Shutdown (Glitch)

“So tell me more about your group’s escape. I just got the bare details from Xona on the way here.”
    In true Ginni style, what had taken Xona five minutes to tell, Ginni told in forty-five. The familiar-looking dark-haired boy sat beside her, interjecting every so often some bit of tech input. I looked at him and frowned. I’d swear I knew him, but I couldn’t put my finger on where I’d met him.
    Everyone finished eating but few people moved. Instead, smaller conversations broke out. The techer left to go work at his console and Ginni, Xona, and I scooted closer together.
    “So what’s going on with you and Cole?” I asked Xona. Any jealousy I had at their connection was far overwhelmed by happiness for my friend. Xona’d had a hard few years, losing her parents, and now her brother. That she was able to find a modicum of peace or happiness was a miracle.
    She looked startled by my question, but a slow smile spread over her lips as she glanced over at Cole. He was talking to Rand and laughing about something.
    “We like hanging out,” Xona said simply.
    Ginni rolled her eyes. “What she means to say is that they’re in love . It’s so romantic, previous mortal enemies falling for each other.”
    Xona punched Ginni on the shoulder. “Ow!” Ginni pulled back but was still grinning. “What? It’s true.”
    “He’s a good man,” Xona said. “And a good friend.”
    “Who you occasionally make out with.” Ginni moved out of the way this time before Xona could smack her again.
    “I thought you’d given up on your spying ways,” Xona said.
    “It was just once,” Ginni said hurriedly. “You were in the supply closet and I happened to peek—”
    “Okay.” Xona held up her hands. “We get the idea. Now why don’t we talk about the boy who was sitting beside you at dinner.”
    Ginni frowned for a moment in confusion. I didn’t know who Xona was referring to either, but then Ginni raised her arm panel and read something. Her face relaxed. “Oh, right. It’s Simin. He’s the techer.” She looked over to where he was working on a complex console setup in the corner. She looked back at us and giggled. “I’m not positive, but I think we’ve kissed too!”
    I smiled at her. It was both strange and wonderful that even here, at what felt like the end of the world, life went on. People fell in love. We were still able to laugh with friends. Even after all that each of us had lost.
    I looked around at each face, as if I could memorize this moment. Adrien wasn’t speaking, but he was sitting back and watching the others with a look that seemed contented enough. He didn’t look blank anymore. As if he could feel my eyes on him, he looked my way. Our gazes locked, and then he looked down, his face darkening. My breath caught as an unexpected rush of sadness flushed through me. I diverted my gaze back toward the group, but Ginni had caught the exchange.
    “So Adrien seems … different,” she said. “I watched him all through dinner and he kept staring at you. It looked like,” she paused as if searching for the right words, “like he’s woken up or something. Did something happen when you guys were away?”
    I forced myself not to look back in his direction. I fidgeted with the bottom hem of my tunic, torn between not wanting to talk about it and longing to open up to my friends about all the confused feelings I’d had over the past week. “He is different,” I said slowly. “He can feel emotion again, but he doesn’t like to. There were a few moments where I’d think we were connecting again.” I allowed my gaze to stray back in Adrien’s direction. “But it was probably nothing.”
    I looked down so I wouldn’t have to see the hopeful look on her face. Ginni was the kind of person who always wanted to believe there could be a happy ending to any story.
    When we all finally stood up to put away our plates, Max came up to me. “Zoe, can we please talk?”
    Xona and Ginni stepped in front of me to block him, shoulder to shoulder. “She doesn’t want to talk to you,” Xona said.
    “Zoe, please, I just want to talk, that’s all.” He tried to lean around Xona to look at me, but she shoved him hard in the chest.
    I could easily see this all getting out of hand quickly, so I touched Xona’s shoulder lightly. “It’s okay.” I stepped around her and crossed my arms over my chest once I was face-to-face with Max. I surrounded him with my telek in case he tried anything.