The Red Room

𝕊𝕀𝕏𝕋𝔼𝔼ℕ

"Yes, I did, I still do." I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes.

"Then why didn't you tell me that when I asked the first time? I was going to die thinking you never really cared about me." He was angry again.

"It will be easier if I just tell you the whole story, then you can ask questions after." As we walked I told him about how the whole thing happened. All the way from the time I arrived at the academy. How I grew up there, constantly scared for my life, about the girl who was my ally. About how I never loved anyone after she died. Then of course about how I got the mission and loved my new life a lot too much.

I finished explaining and after a minuet he said, "So when Amy died you weren't only upset about her death, but that it affected you so much? That's why you became so mean after that? Because you had to. I kind of feel like a jerk now."

"No, you weren't being a jerk. You had every right to be mad at me. I shouldn't have taken it all out on you." I shook my head. "But I do have one question for you. Why did you stay with me even after you saw a bad side of me. I mean, I literally beat you up and you still stayed, why?"

"I had a few reasons. The first was that you knew the secret about my mom. I was scared that if I broke up with you, you might tell everyone out of anger." He ran his hand through his hair. "That's what I thought your whole reasoning was for wanting to know about my mom, you wanted leverage."

"So why did you give it to me?" I asked.

"I was scared you would beat me up again if I didn't." He scoffed.

"That makes sense, but what was your other reason?"

"I thought that maybe there was still some left of the girl I loved, and maybe if I waited long enough, she'd come back." He looked to the ground.

"I'm really sorry I put you through all this." I said shyly.

"It's not your fault. I just can't believe I'll never play football again, or get my diploma, or ever have Mrs. Goodnews class. I thought my life was pretty screwed up before, but I really shouldn't have taken it for granted. I had so much that I'll never get back." He looked at the ground.

"Life changes suddenly sometimes and there's nothing we can do except go with it." I frowned. "I'm going to miss that life more than anything. Remember when I told you it all seemed like a dream? That's all it felt like. A good dream that I eventually had to wake up from."

He sighed, "How do we get out of here? And when we do, where do we go?"

"I have no frickin clue." I said, defeated. "I didn't have time to plan that far. Just that we got out, that was what mattered."

"Well the woods have to end eventually, so if we keep walking we'll make it out. Then we can find someone to help us."

"You're right, I'm sure there is someone who will help us out there. But right now we need to rest. It's getting dark anyway."