Glitch

I looked at him, trying to cover
    my look of alarm. What if my instructor was actually a
    Monitor? The realization dawned on me with sudden dread.
    Of course. It made sense that Monitors didn’t just pose as
    students. Instructors had the perfect excuse to stare at stu-
    dents all during class, watching us when we didn’t think
    anyone was looking.
    I took the tray and headed toward the small closet at the
    back of the room. I wasn’t Linked, but I didn’t want to whis-
    per the words to Link me back in case he overheard me. I
    walked in the back equipment closet, scanning the fl oor- to-
    ceiling shelves for an empty space to set the tray down.
    I didn’t notice the instructor had followed me until he
    closed the closet door behind us. I took a sharp intake of
    breath, but managed to swallow my scream. I was trapped.
    He was holding me captive until the Regulators came to drag
    me away for deactivation.
    I turned to face my captor just as his body shimmered and
    morphed into Max’s. He had a very satisfi ed smirk on his
    face.
    “Max!” I squeaked, the release of adrenaline fl ooding
    me in relief. I put down the tray and knocked him in the
    chest with both palms. “I can’t believe you scared me like
    that!”
    “I just needed to talk to you. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
    “A little warning next time would help,” I said, still trying
    to catch my breath from the shock. “I thought you were—”
    I couldn’t even fi nish the sentence. I hugged my arms around
    myself.
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    Heather Anastasiu
    “Hey, it’s okay.” His face was soft and he reached out for
    my hands. He smiled, dimples showing.
    I breathed in and out slowly, the terror trickling away.
    “I was going crazy thinking about you.” He put his hands
    on my waist. “And I decided I’ll help with Molla. What ever
    you want me to do.
    “Ouch, my hand, Zoe.” He laughed and I realized I was
    clutching his hand so hard my nails were digging in. He
    leaned in, his broad shoulders and strong jaw outlined in the
    dim light of the closet. “Glad to know you care.”
    “Of course I care,” I said. “So you’ll contact Molla? How?”
    “Same way I’m doing here. Posing as an instructor. I’ll
    try to catch her later today. I’ll let her know I’m looking out
    for her and help her work on hiding her emotions so she
    doesn’t get noticed by the Regulators.”
    I smiled as the last of my frustration ebbed away. “Max,
    that is such a good thing. Just think how much better she
    will feel. And here.” I pulled a small drive out of my pocket
    that Adrien had given me in case I found a way to get Molla
    alone again. “Give her this upgrade, then she’ll be able to
    click herself in and out of the Link like I can.”
    Max took the drive and nodded, then looked up at me.
    “All I want is to make you happy.” The tenor of his voice
    deepened. “I know I’ve been pushing you. I just get so . . .”
    He paused, brow furrowing. “I don’t know, frustrated. Up-
    set. All the emotions get uncontrollable sometimes. But it’s
    only because you mean so much to me.”
    “I understand.” I suddenly thought about Adrien and the
    image I’d had at the end of our meeting last night— the one
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    G L I TC H
    that was maybe a memory of kissing him. It made me feel
    guilty, being here with Max.
    “You understand? You do?” Max sounded surprised.
    “Sure. All this emotion,” I said, “it’s confusing. It makes
    thoughts get all mixed up.” I didn’t know if I was talking
    more to Max or myself.
    “Exactly.” He smiled.
    “I should get going before it’s noticed I’m gone. I am so
    glad for your help with Molla.” I squeezed his hand one last
    time.
    “See you at lunch.” His dimples caught the light. I put my
    hand on the door, but before I could step out, it was sud-
    denly yanked open from the other side. I jerked back, my
    body instinctively turning rigid and blank. I was working to
    keep my heart rate within range when I saw it was Adrien.
    “I just had a vision,” he said, pulling the door closed be-
    hind him. When he turned back to us, his face was pale and
    pinched with worry. “Molla’s about to get caught.”
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Chapter 16
    “what do we do?” I whispered.
    “Hold on, we have to think about this,” Max said, glaring
    at Adrien. “Maybe we should stay out of it if they already
    suspect her. We’d be throwing ourselves in harm’s way.”
    “Not an option. If she’s caught, she’ll talk. You might