*Another fabulous outfit for our dearest Will. Don't criticize the overalls: we've all been there, and let's face it, we miss it*
~Willow
Cole and I burst into the clearing. At this point, he was crying and beginning to droop because of the lack of energy.
"Don't give up on me now, ya little shit. You're goin to live through this, ya hear me? If you don't, I will bring your arse back to life and pummel you until you really wish you were dead," I breathed heavily and continued to limp until we were close enough to the homestead.
"Now hush your groanin. I don't necessarily want to yell at you, but I will if I have to," I spit his own words right back at him. If I wasn't busy being sympathetic towards Cole, I would've been beatin his skinny behind into a pulp.
We were almost a hundred yards away from the homestead when I began shouting for help.
"WE NEED MED-JACKS!! WE'VE GOT A MAN DOWN! MOVE YOUR THICK SKULLS AND HELP US!!"
Inside, I could hear a commotion as boys began jogging outside. Minho was the first one out. As soon as he saw us, he began sprinting in our direction. Newt and Alby weren't far behind, soon followed by Thomas, Chuck, Gally, Clint and Jeff.
The others stayed a good distance away, but watched us intently. I could clearly hear them wondering what had happened.
Minho reached us first. "Will!! Are you okay? What happened?! Where have you been?! I panicked when you didn't show up for dinner, and I didn't know what to think..."
"I'm fine, Minho, just a few scrapes. Cole, on the other hand, might not have gotten off too well," I stared at the poor boy in my arms. His cheek was read from where I'd slapped him and there was a bloodstain right on his crotch.
Minho looked from him to me. "What the shuck even happened?"
"Long story. Tell ya later."
"Will! What happened?!" Newt furrowed his eyebrows in concern.
"Like I said, I'll tell ya later."
"Count me in on that explanation, Greenie. Clint! Jeff! Get Cole to a room and figure out what's wrong. We're comin with," Alby gestured to the four of us.
I sighed and pressed my temples. "I'm not sure you want to see that mess."
Alby shrugged. "It doesn't matter if I want to or not. It's my job. And from the looks of it, you could use some help yourself," he gestured to me.
I looked to Minho, seeking insight to my own predicament. Minho's eyes widened and he picked me up bridal style quickly.
"What're you doin?" I gave him a curious look.
Minho swiped my cheek, his fingers stung when they touched my skin. When he pulled his hand back, there was a faint trace of blood on his fingertips.
"Shit," I breathed and looked up at him.
"You're explaining this later, whether you like it or not," he locked eyes with me before running us back to the homestead.
There was an open door at the end of the hall across from the room they'd put me in. Both Clint and Jeff were stringing together a list of profanities as they shouted. They clearly had figured out what was wrong with Cole and were panicking as they fixed him-if they could fix him.
Minho laid me down on my bed and grabbed a cloth. Carefully, he rubbed my cheek. "You wanna tell me what happened?"
"In all honesty, not in any way, shape or form," I sat up, feeling the places that would be bruises in the morning. I shivered slightly whenever I found one.
Minho shook his head. "Well tough shuck. You're telling me. Take your shirt off and let me see what happened."
I sighed, but I complied.
"I know that shuckface did this. Don't try and defend that scumbag," Minho grunted as I moved my arms and pulled the tank top over my head.
His eyes widened as he got closer. "What the shuck..."
I trembled slightly whenever he'd touch one of my sore spots. His eyes brimmed with tears. "I'm so sorry, Will. I should've been there. I should've protected you."
"Minho, don't give me any of that klunk. It's already gone, it happened. There's no point focusing on the shoulda coulda wouldas. I got myself into this mess," I put a firm but gentle hand on his shoulder. I sighed. "Do I absolutely have so tell ya what happened?"
"Yes. You have to tell me so I can fix it," Minho pleaded.
"Fine. Just, please don't get upset, okay?"
He nodded his head and I exhaled deeply. "Well, after I left you and Newt, I went for a walk around the Glade so I could clear my head. I was over by the deadheads around thet time it got dark. I was starting to walk back to the kitchen so I could catch dinner. When I turned back around, Cole was behind me."
I paused, knowing what happened next would be horrific in detail and memory. "Then, I got a bad feeling about being alone with him, so I started walking. Before I got very far, Cole shoved me up against a tree and pinned me. I tried to fight him and I struggled, but he just kicked and hit me twice as hard back. He kept screaming 'Shut up!' and, grabbing me. He took his pants off and tried to, y'know, but before he got the chance, I pulled my knife out of my back pocket and-"
I laughed humorlessly. "I finally made good on my threat to castrate anything that dares to try. Made a decent slice on him, I did. But I wasn't goin ta let him just bleed out in the middle of the woods, I couldn't live with myself if I did. So I dragged his arse back here, and now Clint and Jeff are doin what they can to repair my handiwork."
Minho was pacing the floor until I mentioned goin all chop shop. He faced me, his sad gaze meeting my own. He kneeled in front of me on the floor and began crying into my thigh.
"I'm so so sorry. I knew this would happen. But I thought I could be there to stop it when it happened. I thought I could protect you, but obviously I'm not very good at my job," he sobbed.
I embraced him, leaning down to rest my head on top of his. I hushed him. "That's not true, Minho. You have no reason to feel guilty. It was my own fault. Now please, let's not waste anymore breath on this subject. Right now, it's just you and I."
Minho lifted his head to face me. His eyes were red, puffy, and clouded. "Just you and me?"
I smiled and nodded. I kissed his forehead lightly and rubbed his back. "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end."
Minho sniffed. "Nah nah nah, you don't get to pull any of that poetic klunk either."
I laughed, my first genuine laugh of the day. "If you're gonna play the tough guy card, I get to play the heartfelt emo crap."
Minho laughed too and his eyes lit up. It felt good to see him back to normal. It was short-lived, but it was a sweet moment.
I say short-lived because next thing y'know, Alby and Newt came marchin through the door. "Will, now would be a good time for that explanation," Alby asked.
I went on and explained everything again. I could tell Newt and Minho were getting worked up. Newt's face was pale, but his eyes were dark as night. The farther I went on, the higher the tension in the room ran.
When I was done I stood up and moved across the hall to try and see how Cole was doing. Newt grabbed my wrist suddenly. "Where do you think you're going?"
I turned my head. "I broke somethin, I need to see if they can fix him."
"After he tried to shucking rape you, you still drug his sorry shuckface back here and saved his life. You've already done too much for that slinthead. He doesn't deserve it," Newt glared.
"Doesn't matter, I'm still responsible," I attempted to squirm out of his grasp.
Newt shook his head. "I'm staying right here. If I hear anything, I'm comin in."
I sighed, but I didn't argue.
I knocked on the door and Jeff answered, letting me in without saying anything.
Cole laid on his back, groaning quietly. He perked up when he saw that I'd entered the room.
"Hey, you're alive. Good to see you accomplished somethin today," I sat in the chair beside the bed. "They stitched you up all good, I hope?"
Cole stayed put but laughed. "You could say that. Though, for once I'm kind of happy to have gotten my ass handed to me."
"Coming from the girl that tossed it back in your face, that means so much," I sarcastically replied.
Cole looked me in the eye. "You told em the story, I assume? Kept all the details straight? Guess this is the closest thing to comfort I'm going to get. I'll probably be in the Slammer by the end of the night."
"I told em what happened. And yes, I'm angry. In fact, I'm so angry Satan would be jealous. But I'm also one to give second chances. I might be wary of trustin you, but I'm willin to let you try again," I sincerely assured.
Cole's eyes got teary. "I don't deserve a second chance. I don't deserve to be forgiven."
"You'd be surprised. I've seen much, much worse," I stood up. "I'll say what I can at the council to keep you from gettin banished, but I make no guarantees. Try and hold on until then."
Cole nodded. "I'm lucky. I ended up gettin my ass kicked by the strongest empathizer in the Glade."
I shrugged. "Got me there."
I motioned for him to stand. "C'mere. If this is the last chance I have to see you, I want ta make it a half decent goodbye, at least."
With a little help from me, Cole stood. I pulled him into a tight hug. He seemed surprised at first, but then hugged me tightly back. Silently, he whispered in my ear, "This isn't the end. Everything will be okay in the end. And if it's not okay, it's not the end."
I laughed. "You're quotin me."
"While I have the chance," he smiled when I pulled away.
Here it was. Here stood the boy who I knew as my friend. And here was probably the last sweet moment I'd get to spend with him.
I walked to the door, my throat tightening. I didn't want to cry in front of him and ruin the moment.
"Cole," I croaked. He turned and faced me. "I'm sorry that this happened."
And with that, I left the room and continued walking until I had nowhere to walk to.
My tree. It had been a long time since I'd been up there.
I curled up at the base of the tree. And without warning, I cried. Tears poured from my eyes as I released all the pent up emotion within me.
I have this thing: I hate my emotions. Feelings suck Griever ass. I avoid them frequently and avidly. It's what I call dealing. With the world, the boys, myself. But sometimes, I can't just leave them ignored.
But when I bottle them up like this, they end up bursting out like champagne at the worst moments possible. Usually, things get messy, because all of that emotion can destroy a person.
No amount of novacaine can fix that, numb the pain. And I can't always bury that emotion.
Pure, unrequited, sorrowful emotion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey, look! The main character has a soul. Isn't that something new.
On that note, Vote, Comment, Enjoy!!