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me. His bronzed skin and dark hair are the complete opposite of Jak’s blonde hair and pale skin. Jak is confident, but the Outsider has something more, a self-assurance that was borderline arrogant. But he wasn’t like that toward me, only the Order, even after they gave him a beating. Is he brave or just plain stupid? My stomach flutters as a smile crosses my lips. Whatever he is, it’s exciting to have something new happen inside the dome.
    I shift in my seat again, this time moving my hand out from under Jak’s hold, unable to stop thinking about the Outsider. Xara nudges me and give me a surprised look as she mouths the word, Ohmigosh! She finds the oddest words and phrases and throws them around like everyone knows what she’s talking about. Her mother is the Curator at the Hall of Records and is always making Xara study books from the past. That’s where Xara hopes to work one day. I picture her sitting at her desk telling people what buzzkills they all are.
    I know she’s thinking about Jak and me, but my cheeks are flushed from thinking about the Outsider. When the movie finally ends and we get up to leave, Jak grabs my hand again. But it’s not the same feeling as before. I feel a sudden urge to be alone.
    “We can go to your museum now,” Xara says, then, turning, she notices our hands interlocked, “unless you two wanted to go alone?”
    I could kill Xara right now. Jak’s face reddens and I’m pretty sure I can see sweat break out above his upper lip. I abruptly let go of his hand for the second time in the last hour.
    “Sorry,” I say. “I have to get ready for work.” It’s half-true.
    “What?” Xara asks, her lips trying to hold back a smirk as she looks between Jak and me. “Are you sure you have to go?”
    “Those toilets won’t scrub themselves.” I force a laugh, hoping no one notices. Jak offers a smile, making his dimples appear. My face heats, and for a second I wish I’d never let go of his hand. I wave to my friends and leave. How unexpected my afternoon has become.

CHAPTER 6
     
     
    Work drags on for two weeks. Every day I get home grumpier than I was the day before, and tonight is no different. I haven’t actually scrubbed any toilets—not sure who’s job that is—but I swear, if I have to keep polishing windows, I’m going to lose my mind. I’ve been promoted, up to the Order offices on Floors 5 & 6, but it’s still the same duty.
    One thing I’ve done since moving up was try to find the Outsider again, but that quickly came to a dead-end. I thought they might have him holed up in one of their offices, but no such luck. I mentioned it to Xara a couple of times, but she looked at me like I was crazy for dwelling on it. If only I could tell her about the photo.
    I attribute another aspect of my grumpiness to the fact I can’t return to my clearing. That was my one sacred place, and now it’s been taken from me. I only made it back once, and found every piece of my hollow tree had been hauled away, and the clearing was now home to rows of saplings, ready to grow into great trees and provide oxygen inside the dome. It’s totally unfair.
    But the horror of what could happen if that handprint is traced to me still haunts me at night. Grandmother hasn’t mentioned it again, and the Order hasn’t come banging our door down; but honestly, how long can it take to run fingerprints? I’ve tried asking Jak, but without giving him all the background information on what happened with the Outsider, I can’t seem to come up with a reason that doesn’t make me look guilty of something. I know I’m in the system—every resident is when they start at the Learning Institute—eventually my name has to show up.
    In an attempt to pretend everything is normal, I’ve spent a lot of time in my bedroom pretending to be busy, or sleeping. Mostly, I read Mom’s notebook.
    My friends have gotten busier since I’ve withdrawn. Xara was accepted into a permanent position at the Hall