Aberrant

Chapter Thirteen

It's been a while

Chapter Thirteen

I didn’t go to school for a while. For about a month so things could cool off and the reporters and “fans” stopped coming by my house. But I still go my makeup work from Quinton, since we have the most classes together, and he had to come over anyway since he still made me train with him.

Quinton has been distance ever since that day. So has Xander. Every time I would look out my window he had the curtains pulled.

But Quinton has his own special way of being distant. He’s always making me do that most outrageous exercises and drills. There’s no more joking around like there used to be. He’s stricter than an officer in the marines.

And right now he’s making me lift heavy things to see how far I can throw them. We were practicing in the field behind the once-I-thought-to-be-abandoned warehouse. “What does this have to do with ass kicking? I mean there’s no bigger threat than a few dudes robbing a Taco Bell and Toxic.” I ask as I lift a broken lawnmower over my head with ease.

Quinton rolls his eyes. “There’s bigger threat in this world than you think. And I have a feeling you’ll soon be faced with them.” He answers in his normal hard tone. I huff and throw the lawn mower about twenty feet.

“Whatever. Throwing random rusty items isn’t going to get rid of the threat.” I point out.

“Shut up and just do what you’re told.” He says acidly. I’ve had enough of this. I turn around to look at him.

“You know what, I am done with your bullshit, Quinton. You haven’t been acting like yourself the past few weeks. I think I would actually get more done if I trained myself!” I raise my voice and then start to walk off. “Bye.”

I don’t look back as I walk off.

And he doesn’t stop me.

***

I go home and fling myself on my bed. I groan into my pillow as I plan how I’m going to commit suicide. I look at my lamp.

Death by lamp. I can already see it headlining the Plomiting Daily, my town’s newspaper.

“Cassidy?” I hear a familiar voice call from outside my window. I roll off my bed, falling to the floor. I groan and get up to open my window.

The familiar voice was Xander. He was looking at me with a sad expression. “Hey.” He says and lifts his hand in a small wave. I wave back, confused of why he’s deciding to talk to me now. He looks a little rough. Purple bags rest under his eyes. He looks a little paler than usual and his hair’s tousled. He’s still very attractive though.

Cassidy, stop with these thoughts.

No matter how good Xander looks, I am still mad at him. Even madder than I was before the trip. He doesn’t talk to me for months, kisses me, and then goes back to ignoring me.

“Everyone misses you at school.” He says quietly.

I raise an eyebrow. “Really? I had two friends—more like one now.” I respond back coldly. If everyone at school misses me it’s probably because of my newfound fame. Xander looks hurt from my statement. My heart throbs.

“Well I miss you.” He says quietly. I laugh bitterly.

“You miss me so much that you ignore me for months?”

“Look…I didn’t mean to…” He trails off, not being able to find the right words. “Can we talk?”

“We’re talking right now.”