Forever and a Day

Foot in mouth Syndrome

Everyone finished dessert in a timely manner, so afterwards Victor and Luke started grabbing dishes, so they could clean up. Nearly everyone had left the table by now, and when Mr. Blackbourne rose to his feet, his words made my blood boil.

He was fixing his coat, eyes on his job as if he couldn't be bothered to make eye contact, "I'll see you all bright and early, meeting up at the Taylor residence for our family camping trip," he said.

I was about to say something, something I would have probably regretted, when Gabriel slammed his hand down on the table, his eyes furious as he looked at Mr. Blackbourne, "Would you get off your fucking high horse? All of us have apologized to Trouble, and you're over there being a prick, couldn't you see her during dinner, dammit? She was ready to cry you ass hat. Man up," he pushed his chair into the table with more force than necessary, "fucking apologize," he practically growled, and then his eyes landed on me, and while he still looked pissed off, they softened immensely, "Come on Trouble," he grumbled, "I'm staying the night with you and Vic," he said.

By this point, all of the boys had walked into the dining room to watch. Gabriel and Victor made eye contact, and Victor nodded briefly, saying that yes he could come to his house. He set down his hand towel, and looked at me, his fire eyes were at a full on inferno.

I was deftly aware that Silas had come up behind me and slithered a big arm around my middle. He pulled me back against his chest as I watch in a mixture of horror and curiosity, waiting to see what Mr. Blackbourne would do.

He simply shook his head at Gabriel, "Miss Sorenson knows it wasn't my intention, she's aware of the fact that none of us meant to hurt her," he said, and if he hadn't opened his big arrogant mouth again, I might have accepted that as a crappy apology. But the stubborn doofus did in fact, keep talking. "So she needs to learn to accept it, and move on. This pouting business is very childish, and," he actually looked me in the eye, for a moment before looking away, his jaw tense, "I expect better from her. She needs to grow up."

There was stunned silence in the room, I knew at any moment the eight guys in the room would start to chew his head off, so I cleared my throat. All but Mr. Blackbourne looked my direction, and with a shaky, tearful expression, I spoke up.

"I'm not going tomorrow. Not with you," I said, "I'm not camping for three days with you," I swallowed.

He looked simply irate, and I was scared for what he might do. Not to me, I'm aware he loves me and this behaviour is probably the result of my proverbial slap, with the dessert, mixed with being called out by Gabriel. But he took it way too far.

Mr. Blackbourne fisted his hands and rested them on the table, his eyes were darker than I'd ever seen them, anger practically dripped from him, "Are you saying that you will be staying home, or that I am unwelcome? Because it had better be the former," he stood straight and fixed his tie, "I don't believe I need to remind you that you aren't a part of the academy, and you have no official role in this family."

At this, all hell broke loose. Sean surged forward and slammed his fist into Owen's jaw, while North lunged after him, and pulled Sean off. Silas lifted me up and turned me away, while I felt as if my heart was cracking into a few pieces. Luke showed up into my line of vision, and he stroked my hair softly before looking at Silas and saying something that I didn't quite catch over the sound of fighting behind us.

Silas turned me so that I faced him and pulled me up into a hug. I wrapped my legs around his hips and buried my face into his shoulder, knowing the tears wanted to break loose, while fighting to keep them at bay. There was a heavy pause, and then Victor was shouting.

Soft, sensible, kind Victor was now swearing at Mr. Blackbourne, I didn't know what to do. I almost wanted to take it back, take every action of tonight back and just pretend like I wasn't bothered. But I knew that for one, it was impossible, and for two, my point would have never been made.

"Let's go," some one, North said.

We all started walking towards the door, and on the way out, Kota cleared his throat, "I would issue an hour, but I think we all need some time to think, Mr. Blackbourne, as punishment for what you've said to Sang, I think it's only fair that you miss out on tomorrow's camping."

There was a finality to Kota's voice, and then we were all getting into cars to go to Victor's house. On the ride over, Silas switched me over to sit in Sean's lap. I kissed his black eye and hugged him close, until Nathan started whining, and then I crawled over the seat to settle into his lap.

Someone asked Victor if his parents were home tonight, to which he thankfully replied they were out on a trip. I was in Gabriel's arms by the time that we got to the house, and as soon as we arrived, Kota opened my door, he and the others rode with North in North's car.

Luke lifted me up into his warm embrace, and carried me inside, at which point North stole me, and carried me all the way up to Victor's room. Normally I would have complained, but tonight I was simply too drained, and the thought of walking had me pressing closer to North.