In Your Time

Chapter 6

The next morning, I dressed in my uniform and applied a little makeup before putting loose curls in my

hair. If what Elizabeth said yesterday was true, I would have to look my best. Apparently, private school

kids were ruthless. I finished with my white Keds before going down for breakfast. Braden was already

eating at the table.

"You look... different," Braden noted. I only nodded once before grabbing a piece of toast.

"Oh and if anyone asks about Phoenix today, she's your fiancé," Elizabeth said as she placed a plate of

eggs on the table. I stopped chewing as my eyes shot to her. I had no idea what she was planning, but

I guessed she wasn't kidding last night. Braden shot up and glared at his mother.

"Mom! No one would believe that anyway. Why do you always take things to the extreme?" He ranted.

She only waved him off. Elizabeth was the textbook definition of a cool mom, but this was very old

school. It was almost like the arranged marriages I only read about in books.

"It'll be fine. That way no one will mess with her. I can't just trust you to protect her, can I?" She said as

she raised an eyebrow at him. I was beginning to understand. She didn't think Braden would help, so

she set in a fail safe by title.

"I can! I will!" He promised quickly. She smiled suddenly.

"Then no one needs to know, unless you can't protect her. Got it?" She threatened. He sighed and sat

back down as he nodded.

"I got it," he said in defeat.

"Let's go, or we're going to be late," she said. I ate a few more bites quickly before following them to the

car. Elizabeth drove before parking at the school. Braden mumbles a goodbye before we headed to the Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

office. After all the paperwork was filled out, I was headed a piece of paper and some books. It was

crazy to see stuff being printed. Everything in the future had a scan code that led you to what you

needed online. The paper was my schedule. Elizabeth smiled at me as we stood in the middle of the

empty hallway.

"Have a good day at school. Ask Braden if you need anything and call me if anything happens," she

said as she hugged me before she left. I didn't know where anything was, or how this school even

worked, but I was left to fend for myself. I knew Braden wouldn't actually help me. I didn't want to

embarrass him either. I finally saw another student and asked for directions. That's how I spent most of

my day. I'd ask the nearest person about the next class and so forth until lunch. I went to the same

schools with the same friends since elementary so it was a little awkward walking into the cafeteria and

not knowing anyone. Furthermore, at my school in the future, machines did everything and chain

restaurants were served at lunch. Here the students seemed to be queued in different lines and there

was no machine. I stared at the cafeteria blankly for a moment before trying to fond someone I could

ask.