Behind

Chapter 27

We stopped at a nearby Wendy's restaurant and let the rest of the time between then and the near end of training slip away. We didn't talk much. We chatted small talk about anything other than the situation we were currently in.

It wasn't really awkward to be around Shawn anymore than it was unfamiliar. Shawn seemed natural considering that he knew who I was the second I was introduced to the Magcon crew. 

I guess I may not be the master of secret keeping after all. 

We drove back to the hotel with my mind still swirling. I figured Shawn's head may be doing the same, but not nearly as intense. 

I couldn't help but think back to the conversation we had in a car when we first hung out at that Japanese restaurant. He told me his mom's nickname and that his dad had died before he was born. It makes sense now. Our birth dates were almost exactly nine months apart. 

Shawn had also said that he was given up because he reminded his mom too much of his dad. I glanced over at Shawn as he stared out of the side window. Could that be true?

We arrived at the hotel and we quickly rushed towards the gym. We burst through the door just in time to catch Nicole shooting Carter in the back with a paintball gun. 

"Score!" Aaron yelled, laughing. Everyone else kind of flinched back at the sound of the ball making contact with Carter's skin.

The crowd turned to face us as we took our shoes off; breathless and panting from running. 

"Where were you guys?" Gilinsky asked. "No one could find you."

Shawn shrugged. "You could have called me."

"Calling is cheating." Gilinsky spoke. He walked closer to Shawn with a grim glare. He narrowed his eyes. Quickly, his whole presence changed as he set one hand on Shawn's shoulder and smirked slightly. "You've always been the champ of stealth."

Shawn beamed and looked over at Nicole, who was apologizing to a bent over Carter. I couldn't explain how grateful I was to not be found in this cruel twist of a fun childhood game.

Gilinsky turned strictly on his heel. "Stop being a baby Carter."

Carter struggled to rub the spot on his back that was hit. "You know that I have back problems. She hit me right in the spine!" 

Nicole looked at him remorsefully. 

"Not that she meant it." He added painfully.

Gilinsky walked over to Carter and grabbed him, straightening his hunched back. Carter yelled out in pain.

"That was such a dick move, man!" Carter squeezed his eyes shut and we all crowded around him.

"Suck it up, soldier." Gilinsky commanded as he walked towards the doors. "Training is over for today. Five o'clock tomorrow. Sharp." With that, he slammed the gym area's doors. Even Bart and Kendra stared at the scene with a shocked expression.

A paintball never would have seemed to hurt so badly, but I never knew that Carter had back problems. They must be bad if he's actually crying. I've never seen him look anything but outgoing and innocent.

"I'm sick of this," Carter raged through his tears. "No matter what I do I get treated like shit." He leaned against the wall, eager to find a comfortable position. "You know," he yelled, looking at all of us. "You all better be grateful that I'm not in a bigger position than I am now, because things would be different." He gritted his teeth and exited through the back door without saying anything else. 

I turned my vision to Carmina and she had her back turned. She couldn't stand to see people hurt, more or less the guy that she really liked.

I rubbed her back and she stood there, looking at the ground. A few seconds later she shook off my touch and faced me meekly. "I'm going to see how he's doing." 

I nodded and watched her walk towards the door that Carter had exited from.

Everyone else started departing the room after the silence fell like a blanket over the gym. Kaitlyn and Kelly lead the large cluster of people out.

I turned to face Shawn and he smiled when I made eye contact with him. His face always seemed so positive no matter what the situation was. "I'm so glad I didn't have to hurt you."

He fixed a piece of hair that was starting to stray away from the part in my scalp. "I don't think I could hurt you even if I had to."

I smiled gratefully up at him. He was a giant compared to me. Somehow now that I was acknowledged of the fact that we were family, he felt more like a bodyguard to me. It was different, yet comforting.

Nash bumped into my side and put his arm around me. "So you both lucked out of being shot?" 

I nodded. "Indeed we did."

"Well you were lucky, it hurt like a mother-" He caught himself from swearing. "It hurt really bad." He looked up at Shawn. "Where'd you guys go anyways?"

"No where." I quickly blurted. "I mean, we just hid." Shawn laughed at how awkward and forceful my answer was.

Nash rubbed my shoulder. "Could I talk to you?" 

"Yeah, sure." I looked up at Shawn one last time. "I'll talk to you later." He turned around and walked out. Nash glared at his figure walking away.

"What was that all about?" He whispered. "Don't even tell me that nothing's up because that would be complete bull."

I rolled my eyes. "Nash, it's nothing of your concern."

"Actually, it is."

I twisted out of his hold. "Since when is every aspect of my life your business?"

Aaron left the room, leaving us alone.

"I just don't understand why you feel the need to hide things like this from me. I thought you trusted me."

"I do trust you." I looked down at my socks and lowered my voice. "There are just some things that I need to keep to myself."

"I don't think you understand how much I- How much I like-" He stopped stuttering and inhaled deeply, putting the tips of his fingers to his forehead. He didn't seem to understand one bit. He snorted and walked over to the shoe area. "Well two can play at this game."

I watched him in awe as he put his hand on the door handle. He looked back, and for a moment, I saw an expression that read that he was sorry for yet another outburst, but it quickly faded to a feature of determination. He left me alone in that room, my brain messed up even more than it was when I had arrived.