“I don’t want you die in here.” His dark eyes were begging me to leave with him.

“Maybe I won’t. I mean, if anybody can survive this, it’s me, right?” I smirked at him.

“I know you’re joking, but it’s also true.” He took my hands in his, squeezing them tightly. “I’ll be right outside. Okay? I’ll stay right here, in this quarantine, for as long as you do. And I promise you that when you’re ready, when you’ve had enough, when they’ve had enough, I’ll come and get you out.”

“Okay,” I nodded.

He put his hand on my cheek, using his thumb to brush away a tear, then he leaned in to kiss me. When he stopped, he closed his eyes and rested his forehead against mine. I put my hand on his chest, feeling his heart pound beneath it.

“You should go. I don’t want you getting caught.” I swallowed hard. “It’d make it harder for you to break in to see me again.”

“I will be back,” Lazlo promised.

“I know,” I smiled.

When he left, I leaned back against the door, gasping for breath. This hurt so much more than I thought it would. I was so much more afraid too. I stared at the small white room, knowing this might be my home for the rest of my life.

Unless they found a cure first. Or I just got too fed up, and took Tatum and Lazlo up on their offers. As much as this sucked, maybe it didn’t have to be forever.

I waited a half hour, hoping that gave Blue enough time to get out of here. Then I pushed the button by the door, the one that would summon soldiers and doctors. I went over and sat in the dentist chair in the middle of the room, and I waited to see how the rest of my life would begin.