Undefeated

Part 4: Outside the Comfort Zone

    The colorful symbols litter the brick I'm holding. I have no idea what the hell I'm looking at.

    I feel a dip on the couch next to me and look to my right to see Dane, eating an apple. He gestures to my hand and I give him the thing. He presses one of the symbols and a small blinking light appears on the black frame on the wall.

    At least, I think it's a frame.

    It suddenly lights up with all kinds of colors, some sort of cartoon appearing. I'm immediately drawn in, watching the yellow sponge and red crab talk to each other.

    "You can watch this for a bit, these buttons are for changing the shows," Dane explains, pointing towards numbered buttons on the thing. I nod and take it from his hand. "I have to go to my classes."

    "Okay." He goes into the main room and I hear a door close.

    I look at the buttons and begin to flip through the numbers for something to watch.

    Some guys named Jim and Dwight bickering.

    A girl with freakishly long hair and her pet... chameleon?

    Some guy in a suit talking in front of a map.

    After a few minutes, I finally settle for watching some guys kicking a ball around into nets.

    Someone in a blue jersey maneuvers around another person in a red jersey and passes the ball to their teammate. I sit up and lean forward, secretly rooting for the blue team.

    The ball is kicked into the net and the blue gets points, earning a perky round of applause from me.

    I lay on my side pulling a blanket over me, putting the buttons on the table in front of the couch.

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Dane's POV
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I rest my head on my hand, tuning out the chatter around me as I wait for my law professor to start the class. My unoccupied fingers tap the desk, accompanied by my leg bouncing.

I can't help but think about Imogen. She didn't know what a car was, she had no idea what some of the first aid supplies were, she didn't know what a toaster was, and I don't think she knew what the TV was.

The only explanation I can think of is that she grew up in a community where there were none of these things. At the same time, it doesn't make sense because she was completely by herself when I saw her.

Did she get lost?

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Two Hours Later
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I'm walking back to my car, holding my bag over my shoulder. I feel a stare my way and turn around, regretting my decision in a heartbeat.

I see her staring at me. The girl who took my security away. The girl who violated me.

She gives me a seductive, bratty smirk and I turn back around, power-walking to my car.

Within two minutes, I'm speeding down the freeway, trying to find a rhythm in my breathing.

My speedometer catches my eye and I quickly slow down, realizing how fast I was going.

I couldn't help it, I just had to get away from her.

My hand finds its way to the radio controls and I switch it to my favorite station, letting the music bleed into the car's atmosphere.

Soon enough, I see my house in the distance and remember that Imogen is in there. I pull into the driveway and shake off my negative feelings, opening the car door.