Unpromised Home

cloudy with a chance of consequences

Slowly, ever so slowly, it does, and you allow your tense muscles to relax. A sigh escapes you, as you let your arms drop down to your side. You glance around the foyer, finding Tennessee standing next to it, in the direction you came from earlier that day.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." You speak through clenched teeth, walking ahead of the brunette. He quickly takes the lead again, guiding you silently through the halls.

This wasn't a good silence, however. It was the awkward kind. The kind that pressed in on you from every angle. Nagging you, taunting you, at your inability to say what you want to. A coward you were, and a coward it called you.

Your rub your frigid arms. They may not be burning from the flames of hell anymore, but they were still cold from their prolonged exposure to the snow. Maybe you had gotten frostbite? That was likely, you were out there for a long while after all.

It was quite foolish for you to stay out that long really. You should have known better. You shouldn't have gone out there at all. But you did, and now you're moments away from death.

You sigh quietly. You weren't moments away from death. That was simply dramatic. If America had gone through all his troubles to find you, surely you going outside wouldn't spell death for you now. It would put everything to waste. Where's the logic in that?

Yet, there was still a worry burning in your stomach. What if you were wrong? What if you ended up with your head on a skewer? What then.

Abruptly, you come to a stop. Rubbing your head, you take a few steps backwards. Embarrassment floods through your body as you glare at the wall in front of you.

"Dammit." You mumble, moving your gaze to the floor.

"[Name], are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine! I said I'm fine, so I'm fine!" You snap, smacking the outreached hand that was heading for your shoulder, "Do I have to say it again?!"

"No... That's..." Tears well in the corners of your eyes, "You're fine?"

"I'm fine." Tennessee sighs, "I'm fine. I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine." You sink down against a wall. When you hit the floor, your head locks itself between your knees.

You remain there for a very long time. Muttering to yourself the assurance you know is nothing but a pretty lie. Your hands rake tightly into your hair, you aren't sure if tears begin to fall, but your eyes are shut too tightly for you to care.

Your muscles hurt, your joints hurt. You've started to sound like a broken record. Repeating the same grievances over, and over, and over. The pain you were experiencing was indescribable, to the point you weren't even sure it was the pain that had you debilitated on the floor. Was it fear? Longing? Something else? You didn't know. You didn't care. You hurt.

Hands find a resting place over your shoulders. You look up from your bundle of sorrow, staring Tennessee in the face. It was tense with concern. His brow was furrowed, and his gaze bounces across your gaze. Was he trying to tell if you were still home or something?

"What?" Your voice came out hoarse. You bit against your lip, embarrassed at the sound.

"Will you please tell me what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?!" You spit out at him, anger taking place of your embarrassment, "I was fucking kidnapped! That's what's wrong! I'm being held here against my will, at the mercy of people who could easily kill me if they wanted to!"

His face morphed into what would be considered horror. You almost laughed. Almost. Was he an idiot? Did he really expect you not to be angry about all of this? The fucking audacity. You didn't want to be here, as much as the rest of them. You want to be home. Probably studying for some test so you didn't fail again. If not there, you at least want to be with Vivian and Justin.