𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙏𝙄𝘾

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐒

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𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙏𝙄𝘾

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My eyes reluctantly opened, squinting against the blinding light. I muttered a string of curses under my breath while waiting for my eyes to adjust. As I sat up slowly, I winced, trying not to cause any harm to myself. Glancing to the side, I noticed everyone staring at me, their mouths moving as they spoke to me. My hands instinctively reached for my ears, realizing that I couldn't hear a thing.

Bringing my hands up to sign, I asked, "What happened? The last thing I remember is blacking out, and obviously, that wasn't good." I pointed to my ears to signify my temporary hearing loss, a rather inconvenient side effect of my powers.

I stared at everyone, attempting to read their lips to comprehend the ongoing conversation. But the frustration was building as I struggled to keep up. My gaze landed on Marie, hoping to find some confirmation or support, but she avoided my eyes. It was Jordan who finally reached out to communicate with me through sign language.

"You're going to want to hear this," He signed, offering me an ominous message. I nodded in appreciation, knowing that Jordan was the only one who had put in the effort to learn sign language for moments like these. I sighed and reclined to rest my head. Feeling like this made me vulnerable, and I dreaded not knowing what had happened.

A little while later, I woke up again, wincing at the sudden sensitivity of my ears as my hearing gradually returned. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was nearing 9 PM. In the dimly lit room, I noticed a figure sitting in the corner. I tried to get up from the restorative bed, but my balance quickly betrayed me. Before I could tumble, I felt arms wrap around me, catching me mid-fall.

"Easy, you're in no rush to go anywhere," Jordan's voice reassured me.

Recognizing their voice, I gave his arm a gentle squeeze, grateful forhis presence. I attempted to stand on my own once more.

Of course, he was the only one to stay.

"I have to find Luke. Something's going on with him," I explained as I limped toward the door, slowly regaining my strength. I felt Jordan's grip on my wrist, halting my progress. I turned to him , questioning.

"What's going on, Jordan?"

Jordan let go of my arm and ran his hand through his long hair, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

"He's dead."

"Yeah, I know Brink's dead."

"No, Storm. Luke... he committed suicide after you blacked out."

I furrowed my brows, trying to absorb the gravity of what I was being told. Suicide? It was a harsh and unexpected truth.

As the weight of Jordan's words settled in, a profound sense of sadness and guilt washed over me. I leaned against the wall for support, my strength suddenly draining away, leaving me trembling. The news of Luke's suicide was a blow I hadn't anticipated.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I turned to Jordan, my voice quivering as I signed with deep anguish, "It's my fault, isn't it? He... he did it because i saw."

Jordan, understanding the immense burden I was feeling, moved closer, gently cradling my face in his hands. Jordan shook his head, his expression filled with empathy and reassurance as they signed back to me, "No, Storm. It's not your fault. You didn't make him do it."

I choked back a sob, unable to articulate the overwhelming sorrow and regret that coursed through me. In that moment, Jordan pulled me into a tight embrace, allowing me to let go of my emotions. I buried my face in his shoulder, crying uncontrollably.

Jordan held me as I wept, his own emotions palpable. The room became a sanctuary for my grief, a place where I could release the anguish I had bottled up inside. He whispered comforting words, reassuring me that it wasn't my fault and that I shouldn't carry the weight of Luke's actions on my shoulders.

As my tears subsided and I regained some composure, Jordan continued to hold me, his support unwavering. In that painful moment, I felt a renewed connection with them, a bond forged through shared grief.

"I'm sorry for what happened earlier," Jordan said, breaking the silence that had lingered since the revelation of Luke's suicide.

I turned to him, still struggling to meet their eyes, and responded, "It's okay. I can only imagine how you must be feeling over Brink's death."

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Everyone's capitalizing on this as if he wasn't a human being. A person that breathed, yet everyone is treating him like a popularity grab."

Listening to their frustration, I nodded in understanding, letting him express his feelings. "Don't get me started on the new rankings. I'm ranked 5th, and you're 3rd."

A slight chuckle escaped my lips. "It feels good to be higher than you for once."

Curious, I asked, "So who's number 2?"

Jordan's response caught me off guard. "Marie."

I nearly choked on my saliva. "Wait, what the hell is going on with these rankings? How can she possibly be 2nd? What did I miss out on?"

He pulled out his phone and showed me a video clip of Marie being praised for her fight with Luke. I watched the interview in disbelief, struggling to accept that she was being credited for a battle that I had taken part in alongside Jordan.

An intense rage began to build inside me as I processed the situation. Marie, who had played a minimal role in the fight, was being lauded as a hero. I couldn't let this injustice stand.

"You didn't do shit, you listened like a dog and ran away like I told you to," I said, walking up to Marie. She ignored me, continuing to walk away as if she couldn't hear.

"Me and Jordan fought Luke to protect you, and you can't even give credit?" I grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face me.

"I'm giving whatever they tell me to do," she retorted.

"Are you a conditioned dog, for you to listen to whatever everyone tells you to do?" I fired back, my anger evident. Her face contorted with frustration.

"Life sucks, get over it. I had no choice," she spat, her words piercing through me.

"You better watch your tone when you speak to me. I should've let Luke burn you like Armin," I seethed, turning away from her and walking back into the dorms. I retreated to my room, finding it empty without Cate, which was a relief.

"I didn't want to deal with her voice after all that's happened recently," I muttered to myself before flopping onto my bed, exhausted.

I woke up briefly later, hearing shuffling around the room. As I opened my eyes, I noticed Andre and Cate sitting together, engrossed in watching a video. Andre turned toward me, a sense of urgency in his eyes.

"Storm, this situation is bigger than we thought. Luke wasn't crazy, and we all know that."

I sat up, intrigued by the mention of Luke's name. "So, what do you think is going on?" I inquired.

"We don't know yet, but we know it involves the woods," Andre replied, his voice filled with unease.

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