Everything Has Changed [LIAM DUNBAR] #2

The Old Guy

Aspen groaned, being shoved to the ground for the umpteenth time that morning. She rolled over onto her back and hurried to catch her breath.

"Get up and try again."

Aspen sent Theo a glare as she propped herself up on her elbows. "Do you know how much I hate you?"

Theo smirked, putting his hands on his hips. "I do. And I bathe in the glory," he mumbled sarcastically, "Now get up. I've got other things I have to do."

She sighed, pushing herself off of the concrete of the abandoned warehouse floor. "What, afraid you'll be late to your daily children-torturing session?" Theo laughed.

"Now try this time to focus your power," he said, pointing at his chest, "Here."

"What power, Theo?" she asked exasperatedly, "I literally can't feel my arms."

"Not physical power," he told her, "Emotional power."

She rolled her eyes. "What, so now you're a psycho and a motivational speaker?" Theo smiled sarcastically.

"All that anger," he answered, "Towards me. Towards Hayden, Liam, even your mother- let it out. Focus it into your hands and then at me." Aspen have him a skeptical look. "Just try it."

Aspen inhaled deeply and held her hands up in a fighting stance. Her hand shot towards Theo's chest but he caught it, twisting her arm back. She gasped at the sudden pain in her shoulder and yelped, trying to twist away from him.

Aspen's hand connected with his chest and sent him flying back into the wall. He groaned and slumped to the ground, holding onto his right arm.

Aspen laughed breathlessly, staring at her hands. She did it, and managed to hurt Theo in the process. "Success!" Theo groaned again. "I guess you could say that.."

"I did it. And I didn't set you on fire this time," she added confidently, admitting to herself that maybe setting Theo's butt on fire wasn't an accident.

"I think you might've dislocated my shoulder..."

-/-

Aspen sat lazily on the bench outside of the boys' locker room, waiting for Liam, when Malia rushed past her inside. She immediately stood and followed her, calling out, "Malia!"

Aspen followed Malia through the locker room, muttering "boys are gross" and the Coach-favorite "screw off Greenburg" under her breath. When she finally caught up with Malia, it was when she had stopped to talk to Liam.

"I need you to tell Scott something for me," Malia said, spotting Aspen coming around the corner. Liam frowned uneasily. "W-why me?"

"Because I can't right now," Malia snapped at him, "You gonna do it or not?" Liam looked worriedly at Aspen and she shrugged. "Uh.. He's not really talking to me," Liam told Malia, fingers playing with the zipper of his bag, "You should get someone else. Literally anyone else.." Malia opened her mouth the argue, but the bell cut her off.

"Just tell him he was right about the tunnels," Malia sighed, "Just tell him that, okay?" Aspen looked puzzled. "What do you mean?" she asked, touching Malia's elbow.

"When we were down there looking for you guys and Hayden, we didn't know it yet, but we were a lot closer than we thought. There's an Operating Theater down there. Down in the tunnels," she told her. "How do you know?" Liam asked. She shrugged. "Mostly by scent. Just tell him okay?"

"Tell Scott he was right."

-/-

"We've been walking in circles for the past hour, Liam."