Unchanged (Wednesday Or Thursday Updates)

Part 5

I woke fast-I always do. It's a survival skill in my world. Arms bound me to a chest as I jerked, trying to free myself-trapped against a man. A man who I didn't know, who would-

"Sang, Sang! It's me, easy-we're almost there-Sang!" A grunt, then the arms loosened. I'd gotten a groin shot-but relief was short lived as the floor came up to meet me. I flipped, smacking with my hands and stomach like I was taught to, then jumping to my feet and bolting a few feet away before spinning to face the threat. My chest heaved, and I scrambled to make sense of what I was seeing. Nathan stood doubled over, cupping himself where I'd hit him. Gabriel stood a little to the side, his mouth open and eyes wide. Mr. Blackbourne stood in the door of his office, clearly having opened it for them to carry me through. Dr. Green stood a bit behind him, his mouth smiling and eyes twinkling with laughter but still filled with concern-it was an odd combination.

"What the ever living fuck was that?!" Gabriel was the first to break the silence. Shit.

~Gabriel~

The whole day had thrown me for a loop. This haunted eyed skittish firecracker was not the same girl that we'd left here all those years ago. She still had shit taste in clothes, but something made me think it wasn't entirely her choice. When she went down in gym, sure she'd been hit hard, but it shouldn't have been enough to make her pass out like that. She should have gotten her breath back faster, she should have stood up and thrown it back, and she shouldn't have woken like that-as though trying to get away from whatever was pinning her. The look of terror on her face as she fought free of Nathan, and the fact that she'd gotten free of Nathan.... It spoke volume's of something, my brain was still trying to figure out what though. Her eyes were coming into focus, and she straightened from the slight crouch she'd been in, her hands loose and ready at her sides. She took in Nathan, still doubled over. She scanned over Mr. B and Sean. Then her eyes landed on me, and they hardened. But it was to late. I'd seen her in that moment, with her walls down and open for anyone to read. But I wasn't ready to process it.

"What the ever living fuck was that?" The words ripped from my lips as my hands found my hair tugging on the ends as I stomped toward her. A fall like that, and she'd done it like a pro. I was sad that she knew how to smack the ground and she woke up fighting. I was sad that she guarded herself so closely, and I hadn't even realized how much that damn fucking attitude was a front until now. And I'd taken the bate every time.

"What Meanie, worried?" She said it with a tilt of her chin, as though daring me to say no. Well she was in for a disappointment. I wasn't taking it this time. Deep breath in, deep breath out-my lungs loosened. Another and I could think a little clearer. Another and I was ready to talk to her. I stepped into her personal space briskly-her shoulders tensed and she flinched. It was a small flinch, but it was a flinch. If I hadn't been watching, I wouldn't have seen it. My heart hurt. Slowly, I reached out-she jerked away from me, batting at my hand but I caught her wrist, tugging her to stand in front of me. She was so small, she'd fit under my chin perfectly-and I wasn't a tall man which meant she was around five foot one or two.

"Trouble, easy. Yeah, I was fucking worried. Sue me."

"Fuck off Meanie." But there wasn't any heat behind her words. There was a tiredness, as though the weight of years sat behind them. She was tired. She was done. She hadn't realized how done yet though. My stomach twisted, my arms aching to pull her close-but I shook the feeling off. She'd changed so much. I tried not to think about it, just rolling with our interactions through the day, but she was right earlier. It was weird we'd picked up right where we'd left off, but I hadn't thought anything of it until then. It was just the way we were. She tugged her wrist out of my hold, stepping back.