Once I’m back into my room I slide against the wall and bring my knees to my chest. No matter how many deep breaths that a take, I still feel like I can’t breathe. I look up and see that the light in Tristayne’s room is still on. I try not to make a noise. I know he’s aware I’m here because I hear a book close and footsteps coming across the wood floors.

I look down and press my forehead to my knees. I hear Tris take a breath. I’m sure he’s ready to yell. He’s had time to figure out exactly what he wants to say to me. The breath is slowly released, and I hear him come across my room. I don’t bother looking up at him. I don’t want to see the disappointment in his eyes.

The fear of what I heard on the beach is too much for me. It makes the tower of my terror almost topple over. I don’t think Sailor truly understood the gravity of what the girl’s mother said. He heard it. Why won't he believe it? I can't possibly be overreacting.

I feel tears gathering in on the bottom of my eyes. The panic of it all. The focus I had to use to get back in the room was hindered by the thoughts racing through my mind. It's time to pray that no cameras caught me. I suppose that people would be knocking the door down if they noticed.

I didn’t hear Tris sit down next to me, but I know he’s there now. Even if he's mad, he'll hear me out. He knows about the anxiety. How earnestly I take things. It's almost like he's known me my whole life. Then again, he almost has. There were only six years out of seventeen that he missed out on. That even I've missed out on.

“What happened?” He asks softly. I manage to blink the tears back and lift my head to look at him.

“We went to the beach, and I saw waves for the first time.” I sigh.

“Well if that’s it, can I yell at you?”

“Please don’t.” I whisper. It’s so quiet that I fear that he didn’t hear it.

“Then what's wrong?”

“If I tell you, I bet you’ll think I’m crazy.”

“Y’know, kiddo,” He manages a smile and puts an arm around my shoulders. “You definitely are crazy but I think reckless is a better word for the situation at hand.” I think for a moment. There has to be some way that someone will be listening in to what we say. I’m not sure though.

“I don’t know if here is the place to tell you.”

“Can you tell me somewhere else then?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Speak English, then. Just this once.”

“Do you promise not to call me crazy?”

“I promise,” I take a deep breath and stand up. I rip off my wet jacket and throw it on my chair. I look down and see that I tracked sand all over the floor with my boots. “You’ll have to clean that up later, you know.” He tells me. I nod.

"At the beach, there was a little girl and her mother. It noticed that they were Vuskai. I decided to listen in on their conversation. I had to translate everything for Sailor."

“Okay?” Tris stands up and crosses his arms. I sit down on my bed and look away from him. I don’t feel like there’s any way to say it, so it doesn’t sound like it’s a figment of my imagination. "Are you going to leave me in suspense?"

“They were talking about how their king was, or is, in cahoots with the president. The mom told her daughter that they’re going to come.”

I hear him take a sharp breath in. I’m not sure if it’s because he doesn’t believe me in the slightest or if he’s just as concerned as I am.

“She said they’ll come after all the humans. I think they’re coming here. They’re not going to do anything to the Ayhirians. They’re going to do something to us.” 

His forehead is wrinkled in concern. There’s a long period of silence. I don’t know what else to add. It’s the short version. Those are the most important parts to me. There has to be someone who knows all this on the inside. He gets up and comes to put his hand on my shoulder.

“I’ll talk to Milo tomorrow. Not in front of you guys. I’ll do it while you guys are in class. Don’t mention this to anyone else, alright?”

“Okay.”

“People will find out you left. I don’t want that,” I nod. He hears the short, shallow breaths I’m taking and wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Anxiety?”

“Yeah,” I force myself to take a deep breath. “I’ll just go to bed and sleep on it. I’ll be okay.” He rubs my arm and then parts with me. I watch as he leaves the room. I feel empty after realizing I wasn’t going to get yelled at. I wish he didn’t treat me like I’m fragile. I’m not. Everyone’s right. He’s too easy on me.