

"Oh really, you've been going everywhere with that Evans boy for the past week or so and you expect me to just let you tonight?" My mom argued, and yeah, maybe she was right. But given the glare John sent Reid's way when he walked in the door a few minutes ago, I would say that if I don't stay, all war would break out. Even if in reality it would probably end up being John having to pull me away from the piece of crap because i'd have my hands around his neck.

"Mom, seriously, he's a friend and his parents wanted me to stay for dinner. What am I supposed to say? Sorry, my mom doesn't want me to." And yeah, I may have whined a bit, but it was all fake. I would much rather use the excuse as long as I didn't have to sit near Reid. Even though, as I said, I must stop war.

"Fine, but you should stay home for the next few days. I feel like I haven't even seen you since you got out of the hospital." At this moment I could imagine her running her hands through her brown hair and giving me a look with her blue eyes, causing more than enough guilt to transfer from her side of the phone to mine.

"Sure, can do. Well, i'm gonna hang up now. Love you." I said.

"You too, sweetheart." And then she was gone and I put my phone in my front pocket. And maybe little huff came from my mouth, but seriously, when you're slightly agitated, what do you do?

"That your mom?" I jumped some at the voice behind me, much like when I had first heard that same person behind me when we first met in my bright cupcake shorts. It was Jack.

"Um, yeah," I answered, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. "she's just been kinda worried since I woke up, me being in a coma and all. I guess she just expected me to not really go back to normal."

"Really? Who would of thought, a parent actually being worried about their child after something like that? It's practically unheard of." And along with him words he added a stupid smile, what else is new?

"You don't have to be like that. If you knew what I do you wouldn't take to kindly to someone treating you like you were five." I shot back.

"I don't think anyone likes being compared to a five year old. But off that topic. What exactly do you know that I don't, Lexi?" And of course, that was when I realized my mistake. Couldn't it have been before I said it? But I guess part of me decided to joke a bit, instead of making a fool out of myself explaining.

"Oh, i'm sure I know much more than you do, Jack." He let out a laugh, and so did I. This was normal. This was us. This I could do. Mocking or joking with him I mean, that had always been easy.

"You sure about that, princess?" And just like that, I froze. God, Jack. Why did you have to call me that? 

"Why do you call me that sometimes?"

No, no, no. What are you doing, Lexi? Shut up. This is not the time for stupid, random things to pop out of your mouth.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"You know, when you call me princess." And I just had to blush while saying that last bit. Again, what else is new?

Well, maybe you wouldn't blush if you just shut up.

For my mind being so smart and partially sane at this momet, my mouth just didn't want to listen. "I mean, not that I don't like it but, um, it's just-" I continued. 

"Weird." Jack finished. Actually, no, weird wasn't the right word. "Strange, crazy, uncomfortable? Take your pick, Lexi." Those didn't seem to finish my sentence either. "How about awkward?" That one sounded right.

"Yeah, just a bit awkward." Which was weird and strange and crazy, even uncomfortable when it came to me and Jack. We were, well, us. And the us we always were was never awkward. The silence was never awkward, but comforting. And when it came to talking to him, we were us, that's all I can say.

"It doesn't have to be awkward you know." He said after awhile.

"Huh?" And he was about to answer when John walked up and told us it was time to eat. This time when he interrupted me and Jack, it was okay, I guess anyway. A few seconds later I saw that spaghetti was the meal for tonight. 

"Alright, everyone help yourself." Martha told us while Henry handed me a plate. I was kind of glad they weren't fix the table all nice and fancy type of people, they were more laid back. Which just made me wonder how in the world someone like Marhta came to be best friends with someone like Mary.

And Martha seemed kind, her voice soft and even when Reid was near, who obviously she knew to be someone involved with the test, she was nice. I don't know, maybe she was on Reid's side in all of this.

After everyone got a plate, we didn't eat at a table, but in their living room, the television already on and everyone's faces were focused on the screen.

"Hey, Lexi. Over here." I snapped my head to the right to see Jack, pointing to a seat beside him, which was also sadly beside Reid. 

And yeah, I would have refused, but it looks like John had alreadly beat me to it. "Ah, no, go ahead and take my seat." John told me, getting out of his chair. "Make room for me, Jack. Don't be a hog." 

"Thanks, John." He did a half smile and sat down next to Reid.

One possible crisis averted, sadly causing John to be next to the evil monster. I just hoped the rest of the night would go by smoothly.

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Here's another update, I hope you enjoyed it. Okay so, I don't have much to say except i'm sorry it took me almost two weeks to update and this chapter is dedicated to Live4ever99 because recently she started a new story that I literally love. And if you like Divergent, or maybe The Maze Runner, you should go check out her story called The Maze of Divergence. It's very well written and I think it's a super great idea. If you wish to read it just click the external link or go to her page and you can find it there. Okay, so um, bye guys :)