𝓛𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓕𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭

26

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I squinted, trying to peer through the small slit in the open fabric of the medic tent. As one of the boys bandaged me up, Wendy sat beside me, her expression filled with concern. "I still can't fathom why you did that; you could have been seriously hurt," she exclaimed, adjusting herself closer to me.

She examined my face, gently wiping away the lingering dirt, almost like a mother caring for her child. I couldn't quite grasp why Wendy had suddenly become so attached to me, but what was even more peculiar was that I didn't mind it. It was comforting to have someone by my side, especially in this predominantly male environment.

After quickly expressing my gratitude to the boy who had tended to me, Wendy held my hands. I tilted my head to the side and gazed directly into her eyes. "How did you end up here?" I blurted out. Her eyes widened, clearly not expecting me to ask such a question.

"To be honest, I don't really know," she replied swiftly. "At first, I thought it was a dream; everything happened so rapidly that I just..." She trailed off, her head bowing slightly as she fidgeted with her feet. I nodded in understanding and looked up at the tent's ceiling. "Aren't you scared?" I inquired, more to comfort myself. "Yes," she replied simply.

"Well, do you ever want to go back? To the real world?" I asked, still unsure if this was reality or not, hoping she would comprehend my confusion. "Maybe, but this is a nice escape from reality, though I do miss..." She paused for a few seconds, her lips pursed in thought. "I miss my family," she eventually confessed.

I sprang to my feet. "Then help me leave; we can go back together!" I said eagerly. This time, she posed the question, "Don't you like it here?" She appeared a bit stunned and confused. I contemplated for a second. "I do enjoy it here; it's fun, but all good things must come to an end, and so must this delusional reality." She regarded me with a mix of emotions. "I'll have to think about it," she replied with a hint of worry. I nodded with a small smile as she quietly left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I sighed, flopping down onto the medibed and dragged my hands over my face, deep in thought. It was a whirlwind of emotions, and I couldn't help but feel torn between two worlds. Suddenly I hear a familiar voice echo through the tent. "Care to explain what happened, love?" He says, emerging from outside the tent. 

Peter. 

I smirk up at him, "I won a fight against Adrian," I say proudly. He chuckles, "Why do you keep causing trouble when I'm gone, you little troublemaker?" he says, looking amused. 

I stare up at him, getting face to face with him as I tilt my head to the side. He takes my hips, pulling them close to him. "What if I say I am a troublemaker?" I whisper in his ear as I hold onto his neck. "Then I would just have to keep you close and protect you from the trouble you stir up," he responds in a low, husky voice, his lips drawing closer to mine. Our eyes lock, and in that moment, I forget about everything else.

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Word count: 584