𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐎, the gifted [1]

chapter eighteen

Four years ago

Elaine Martin was sat on the hood of her car. Winona was sat next to her. The two were deep in thought, both remembering the events that happened only months ago. Winona was still angry. Angry at her parents. Angry at the world that she lived in. Angry at life.

"I still can't believe that they did that," she muttered, not taking her eyes away from the horizon as the sun began to set. Elaine sighed and pursed her lips. "Neither can I," she replied, trying to keep the bitterness out of her tone. Winona could hear it nonetheless. "But that doesn't matter anymore. It happened and there's no changing it. We just gotta move on," she added.

"I can't just move on from that, Elaine. They're our parents and they just threw us out like it was no big deal," Winona replied angrily. Elaine carefully thought about her next words. "Maybe because we're not actually their kids--" Winona didn't let Elaine finish her sentence. "No, that's bullshit. They raised us since we were babies. We are their kids. Blood or not," Winona said.

"If they felt that way, do you really think they would've kicked us out. I mean me, I understand. But you? You're not even a mutant and they thought about kicking you out too. In case you were one and they didn't want to take the chance. Now that, that's bullshit. Even if they changed their minds and wanted you to stay," Elaine said. She slid off of the car's hood and landed on the concrete below.

"But they didn't kick me out. I decided to leave with you. And I would've left the house once I finished college anyway. I had one more year," Winona murmured. Elaine nodded her head. "Come on, let's get out of here," Elaine said. Winona sighed before sliding off of the car. Once she was on the ground, she opened the passenger side door and got in. She grabbed her seatbelt and put it on as Elaine entered the vehicle. The two sat in silence.

Elaine took ahold of Winona's hand and held it tightly. "Don't worry. You and I, we have each other. And that's all that we need," she said. Winona smiled and nodded. Elaine put the keys into the ignition and turned on the car. She then put on her own seatbelt and began driving again.

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Winona was in her room getting the remainder of her things together for the journey to Perry. She and some of the others were going there to help out some refugees and bring them back to headquarters. Winona was happy that there was something that she could do.

Her mind continued to travel back to her dispute with John. She was angry, though not at him. At herself. It was her own fault. She got herself into this. She let herself develop feelings for him. Let her feelings overpower her judgement. She let herself get distracted. She was stupid. Winona had one goal and one goal only: to find Elaine.

She was supposed to focus on finding and saving her sister. Instead, she let herself stray from that path. But it's not like she could really help it.

A knock sounded on the door and Winona turned to it. Sonya stood in the doorway, her hand still on the door. "Hey," Winona said. "Hi," Sonya replied with a sheepish smile. "Can I come in?" She asked and Winona nodded. "Are you on your way to Perry too?" Sonya asked. "Yeah, Marcos said they could use a little extra help," Winona replied and Sonya nodded.

"I just wanted to talk to you about John," Sonya said after a beat of silence. Winona contained an eye roll at his name. "What about him?" She asked. "Things between us are, complicated," Sonya began. "So I've heard," Winona said. Sonya briefly looked down before looking at Winona again.

"I don't really know what kind of relationship you and him have but I know that he cares about you and you care about him. And he and I are still figuring things out. Well, at least I am. He's, I don't know," Sonya paused and took a breath. "He doesn't care about me in a romantic way though. Just a friendly one. He kind of made that clear, I guess. I mean, he's with you after all," Winona said. Sonya looked long and hard at her, her eyes holding disbelief, before sighing. "I just don't want things to be weird between you and me. I don't want you to hate me," Sonya said.