A Giant Mountain (g/t)

Chapter 24-Pity party

I slowly felt my consciousness return to me. My eyelids still felt too heavy to open though. All I heard were familiar voices.

"Thank goodness you're alright! Where's... what happened?"

"We have no clue,"

"She's pretty badass though,"

"No she's not!"

"She shot a guy out of a moving vehicle!"

"Anyone could do that!"

"Boys stop being immature, go check to see if she's even still alive,"

"Yeah, her chest is moving,"

"She's also clutching a loaded gun against her chest! Someone should take that from her,"

I felt something tug against the hand gun, so I let go as to not accidentally set it off. The gun fired anyways and my eyes shot open. It now looked to be nighttime and the truck was pulled up in a driveway. To my right, Chad was holding the gun, his fingers on the trigger, looking very stunned. A bit further behind him was Aiden, Nathaniel and his mom. They all had their hands over their ears.

"Fuck!"

The gun clattered to the ground.

"You just shot my truck!" Nathaniel snapped.

"I'll buy you a new one," Chad grumbled.

I hopped out of the truck and collected the gun.

"Hey I don't-" Aiden started, but I shushed him.

I pointed the barrel to the ground so I didn't accidentally shoot anyone, though there was a certain someone who I wouldn't mind lodging a bullet in. I turned on the safety and put the gun on the hood of the truck, beside the newly appeared bullet hole.

Before I had the chance to fully turn back around, Nathaniel pounced on me. I let out a yelp of surprise as he wrapped his arms around my waist. Tightly. I just barely suppressed a wince.

"I missed you so much," he whispered.

"I missed you too. But Nathaniel... "

"Yeah?"

"My body is literally broken and you are hugging me very tightly,"

Nathaniel immediately let go and took a couple steps back.

"Sorry,"

He furrowed his brows with concern, and pity. I knew that he was just worried, but I still hated being pitied. I was very happy though to see that we were the exact same height, not even an inch different! Well maybe an inch considering I was now several dozen feet tall—but on a human scale not an inch different! I also noticed the shirt he was wearing: it was also black, but had a small breast pocket. I smiled at him.

I felt a hand on my left shoulder and my eyes met those of Nathaniel's mom. Her face was also written with concern and pity. She wasn't concerned too was she? I mean she did send me to the authorities in the first place...

"Émelie, right?" she asked.

I nodded slowly.

"I am so, so sorry for everything. I—I was just worried for Nathaniel and I wasn't thinking straight. I know that there really isn't any excuse, but I am sorry," she gave a weak smile.

"Yeah it's ok. I'm fine, and I don't blame you," I shot a withering glare at Chad, who avoided it and looked at the ground.

Next Aiden approached me. He smiled weakly, trying to hide is pity. I get why they were pitying me. I doubted that I looked like I just came back from the best week of my life. But I still loathed there patronizing gazes, like I was some sad puppy.