Experiment Zero

36. The Big Reveal Continues....And Oh Yeah There's Peter

Lager and I 'harumph' at the same time and look pointedly away from each other, both our arms crossing.

Becky rolls her eyes while Max softly smiles from where he had been watching the exchange like a tennis match, his head jerking from person to person whenever they spoke.

"We need to get onto more important matters, like for instance the fact that Zero has run away." Becky snarls.

The world slows, and I find my mouth parting open, but the rest of me is frozen. "What do you mean by "run away"?" I whisper.

"I mean gone!" She exclaims throwing her arms out. "Escaped! Vanished! Ran like a Lyncher was on his heels!"

Max stands from his position by the bed, resting a hand on Becky's arm. She seems like she's going to shrug it off, but at the last moment she lets it stay, her tense body deflating slightly.

"We all need to calm down." Max says, and I'm surprised to see that for once his usual joking demeanor has been replaced with a calm, serious one.

"Easy for you to say." I laugh humorlessly, wincing when my head aches again. My mood has suddenly shifted again from shocked to spiteful. "You weren't the one who just kissed a person, found out they were the reason their dying, fainted, and woke up to an angry Becky all in on hour."

Becky gives me a look showing exactly how much appreciation my comment earned me, which judging by her gaze isn't much.

"I think we should go." Max says, sliding his hand down from Becky's shoulder all the way to her hand, where he entwines their hands.....or at least tries too. This time Becky steps away, pulling her hand behind her back and flushing in what seems like embarrassment and guilt.

Max pretends it didn't happen. I almost feel sorry for the guy.

"But someone has to explain." I rush out, watching both of them shuffle to the door.

A throat clears and I look to see Lager still standing there, staring down at me with his intense gaze. I hold in my groan. Nothing against Lager, but I've grown tired of him explaining all these things to me. How can one guy know so much information? But then again he is the High Commander, isn't it his job to know these things?

There's a moment after the door closes shut behind my friends, where there's only a tense silence. I shift on the bed uncomfortably, and this seems to start Lager out of his stupor. He clears his throat again, which only makes the situation more awkward. Wouldn't people know by now not to clear their throats to make a situation not awkward when it's the universal sign for awkward!?

"May I sit?" Lager says after a second, gesturing to the open space on the bed by my hit.

I debate internally for a shot second, before nodding. Lager swiftly sits down, like I expected, but what I didn't expect was for him to swing around and lean against the headboard so we're side to side, kicking his legs up beside mine.

My face incredulous, I try to shove away from him but a piercing pain enters my head, rendering me immobilized.

"Careful!" Lager snarls, turning to me and gently wrapping his arm around my waist. He then proceeds to carefully lower me until my head rests in his lap. All the while my eyes are squeezed shut, trying to stop the pain from returning again.

It's only when I feel a soft pressure on my skull that I fling my eyes open, staring up into Lager's amused one's.

"What are you doing?!?!" I demand, attempting to sit up, but Lager keeps me down with an arm banded around my torso. I give up struggling almost immediately, scowling as Lager moves both his hands back to my head.