I•C•E// r.s.l.❣

0.8

"Bye..guys!" I waved at the excited bunch of girls I had just taught contemporary for a whole two hours. They were in much better shape than me, because I was a mess right now and they were going swimming now.

"Hi" Ross walked into the dance studio, two bottles of water in his hands. He handed me one, which I chugged in less than a minute. He smiled. "Hard lesson?"

"Slightly" I sat down. "I just want to take a bath, eat something and sleep. I'm exhausted"

He smirked, which alarmed me. "What?"

"I have bad news; your preparation for recruitment begins now" before I could start complaining, he grabbed my arm to heave me up. The shocked look on his face when his hand slid right off my arm was hilarious. "Why are you sweating so hard?!"

"Try teaching contemporary for two hours" I said. "Sorry"

"N-no worries" he wiped his hand on my shirt and grimaced. "Let's go"

"Where to?" I stood up, frowning already at the thought of more exercise.

"Just follow me" he said. Without questioning, I did.

The compound had improved majorly. There were two new blocks, and the dorm block which is where I was currently sleeping at. This one was labelled 'Black Fox' and the other 'Silver Panda'.

"Why are the new blocks named after coloured animals?"

Ross laughed. "Don't even freaking ask"

The Black Fox block was made of mainly glass, the outside of it being black, and the inside being completely white. I almost felt out of place in my t-shirt and capri leggings. I continued a few steps behind Ross, taking in my surroundings. There were three floors to this, and after an elevator and some stairs, we reached the roof which was artificial grass, and a stunning view to the sunset. We sat down.

"I wish I wasn't so sweaty right now," Ross chuckled. "This place is gorgeous, but why are we here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you, tell you what's happening now that I'm helping you" he said. "We'll work out from 6 to 10 which is when classes officially start; I need you to attend those because why not, and from 6 to 8 in the afternoon, we'll do mental stimulation and simulation, yeah?"

I was about to open my mouth to ask if he was crazy but he beat me to it. "I know, it's tough, but recruitment here took a step up and it's so much more difficult"

"Do you think I can do it?" I looked at him and he nodded. "Honestly"

"Hmm. You aren't exactly in the right mindset but that can be worked on-"

"What do you mean?"

He stood up and took a step away. "You're a bitch"

"Fight me!" I laughed. "But true..yeah, maybe"

"But, you're also one of the fastest-thinking people I know, and one of the few to be able to remain calm in life or death situations" he looked me dead in the eyes, which honestly made me have some slight faith in me. I smiled.

"Thank you" I fiddled with my laces, pulling my legs to my chest.

"However. There is something I want you to do before anything" he looked at me. "You need to tell your parents you're alive"

"My parents may die" my eyebrows raised. His expression didn't change. "Fine"

+++

Ross Lynch

She very suddenly turned back, colliding into me. "No, I can't do it, no"

"Athena, get it together. It's your family, they will understand" I seized her by the shoulders. "Come on, if even I understood, so will they"

She sighed, and chewed on her bottom lip. "Fine"

They were meeting in the same room Athena was first kept in when she came here. They only realised it was her when she closed the door, and for the first time since before her 'death', she displayed emotions- the girl was crying Niagara Falls as she hugged them.

Her family was in the same state, but, they looked pleased to have her back. I crossed my arms and smiled, giving them their much needed privacy by walking away.