Miles to Go (ON HOLD)

2. Overheard

Sang

Kota had handed over his phone and quickly pulled up Gabe's number for me before he left, his arms loaded with the blankets and pillow he'd attempted to use last night. "You should probably call Vic too," he added, turning back to face me when he was in the living room. "He can pick Gabe up on the way."

I nodded as I stared at Gabriel's name on the screen, my stomach in knots. We'd made shopping plans without him, I wasn't sure he'd forgive us. Forgive me. I pressed the phone to my ear and listened to it ring through without him answering. Maybe he was still asleep? I dialed again, relieved when it connected after the third ring.

His voice was low and gravelly, like he'd just woken up. "Kota, I know you're our fearless leader and all, but I promise beauty rest is a thing, and as a growing boy I need-"

I decided to dive in before I lost my nerve. "Gabe? It's me - I mean it's Sang," I corrected, feeling foolish.

"Trouble?" his voice rose an octave. "Shit, what happened? Is Kota ok?"

"No, I mean yes, uh, everything's fine," I stammered. Why was I so tongue-tied? I sat down on my bed, twisting my legs up underneath me. I needed to just say it, like ripping off a bandaid. "Are you free today?" Silence. "Gabe?" I asked softly. I moved the phone away from my ear to make sure I hadn't lost the connection. The timer was still counting so he should still be there. Right? I pressed the phone closer to my ear. "Gabe if you're-"

"Oy, I'm here Trouble," he finally said. "I'm just not sure I heard you right."

I bit my lip. "I... I was wondering if you were free today? Victor was taking me shopping for... ok, well, I don't know what for exactly, but I was wondering if you wanted to come?" It all came out in a rush, and I feared I wasn't explaining it right. "It's ok if you're busy, or if you don't want to-"

"Damn it Trouble, quit trying to give me reasons not to come. Of course I'm fucking coming."

"Really?"

"Yes, and you're lucky my schedule's free today so we can start building you a proper wardrobe," he added. "How do you feel about tartan?"

"What? Wardrobe?" I had no idea what tartan was either, but figured I probably shouldn't mention that.

He sighed. "Yes, Trouble, wardrobe," he said, emphasizing the word. "Trust me on this, alright? You've got like three shirts that fit you properly."

I studied the carpet, dejected. "I don't..." I knew Gabe was excited about shopping, but I hadn't planned on buying anything since I didn't have much money, let alone enough for an entire wardrobe. I thought about the cash I'd managed to save before running away. I think I had about nine dollars left. That probably wasn't enough for tartan, whatever that was. "I can't afford it," I admitted softly, and looked up to find Kota in the doorway, casually leaning against the frame, his expression thoughtful. I blushed, embarrassed. I didn't want him to think I wasn't appreciative of what I had, because I was. "I don't need anything new," I insisted.

"Ugh, Trouble," Gabe groaned, drawing out his nickname for me in an exasperated tone.

"But we can still have fun looking," I said quickly. "I'll try tartan. And..." What had he commented on the other day? "And a romper," I added, relieved I remembered it. "Or-"

"First of all Trouble, no rompers. Tartan skirts? Hell yes. Rompers? Never."

"Uh," I didn't know what to say, but something in his voice made my stomach flip the teeniest bit. I caught movement by the doorway and suddenly realized why Kota was probably standing there - I still had his phone. "Hey um, Gabe? I have to go."

"Is Kota giving you that look?"

I glanced at Kota, whose green eyes were bright, a half-smile on his face. I didn't know if it was the look Gabe meant so I replied, "Maybe?"

"It's fine. We've got at least two more minutes," he reasoned. "Now we might have to start from the ground up today, Trouble. The whole nine yards and all that. So lingerie-" he started casually.

"Gabe!" My cheeks were burning now, and his laugh was infectious.

"We'll work up to it," he said teasingly. We exchanged goodbyes, Gabe promising to call Victor and let him know, and I passed the phone back to Kota, aware my cheeks were still red but unable to do anything about it.

"Everything set?" he asked, pocketing his phone. I nodded as I felt him study me. "Listen Sang, about last night..."

The guilt settled over me again. "Kota, it's ok. I know it can't happen again," I replied.

"But it helped," he reasoned, and I risked a glance up at him to find what I was coming to think of as his problem-solving face, watching him fiddle with his glasses, a faraway look in his green eyes. I lowered my gaze as he moved closer, trying to concentrate on anything other than the small space between us.

And I didn't know what to say. He was right, but nothing good could come from this, I was sure of it. He was family, the first family I'd ever had. Sharing a room... sharing a bed-

"Sang." I felt his hand touch my elbow briefly before falling away, and I stilled my breathing, cautious of the frantic pace of my heart. "What I meant was you opened up," he explained. "Maybe that was all you needed to do." I met his gaze and he smiled. "You just needed to come to terms with everything."

Maybe. I had no idea why I'd had nightmares, why I couldn't seem to ever really shake them, but perhaps Kota was right. Maybe I just needed to be honest about them, share the burden of my fears with someone else.

"It might take some time," he continued, "but if you talk about them, talk things through..."

Maybe they'd stop. Hope threaded through my chest. "You think so?"

"It's only a hypothesis for now, but..." He met my gaze and grinned. "I really do."

♥♥♥

I switched off the hot water before wrapping a towel around myself, trying to hurry up. I didn't know how much time I had before Vic and Gabe got here and I wanted to be ready.

While I towel-dried my hair I heard low murmuring through the bathroom door. I picked out Kota's voice easily and then Nathan's, who must've come over while I'd been in the shower. "So what did you tell Mr. B?" he asked, and I tried to tune them out as I straightened the mats in the bathroom, making sure it was spotless again.

I couldn't hear what Kota said, but paused when Nathan continued, "How do you think she'll react?"

She? I bit my lip, feeling guilty I was eavesdropping, but I still found myself wondering who they were talking about. Erica? Kota's girlfriend? Someone else's?

Their conversation dipped to a low murmur again and I quickly gathered my things, eager to escape the temptation of listening. As I eased open the door I heard Kota say, "It'll be fine, Nate."

"I just don't wanna disappoint those kids," Nathan replied, and I heard them on the stairs, heading toward Kota's room. "Being in the hospital's already tough."

I stilled in the hallway. Kids? They were visiting kids in the hospital?

"If I mess this up the Academy-"

"You won't," Kota reassured, and then their conversation was cut off when a door closed, the house quieting again. They were visiting kids as part of an Academy assignment, I realized, putting two and two together. Helping Ashley Waters build up its resources, visiting kids in the hospital... everything I knew so far about the school they were a part of sounded like the kind of place I wanted to be involved with.

I'd been living a half life until Erica had taken me in, confusing tolerance for love, smothered by the people I thought had cared about me. But my family was here now. Since getting to know Kota and his friends and the good I saw in them, the good they did, I couldn't shake my desire to become a part of the school they all seemed to cherish. The Academy.