Waltzing With Fate

The Dangerous Game

I take the difficult trek down the stairs to the living room, so I can make sure everyone knows I'm alive. Liam runs across the room and stands there waiting for me to hug him. I wrap my arms around him in a tight embrace. The kind of embrace that lets the other person know you are okay, the kind that is reassuring, the kind that tells the other person that you are there for them. Liam relaxes his grip and I let go of him. The pleading look in his eyes tells me that he needs to know that I am okay.
"Everyone I am alright, we will continue to move on with a plan to defeat our uncle. We need to keep training and come up with a plan because he isnt going to stop until he's dead or his job is finished so neither will we."
"Leigh, you need to rest or at least not train today."
"Don't worry Hanna, I don't plan on training today."
"Good," she adds in a demanding tone.
"Everyone meet us in the gym in fifteen minutes and be ready for an intense training session because we have a war to win."
Winning the war that was waged by my uncle is going to be the most difficult thing I have ever done. I have fought so many fights, but none of them have been as important as this one. None of them have risked this many people's lives or have even involved this many people. I am ready to finally be free from my uncle but at what cost.
What is the cost of my freedom? What is the cost of my want to save the world from his evil intentions? Will my want for freedom for myself overcome my want to keep everyone safe? All of these questions run through my mind and the answers my mind jumps to terrify me. It tells me that the cost is the death of everyone I care for, it tells me that I won't be able to protect everyone and my uncle will start something that I can't stop, and it tells me that my want for freedom will overcome my want for everyone to be safe. I wonder what they would think of me if I just stopped trying to save the world. I wonder what they would think if I just called it quits.
My hour is spent watching everyone train and wishing that I was out there on the mats. I wish I could shoot or throw knives but no one will let me near any of the equipment because they don't want me to hurt myself. They are babying me and it's driving me insane. I hate having to depend on people to protect me or do things for me. I have always been the one protecting other people and I hate that I am now helpless in their eyes.
"How are you holding up," Matteo asks as he walks over to me.
"I'm bored out of my mind."
"I thought you were so, do you want to get out of here and go get froyo?"
"Yeah that would be better than sitting here watching you all train."
"Alright, meet you in the kitchen in ten minutes."
"Okay," I whisper as I get up from my seat. I walk slowly up the stairs holding on to the railing to keep myself steady. I feel better when I get to the second set of steps, but I still rely on the railing to help me.
I get to my room and I walk into my closet to change my clothes. I grab a black cropped t-shirt, a pair of jeans, a red and black flannel, and a pair of black and white high top Vans and put them on. I run a brush through my hair, put on a little bit of mascara, and walk out of my room. As I open the door I see Matteo waiting outside my room.
"Waiting for me, huh?"
"I mean you are kind of injured right now."
"Hey hold the insults, I could still kick your ass injured or not."
"You definitely could," he says as he helps me down the stairs.
"Let's hurry before they catch us," I whisper as we tiptoe to the door. We open it, walk out, and he opens the passenger door to the charger so I can get inside without hurting myself further.
"You realize that I'm not helpless, right?"
"You got hurt yesterday and we need you so I am going to look after you on our froyo adventure."
"Ugh, fine," I sigh as I look out the window at the trees.
Once we hit town the view gets less interesting because it's full of buildings and people walking down the sidewalk, going from store to store.
We slow down and Matteo pulls into the froyo place's parking lot. He shuts the car off and opens the door for me as I struggle to get out of the car. He offers me help but I decline as I finally lift myself out of the car.
We walk into the froyo place and all I see is a wall full of froyo dispensers and a toppings bar filled with every froyo topping that you could think of. I smile as Matteo hands me a cup and we walk over to the froyo.
The flavor that catches my eye is birthday cake so I fill my cup with that being careful to leave room for all of my toppings.
I look at all of the toppings as I struggle to pick between all of the good ones. I decide on cookie dough, gummy bears, and waffle cone pieces.
Matteo walks over to the table I'm sitting at with a cup full of Oreo froyo with Oreo cookie crumbs, hot fudge, and white chocolate chips.
"You have quite the combination," he states as he takes a bite of his froyo.
"It's actually pretty good. You wouldn't know what good tastes like because you got the generic toppings and flavors."
"Hey, you haven't even tried it yet and you're still making fun of it."
"Fine, but you have to try mine afterwards." I say as I take a bite of his froyo.
"Deal," he agrees as I pass him mine.
"It's not bad."
"I could say the same about yours," he replies with a smug look on his face.
"Why is your face like that," I ask as I squint my eyes to seem like I'm taking a closer look.
"It just is, why is your face like that," he says jokingly as we both get up with half gone froyo. We walk to the door and I look outside and see my uncle and his daughter getting out of the car and walking towards the door. As we open the door my uncle grabs my arm and says; "You're playing a dangerous game Leigh and I hope you are ready to face what is ahead of you because war isn't sunshine and rainbows."
"Don't you think I know that? It's not like you made a point to teach me war strategy at the age of seven."
"Watch that mouth of yours, sweetheart. It could come back and bite you later. But for now just remember that I'm watching every move you and your brother make and I'm waiting for you to make a mistake." His last sentence made me shudder as Matteo leads me away from that situation and to the car.
"What was that about?"
"Matteo, he's watching our every move waiting for me to make a mistake and mistakes are inevitable. Who knows what could lie around the corner for us."
"Don't worry, you are training an amazing group of fighters who know how to handle stress and mistakes. It's what we do for a living."
"I know but that doesn't make me any less worried."