My life is a cycle of delivering food to Grey and hiding in a cupboard. I haven't returned to the canteen since I've found out there are other Officials.

Teddy and Sienna take turns to intercept me when I venture out of the cupboard. Walking beside me, they pretend I'm not terrible company and fill the silence with updates on the outside world, all the cities and towns which seem to flit between being declared as free from The State only for it to be taken back and be State-controlled again.

Officials are fighting, defecting, people dying from both sides. It sounds messy and I wonder what sides the few people I know have taken.

Placing the food in front of Grey, I turn to leave but stop as Grey stands.

"I thought you'd find these a little more comfortable," Grey says, offering me a pile of what looks like clothing.

"Thanks," I say, tenderly taking the neatly folded pile.

"You can change in here. I won't look." Grey picks up the plate and sits on the edge of his bed with his back to me.

I ignore the part of me that wants him to look. Part of me wants to see if I ignite any desire or wanting in him or if he really is as indifferent as he seems. Quickly pulling off the loose-fitting flesh-exposing clothes I've been wearing, I put on a long-sleeved top and a pair of long fitted trousers. I'm surprised by the thought behind his offering.

"You can look now."

Grey turns, his eyes drift over.
"They look good."

"Thank you, Grey," I say, coughing back the lump in my throat.

He frowns momentarily then shrugs. "It will hide your Unmarked skin."

A sharp exhalation of air escapes my lips. My vision is a watery blur as I flee the room and bump into Teddy. His hands seize my shoulders and I jump back hitting him away, unable to stand the feel of his touch.

"Cady, what's wrong?" Teddy says, stepping forward.

"Nothing," I sniff. I edge around Teddy and pace down the corridor.

"Annabelle has been asking after you," Teddy says following me.

"That's nice."

"You can't keep avoiding her."

"I'm not avoiding her. I just don't need to see her," I say flatly.

"She can't help you if you don't let her."

"I don't need help."

Teddy steps in front of me. I try to manoeuvre around him but he blocks me off. "You spend most of your time hidden in a cupboard."

I sigh, looking up at my first true friend. "So? You've spent most of your life in denial about what The State has been doing, does that mean you need help?"

"Ok. I deserved that." Teddy shoves his hands in his pockets. "I admit, I fell for The State's lies."

"Fell for The State's lies? Come on, Teddy, if you really believed all immoral establishments had been eradicated why would The State tell you to keep an eye on the places I was delivering too?"

"They told me to look out for Unmarkeds. They gave me a list of businesses and told me the people running these places were flagged as potential corruptors. I simply had to report back everything I heard and saw."

"And you're honestly telling me you never wondered why a doctor's surgery or a cafe or a bookshop required a regular laundry service? You never suspected once something not quite right was occurring?"

"No. Maybe. I don't know." Teddy sighs. "It was my first assignment. I didn't know what to think. I watched the places on my list, I reported what I saw and they assured me nothing of an immoral nature was occurring on those premises. I was instructed to focus on only looking for Unmarkeds. When I saw you were delivering to some of the places, I asked for a job because I thought it would help me get a better insight."

"Surely, you told them you were working for a laundry company and they must have worked out pretty quickly we weren't a registered business. In fact, how did they not pick up we didn't have Birth Brands? You would have been visiting a warehouse with two people but we wouldn't have been showing up on their map system thing." I cross my arms.

Teddy rubs the back of his neck. "When I initially informed them I'd got the job, I was told there were no people or business registered at your address so I was instructed to investigate further. I went back, told them I'd made a mistake and it was the warehouse next door."

"The Bread Factory?"

"It's the only reason I got a job there too. It's why I rarely came into your shop, not that you seemed to mind, you were so secretive and I knew you were hiding from The State. I think part of me knew you may be one of the Unmarkeds I was looking for." Teddy looks embarrassed.

"Why? Why would you go to all that trouble of protecting us when you're job was to find me."

"You weren't what I was expecting. When I first approached you, you were friendly and funny. When I met up with you at your shop, it was just you and your mum. I worked out you were living there, trying to survive just the two of you and I was intrigued so I thought I'd wait, find out more until I told The State. But the more I got to know you, the harder it got. You weren't threatening, you didn't use foul language, didn't talk about immoral ideas, you didn't ever hint at destroying The State. Everything they'd told me you should be like, you weren't. I started to care about you and I wanted to help." Teddy steps towards me, his hand cups my face his thumb running along my chin. "I still care about you. I still want to help you."

Teddy leans forward and brushes his lips against mine. I wait for a sign of some response from my body, a hint of spark or a remembrance of why I first said yes to his wanting of a job or why I kissed him in the alley next to the shop. Nothing. I'm lifeless and unresponsive. Any attraction I had has gone and it makes me sad because I now understand how Grey feels about me.

"Teddy, don't," I whisper.

"It's too early, I'm sorry," Teddy says letting go of me.

No, it's too late. Nothing will happen. I care about him but I don't trust him.

"Cady, I think you should start training with the others," Teddy says.

"What?" I say surprised.

"Sienna has started training with us and it's helped her feel more in control. It could help you too. If you're not comfortable with anything, you can stop but I think once you're ready, you should join us."

I glance over my shoulder at the door leading to Grey. Maybe it is time to start preparing myself for more than confinement in a cupboard. I have to start thinking of my future. It's time to prepare for my departure from the walls of this labour camp. "Ok, I'll join you."