*** Few weeks later ***
I glance around the Manor. With an astonished gaze, I then remark as I look back at her. "Didn't take you for a rich girl."
"Supposed to mean I have to act prim and proper?" She arches her brow at me as a warning.
I shake my head. "Nope. Just didn't expect it." I then look around the area as I ask, "Is it really okay for me to be here?"
"Don't have to worry about my parents seeing as they aren't around to care. Already told BOB that you are a friend."
"We are friends now?" I arch my brow at her.
She crosses her arms before stating. "Wouldn't have invited you otherwise. Got tired of having to talk to you through the Academy fence like some prison and BOB doesn't let me go anywhere else without him in tow."
I then nod. "Had my fair share of prisons... well... not really."
"Was going to call bullshit. Where are you from anyway?" I look at her noticing her observant stare. "You don't act or talk like you were born here, the accent's different too."
I then joke. "Was made in a tank so I am still waiting to grow into a personality." She doesn't even look amused in the slightest. I clear my throat. "I was born in a facility... you know... IVF?"
"Really?" She cocks her head. "Then why are you living on the streets?"
"Omnic war," I answer simply as I walk towards one of the grand windows. "It..." I shake my head as I then breathe out a heavy sigh.
"Don't got to tell me if you don't want to."
I shake my head. I've known Ashe for weeks now and she doesn't really know much about me, I don't know much about her other than what I have pried out of her. I cross my arms watching the sun in the distance before deciding to tell someone about everything.
Well... I already spoke faster than my brain could process the words.
I explain to her where I grew up. That it wasn't IVF but I was a test subject created for the purpose to use the powers from a super secret project that very few people ever learned about.
I told her everything. From how I hated it there and wanted to be free... to how I saw everyone dead in the halls when I escaped. There was a strong silence between the two of us but I don't look at her to see her expression.
"I... am sorry for your loss."
I turn around offering a slight smile. "That was years ago."
"So you have been surviving on your own for all that time... the war was years ago and you are sixteen, same as me?" I nod. She scoffs before shaking her head. "You are something else."
I nod. "The being a test subject thing kind of prepared me for most of it."
She nods again. "What was it for?"
"Oh. This." I create a flaming knife in my hand and she instantly furrows her brow at the sight of it.
"That's... how can you do that?"
"No idea-"
"So it is magic?"
I nod, and then with a sigh, I repeat what the scientists told me. "It isn't magic it is science... even if you can't explain it then it is just science that we can't explain just yet."
I don't know if that expression is because of the incredibly shitty way I am using to explain because I don't even know why or how... or because I have it in the first place. Crossing her arm over her stomach she rests the other on top of it while rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Okay... it doesn't really change anything from the fact that you can do something like that."
I nod. "But it is a secret. Tell a soul and I am gone, though if you wanted to get rid of me that would probably be the best way to do it, no?" I chuckle.
She shakes her head at me, and after a short silence, she scoffs before expressing herself. "You really are something more than just a street urchin."
"Been trying to not be it so it makes my heart whole hearing someone think I am not a street kid."
"Still living on the streets though."
I groan in response to her words. "Thanks." I then gesture to the area around us. "Planning to keep in one room or are you going to show me around the place?"
"Sure." She gestures for me to follow. "Just don't come 'round here uninvited it would suck to see you sneak in here with a bullet in the gut."
"The things we do for our friends."
"Hmm. Don't do that."
"Yeah yeah. Don't really plan on dying."
"Is there more?"
"Hmm?"
"Know what I mean. Than just that?"
"I can do a lot more but most of it I can't really show without burning down the place. Sincerely doubt your parents aren't going to be incredibly fond about me burning the place down - plus, it's kinda nice here."
With an angry tone. "That is all it is."
"Don't like it here?"
"More to it than not liking it."
I nod slowly. "Don't need to tell me about it if you don't want to."
"I wasn't going to." She counters easily.
"That was my attempt into making you think that you can talk to me, the best part is I usually talk back with some commentary that may be a pretty good observation or just one that pisses you off to no extent but at least I am listening."
"If you want to know you can just ask, know that right?"
I chuckle. "Problem comes in where you have to decide if you want to talk about it."
"Riight."
With a slight chuckle, she leads me outside to see what is where. Then after a short while, I hear her clear her throat.
"Must've been lonely."
"I met nice people on the way, but I never stuck to a place longer than three to five months before moving on to a different town." I rub the back of my neck. "But yeah. Was lonely."
"How long have you been around here?"
I watch her with a slight smile, wanting to play around with her I then state. "Four months total."
"Ahh..."
Does she think I am going to skip town at some point? I mean... I didn't plan on leaving because I actually got a nice setup here and met someone my age that I can call a friend. Would be stupid of me to walk away from that.
"Well. I'll keep your secret for as long as you are able to keep it a secret."
I roll my eyes. "Saying it like I am going to be the cause of my own downfall?"
"Should I remind our first meeting?"
"I did it because I wanted to help you."
"My hero." She breathes out sarcastically.
I am no hero. I haven't saved anyone yet.
I smile at Ashe. The truth is... I was probably going to leave at some point to try and find myself because I have no idea what I am supposed to do with my life. I had a calling that was ripped away from me but it wasn't something I ever wanted.
I never had a choice. And having so many choices now is overwhelming to an extent.
But... I like Ashe. Didn't think I would. At first, she was distant with me not really talking but over the weeks we have gotten closer like real friends and she invited me here out of her own initiative.
So I am going to stick around. I have this feeling that if I left, she'd be lonely and I like to believe that I am here for her. I like her, not so sure about her liking me though. That would mean I need to take a shot at it and it might just explode in my face.
