(Cover above made by madelinecrisson who did a wonderful job! Thank you!❤️)
After getting ready and eating leftovers from breakfast I head down to the training room. Today is designated to building our strength and endurance so we focus on lifting weights and running.
"Hey Ryan!" Michael chirps, meeting me at the door.
"Hey Mike." I respond lamely. I'm still worn out from this morning.
"What's the matter Ry?" He asks me, his tone changing from playful to serious.
"Huh," I sigh, "nothing, just tired is all. Maybe you can cheer me up?"
"You know I can cheer you up." He responds, elbowing me in the shoulder. "Are you ready for some of the cheesiest jokes ever?"
"Fire away." I huff back.
"Okay, here goes. What's red and bad for your teeth?"
I shrug my shoulders in response waiting for him to give me the answer.
"A brick!" He exclaims and a small grin makes its way onto my face.
"Okay, I'll admit it that was kind of funny, but I'm still not fully cheered up." I respond wanting him to continue.
"Alright, Alright, this one is definitely going to make you laugh." He responds then continues, "why did Sally fall off the swing?"
"I don't know; why?" I roll my eyes at him.
"She had no arms! Okay, okay, here comes the good part. Knock knock."
"Who's there?" I sigh and he proceeds.
"Not Sally!" He bursts out laughing which ends up making me laugh.
It's not so much the joke that makes me happy, but him. Michael's laugh is hilarious. It starts out really quiet but then gets louder and louder until he's cackling like a hyena mixed with a dying walrus.
When my laughter finally subsides I look up to find Braiden glaring at me. Jeez, what did I do? The music starts playing Crying in the Club by Camilla Cabello and I start running laps. I actually don't mind running if there's music while I'm doing it or if I just had lots of candy.
Braiden's just a couple of strides ahead of me so I run to catch up with him. Ever since this morning he hasn't even acknowledged me, unless you count the scowl he gave me earlier. This boy has mood swings like you wouldn't believe!
Finally, I'm in step with him and I make sure to stay just a little bit ahead. A grin makes its way onto my face when he runs forward to match my pace. I start running as fast as I can and he follows. It's like we made a silent competition which is another I love about Braiden, he practically reads my mind. That and the fact that he has perfectly chiseled features, has beautiful eyes, and a six pack. Swoon.
Something hard stops me in my tracks and I'm caught right before I hit the ground. Yup, I slammed directly into Braiden because all my stupid brain does is think about him.
"Ryan, what the hell! Watch where you're going." He growls then immediately lets me go, stalking off.
I swear he thinks I'm the plague or something and is afraid to touch me.
"Maybe you should stay out of my way." I mumble and he spins around.
"Oh trust me, I try, but it seems like you're always getting into trouble and I have to save you're ass." He shouts and now I'm fuming.
Why is he acting like this all of a sudden? I mean, first I'm beautiful then I'm the last person he wants to see.
"Fine. Then I'll just keep my distance from now on!" I yell back, balling my fists at my side trying to hide the hurt in my voice.
"That would be greatly appreciated." He tells me and I see something flash through his eyes.
Guilt? I don't know because he covered it up so fast. Without another word I spin around on my heel even though I feel his eyes burning holes in my back.
As I'm walking I bump into Jackson.
"Ah, Ryan there you are. I would like to speak to you privately in my office." He sternly says and my heart rate picks up.
What if he found out about this morning? I think to myself but respond anyways.
"Okay. Sounds good." I reply, praying he doesn't know where I went.
He starts to walk away and motions his hand for me to follow.
"Oh, you mean right now?" I ask, feeling dumb that I didn't understand him.
"Yes, that's sort of what I meant when I wanted to talk to you in my office." He remarks, making my face turn red.
I follow behind him into his office where he shuts the door.
"Do you know the reason why I called you in here?" He asks and my face turns pale. He knows.
"Look, I'm sorry about this morning. It's just-"
He cuts me off, "what do you mean this morning? I wanted to tell you about your new assignment."
"Oh, then never mind. What's my assignment?" I ask quickly, trying to change the subject.
"Well," he eyes me suspiciously, "this is going to be the biggest job we've ever sent you on, but I think that you're ready."
I sit there eagerly and wait for him to tell me what it is I have to do. There's nothing I hate more than being left hanging. It annoys the crap out of me.
"You're going to be looking for Damien Payne. He's been the top enemy of the L.U.X for years now, but has never been seen before. Damien may not even be his real name." Jackson explains, leaving me confused.
"Wait, if he's never been seen before, how do you expect me to find him?" I ask, becoming slightly nervous.
"Well," he replies, "we believe there's been recent traces of him near Xavier Private Academy, a school not to far from here."
When he mentions the word school my heart drops. If he's about to say what I think he is, there's no way I'm going to do it.
"We want you to go to the Academy and search for Damien or anyone who knows of him. I believe that he is working with a group of his own, some may be teens others teachers who go to the school. It is one of the least likely places you would suspect which is why we're investigating." He explains and I am so angry I might actually explode.
"So let me get this straight, you expect me to go to school and find out biggest enemy? What makes you think I'll fit in. People will know I'm different right away, why can't Michael go?" I whine, praying he'll change his mind.
"You are not going to be found out because we are going to give you a makeover. Instead of you being yourself, no offense, you are going to be posing as the average, teenage good girl. Going unnoticed and flying under the radar." He sternly responds leaving me no room for argument.
Great, now I have to go to school and get a makeover? I'm working for a government agency and they want to make me do this? Here I thought it would be some really cool mission or something but no, I have to act like the prissy girls I hate.
"Whatever Jackson, but I am not doing this willingly." I huff, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Excuse me? I will not accept that tone young lady. You will do what I tell you, it's a privilege that you get to be here, now act like it." He scowls and I immediately go red.
"Yes sir." I quickly respond. Sometimes I forget who I'm talking to.
"You may leave now." Jackson wave me off and just as I open the door he speaks.
"By the way, Braiden will be coming with you." I can almost feel him smirking as he says those words.
Great, this is going to be just peachy. I'm going to be going on an assignment that I hate with someone who hates me. I slam the door behind me and rush to my room.
Just thinking of school makes me want to barf. I absolutely suck at making friends much less having to act like someone I'm not. On top of that, what if the people at school are complete jerks? Even though I'm a trained with tons of defense skills, when people start to get angry all I think of is my father.
As I'm processing all the information my heart starts to beat rapidly, the walls start to close in, and my vision gets black around the edges. A panic attack. I've had them before and they usually happen when I'm really overwhelmed or when I'm having flashbacks. Great, right now I'm having both. I need fresh air and fast.
Quickly, I rush to the set of stairs that lead to the roof and swing open the door to the top. The crisp air hits my nose and I immediately start to relax. Ever since I was little being outside calmed me down, there's just something about it that's so calming. I walk over and plop down near the edge, digging the heels of my hands into my eyes. Right when things start getting comfortable in my life I'm thrown into something that completely sucks.
"You're not going to jump are you?" A voice behind me says and I freeze.
Braiden. Great, just what I need right now. I actually do, but don't tell him that.
"I thought you wanted to stay away from me." I snap, still not turning around.
I hear him sigh then walk a few steps closer to where I'm sitting.
"I couldn't stay away from me no matter how much I wanted to." He mumbles and I make sure I heard him correctly.
Was that supposed to be a compliment? "What?" I ask, trying to not get excited.
"Ah, nothing." He quickly says before sitting down next to me.
It's silent for quite awhile and I finally realize that it's only like 50 degrees outside. Goosebumps start to cover my arms, but I discretely try to cover them up. I will not let him think that I can't handle a little cold.
He sighs and I feel something warm drape around my shoulders. I look down to find a blanket wrapped around them.
"What the, why do you-"
He cuts me off, "I seen you come up here and figured you would get cold so I grabbed a blanket."
Aww, that's so sweet! I think to myself and he laughs. Okay so maybe it wasn't to myself.
"Now share some of that with me, I'm cold too ya know." He smiles and it practically melts my heart on the spot. Smiling definitely looks good on him.
Even though I know he's kidding it gives me a chance to sit closer to him. I grab the edge of the blanket and put it on him, but he lets it go. Instead he pulls it tighter around me then wraps an arm around my waist. Hesitantly, I snuggle into his arm, but feel him relax when I do.
"So why are you up here anyway?" He asks and I stare off at the horizon.
"Jackson gave me my new assignment and I think I was having an anxiety attack." Shit. Did I just say that out loud? Nobody knows I get those and now I just told Braiden. Mentally face palms.
"What? You have anxiety?" He asks, his voice floods with concern.
"Umm, yeah, but it's been a lot better ever since I came here so don't worry." I assure him and also myself.
"Alright," he says but I can tell he doesn't fully believe me, "about the mission, don't worry Ryan, you're going to do great just like you always do. Plus I'll be with you the whole time."
Hearing him say my name makes my heart skip a beat. I don't know what this boy does to me! My emotions are all over the place with him and every time we touch I feel like I'm lit up by electricity. Ahh! I'm being such a girl right now.
I'm not sure when it happens, but at some point I doze off and for once in my life feel like everything might turn out alright.