Connection ~ (Highschool AU - Catradora)

Chapter 45

Catra's POV

I was speechless as I replayed what just occurred right in front of me.

"What.. just happened," I asked myself, completely shocked. Hordak now disappeared, leaving me and Adora oblivious in the middle of the parking lot. Shadow Weaver's car was still in front of us but one of Hordak's workers was now moving it somewhere.

Adora seemed to have the same expression as me, her hand softly grazing mine but it was stiff. My gaze now turned back to Adora who was looking in the direction of where Shadow Weaver was taken away. I tugged on her hand a bit.

"Hey, you alright?" I asked.

She simply shrugged and walked us both over to a nearby bench and sat down. It took a bit because the crutches slowed me down, "Want to buy a drink?"

"What do you mean?"

I watched Adora fish for a couple of coins in her pocket and leaned over to the vending machine that I just now noticed was there. She slotted the coins and pressed a few buttons before the sound of a can crashing through the chute. Once the two canes were dispensed, she grabbed the cans and handed them to me.

I raised an eyebrow as I took it from her. Adora casually was plucking up the metal lid and chugged the drink of the soda down.

I looked at the can in my hand and sat down next to her while placing the two crutches beside me. I eventually found the air between us very awkward, "You never answered my question"

"What question?"

"That if you were okay" I reminded, opening the can and drinking it quietly.

"Right, um. I don't know"

"Yes you do, just tell me what's on your mind" I sighed, setting down the coke and forcing her gaze to me by my hand.

Adora frowned and shoved her hands into her pants, "It just seems unreal. Like, I just keep asking the question to myself 'is this real?', and I can't answer it. You have to be feeling a little unsure about all of this"

"You're right, this situation is definitely complicated but I don't know what to do. Hordak said that we just have to forget anything that happened here"

Adora slapped a hand over her face and sighed, "That's exactly the issue. I can't just forget what happened here. I have so many things I wanted to ask Shadow Weaver and I can't"

My eyes softened as I slumped into the seat of the bench to ponder what I should say next.

"That's...I don't know. Life? You can't expect everything to go the way you want. And in your case, you can't get the answers you want because of well..whatever just happened"

"Well, maybe I could've gotten them a little earlier if you just told me the truth instead of keeping everything from me!" Adora hissed.

My jaw was held open for a second then it instantly shut in shame as I looked away. The hand on my thigh was clenched into a fist.

I could tell Adora instantly regretted what she said as she went to reach for my hand but I shuffled away, "Catra- I'm sorr-"

"No more of those. I know It's my fault. You have every right to stay mad at me. And...I know you still love me no matter what. But..something tells me that you need some space. Like..real space to think that if you really want me. I will always wait for you okay? You don't need to pressure yourself to keep avoiding what I did to you. I don't want you to be with me as you continue to think of what I did wrong because you don't deserve that. You shouldn't have to be in a relationship where so much pent up..bad memories still are there" I expressed, quickly wiping a tear away before Adora could see.