Storm

26

I began to walk up the steps towards Ella, tense and anxious. She looked up, noticing me. Her whole demeanor changed, from bored to guarded. She put her phone away to turn to me, eyes narrowed and suspicious.

" What do you want?" Ella asked, her tone short and cold.

I glanced around us, noticing a few people glancing at us as they walked by. I sighed, looking back at Ella. " I'm sorry."

Ella looked shocked, her cold and guarded demeanor dropped. I looked at her with soft, empathetic eyes. " Dakota is wrong," I explained. " We need to get Nora and the others out."

Ella tensed, looking around quickly. She grabbed my arm, pulling me through the main doors and through the halls," Not here, let's talk somewhere more privately."

I didn't say a word as Ella pulled me along, wondering where she was taking me. I hoped that what I said hadn't upset her. I noticed that she had taken me outside to the field, where the PE teachers were preparing for their first period class.
We stopped, and she turned to me, eyes filled with a million emotions.

" No one knows about Nora. My uncle... her dad... he's trying to keep it on the down low, in hopes that she simply ran away. And my cousins..." she trailed off.

" Amber and her twin brother, right?" I asked, surprising her again.

Ella slowly nodded," Y..Yeah... how did you-"

" Amber occasionally dances at the dance studio I go to. Sometimes she hangs out with me and the other dancers. I've only seen her twin brother-"

" Brett," Ella cut in.

I nodded, continuing. " Brett. I've only seen him a few times, but Amber has mentioned him once or twice."

" They're... not here today. They took the news hard. It's a good thing they aren't though. It wouldn't take them long to figure out that he-"
She paused, and I could see her anger was returning, causing her to look away. " That he was the last one with her."

" Ella, he's hurting just like you-"

" Good." She snapped, glaring at me, her fire back in her eyes.

I pressed my lips together, refusing to react out of frustration. " That isn't fair. He didn't mean for her to get hurt. He was trying to help."

" Then maybe he should have stayed out of it." Ella muttered.

I tilted my head, frowning. " You don't mean that. Whether or not you like it, we need his help."

Ella opened her mouth to reply, but she seemed to not be able to find the words.

I took this moment to bring the plan up. " I think we can do it; all ten of us. We could break Nora and the kids out."

Ella raised an eyebrow, curious. " Alright, I'm listening."

" We have three people with powers; one who basically has two powers in one. You and I are fierce, strong. We have no fear. Owen is intelligent and great at organizing and strategizing. Kaylee, Chloe, and Sebastian, they all have strong loyalty and trust. We could be an unstoppable machine." I didn't realize how passionate I had gotten, but it seemed to convince Ella, who smiled.

" Now you're talking. So tell me, what were you thinking."

I smiled back, grateful she was on my side. " Wyatt mentioned that he brought down one of those fences, right? I bet he could do it again."

Ella nodded folding her arms," Go on..."

" I haven't figured out how we would get past the guards, although it would most likely involve Wyatt, Zach, and Mateo. No guard can go against three, which are basically four, powers."