“I’m sick of it!” Isla cried, slamming her fists on the table. Thalia briefly stopped pacing to glance at Isla, and felt guilt tear through her heart. “All the lies, the secrets, I’m sick of it!” Isla gritted her teeth as oceans swam in her eyes, betraying the mask she was trying to keep on.

“Isla,” Thalia began, but was cut off quickly by Isla’s shaky voice.

“Don’t you dare “Isla” me, Thalia Lynn.” Isla looked at Thalia with a fury Thalia had never seen before. She stepped backwards, away from Isla, feelings as though bullets were ripping through her.

“Isla, I did it for your own good. Your safety!” Thalia raised her voice, but she wasn’t angry. She couldn’t possibly be angry at Isla, especially after all Thalia had done to her. She didn’t deserve it.

Isla slammed her fists on the table again. “Oh please! For my own safety? My goddamn safety is more important to you than trust? Than us?” Isla gestured between them, at the growing space that was occupying the room. Thalia wanted to step out and touch her, comfort her, but she swallowed the urge. Isla didn’t need comforting. She needed answers.

“Thalia,” Isla whispered, her voice icy and distant. “Tell me who you really are.” Isla had been staring at the floor, but in that moment she looked up and in that moment Thalia was filled with a longing for this girl stronger than she’d ever felt before. She nearly lunged forward but stopped herself, knowing she had approximately five minutes to explain before Isla exploded and Thalia would have ruined everything she’d ever had with her. So she took a deep breath, and began.

“It all started a few years ago, maybe three or four.” She took a deep breath again and averted her gaze. She couldn’t stand to look at Isla’s deep blue, nearly black, eyes, looking at her like she was a stranger. “I didn’t know you yet.” Thalia began pacing. Isla stayed glued to the floor, her knuckles white she was gripping the table so hard. “You were a stranger to me. So anyways, I was walking along the main road leading to my house. I had just gotten ice cream and was in a relatively good mood. Attacks on our city had been scarce the past few months, and I was glad I didn’t have to worry about the fear or anxiety of merely existing.

“But as I was enjoying my ice cream, I heard it. The first bomb that started the World War III.” Thalia’s breath caught in her throat and her eyes began to well with tears, remembering the day in detail. “It was far away. Everyone around me froze. We were paralyzed in fear, wondering if it was just bomb testing that got out of hand, or if it was really happening. I mean, you didn’t live here yet, but the bomb threats had gotten worse and three or four attacks had even happened. Nothing bad, very few casualties, but attacks nonetheless. Before I fully realized what was happening, a small grenade was thrown into the middle of the street. And within a few seconds I was blown backwards.”

Thalia turned to face Iris and pulled up her short, showing an ugly red scar leading across her stomach. “I nearly died that day. That was when I decided I needed to save people. I knew plenty of people had died the same way I nearly did, and I wasn’t going to stand for it. Less than a month later, when I was out of the hospital, I was contacted by Evangeline. Or Lina, that’s what we call her.” Thalia glanced up at Iris, who was still stone faced.

“And?”

Thalia stopped pacing, inching slightly closer to Iris. “And, well, Evangeline recruited me. To save the city and all. From the bombs.” Iris’ mouth dropped open and tears filled her eyes once more. Thalia winced at the sight but managed to hold herself back. Until Iris broke down and sobbed over the table, and Thalia closed the distance between them, bringing Iris into her arms.

Iris looked up at Thalia, and suddenly they were kissing, and the hole that was beginning to form in Thalia’s heart was closed. She felt Iris’ heartbeat against her own and sighed.

Iris looked at her feet. “You had to go through this, for four years, alone?”

Thalia shrugged, then said, “Yeah, I guess, but at least you’re safe.” Iris smiled.