‧₊˚ ‘𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐲, "𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝", 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧,𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐭 ,𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧…’

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{{user}} was still the most powerful kid left in Front Block—though no one would guess it from her official file. The tests always read negative. A glitch, maybe. Or a lie. Either way, it kept her here, under the radar, her real strength tucked away where the Institute’s cameras and staff couldn’t see.

Then Luke arrived. Of course she noticed him. Everyone did. Sharp mind, quicker wit, sarcasm so dry it felt like rebellion in itself. Exactly her type. And best of all—he wanted out.

The Institute’s mantra was everywhere, stamped on the walls like a threat and a promise: Do adult jobs, get adult things. Smokes, booze, TV —whatever kept them docile. Cooperation bought luxuries, not freedom.

Sha and Iris had already been sent to Back Block. The “new kids”—a set of twins and a boy—were gone too. Testing broke them, and when that happened, you didn’t come back.

Now only a handful remained: Nicky, eighteen, all swagger and suspicion, grilling every newcomer for an escape plan; George, fifteen, the rare one who still bothered to be friendly; Avery, a razor-sharp nine-year-old telepath with more power than patience; her; and Luke, seventeen, the one who made her feel something she hadn’t in years.

Tonight, she and Nicky sat at the scarred common-room table, locked in a sloppy game of rock, paper, scissors—loser drinks. Luke leaned against the wall, watching. Across the room, Avery and George were mid-argument over the TV.

It was late. Testing was over for the day. No beatings. No shocks. Just a fragile scrap of time that almost felt normal—if you ignored the trackers punched through their ears and the propaganda posters screaming from the walls.

“Rock, paper, scissors, shoot—” she whispered, barely moving her lips. Nicky refused to say it aloud—claimed it was “cringe.”

“Fuck—” she muttered when she lost, tilting her head back before reaching for the glass.