ANGEL || Ryuji Suguro

F O U R T E E N

"I can't believe it was a test." I groaned from my spot next to Shima on the hospital bed.

"They tricked us pretty good." Suguro sighed out from his seat, sending me a small smile at my obvious misery, a drip attached to his arm much like everyone around us.

Shiemi was passed out in the bed across from me with Rin sitting next to her, while I had chosen to sit between Shima and Konekomaru leaving Suguro the chair. The others from the class were l spread out on the chairs and beds behind us.

With my knees drawn to my chest and my arms wrapped around them, I felt small amongst my classmates.

There was no way I'd passed that test. I hadn't even fought the demons.

The weight of the locket around my neck felt like a heavy reminder of just how my night had gone instead compared to my classmates. I'd chosen to wear it, it made me feel close to my mother and I didn't want to risk it disappearing, so it was firmly clasped around my neck with the black choker I wore to cover the scar that lay there. I wasn't sure how that dark angel had gotten it, or how he knew me, but I couldn't stop the feeling in my brain that I knew him and it made me even more suspicious of him.

Something about him was so familiar, I just couldn't figure it out. I was sure I'd met him somewhere before. I just didn't know where or when or how. The recognition was like an annoying scratch in my mind, and no matter how I tried to distract myself from thinking about him, it kept eating at me. 

"I wish I would've known cause then I could've prepared for it." Shima continued from Suguro, his shoulder bumping mine when he noticed I didn't seem into the conversation.

"Oh boy! I wonder if I passed." Koneko worried next to me, his hand meeting his forehead in worry.

God, if Koneko was worried about passing then I was screwed for sure.

Groaning, I slowly fell to side till I was resting against Shima, my head buried in my knees. "I'm so screwed."

"Don't torture yourself you two," Suguro was surprisingly the one to comfort us. "There's no use worrying about it now." It was strange for me to see this side of him, this oddly supportive side. I suppose this must be how he always was with Shima and Konekomaru, otherwise I really could not figure out why they put up with him.

"You and Shima don't have to worry! But me? I was so scared I couldn't move my legs!" Koneko continued fretting. My lips pursed as I glanced over at the small boy, worried about how much he was freaking out over this.

Kamiki was the next one to speak up surprisingly. "I'm sure you guys are going to be fine. Remember what Mr Okumura told us? Before the test started?" My mind drifted to my brothers words before he had left us all in collective detention trying to see what she meant. "Being an exwire takes cooperation. They have to work with their team during combat." She continued. "In that sense... no one did worse than me."