Firecracker (On Hold)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

Justin's P.O.V.

Wow, that girl is a serious piece of work. I'm just not getting through to her. Whatever way I try doesn't work, so I think I'm going to have to enforce some tough measures. She's not going to like what I have to do. I assure you, I'm not too fond of the idea either, but I can't have her flying off the handle like she did earlier. She will kill someone if she doesn't learn to control her temper. Don't get me wrong, I think Todd was wrong to say what he did and I will have words with him once everything has calmed down. However, I think Ariya was more wrong in this situation. She should have walked away. She should have come and got me so she could have a session with me. She should have done anything other than beat Todd up.

She really has an adversity to walking away and being the bigger person. I can't tell if that's just something she doesn't like or if it's because of something that happened. What I do know, is that she needs to keep talking. Even if she doesn't want to, she needs to. This is where my extreme measures will have to kick in. She's going to get a shock when we get back to the ranch, that's for sure. If I can just keep her and Todd away from each other for the trip back, then we have a good chance of having no more fights break out. Maybe that's wishful thinking, but that's what I'm hoping for.

I keep Ariya in my sight as we jog back to the campsite. This round up can't end quick enough. I almost feel like I'm watching a bomb. Like I can see the numbers counting down, but still never actually knowing when the explosion will happen. At least back at the ranch I can separate the two of them better. When I was deployed, my terror threat was always high, always expecting something to happen. Then when you knew something was just about to happen or had just happened, your body went into extremely high alert. I feel like I'm sitting at high alert, just waiting for the extreme to hit at any moment. I know the consequences aren't anywhere near the same, but my body is trained to deal with threats and threat assessment the same way. It's very difficult to stop thinking that way, even when you're back Stateside and away from an actual war zone.

I've never met anyone who has downright insulted my time in service. Sure, there have been people who don't agree with where we were and what we did, or those that don't know how to react so they just ignore it completely, but they have never insulted my service days. Ariya isn't one to shy away from the unconventional. If she feels like saying it, she will, even if it's not the politically correct thing to say. Now, I'm not saying I agree with all this politically correct trash, but there are times when you have to keep your thoughts to yourself. Obviously Miss Flynn doesn't think that way. I don't know why I thought any different really.

Once we get back to camp, Ariya makes sure Splash is settled before she grabs her sleeping bag and heads off into the distance. She's angry, but you know what? She has no right to be angry right now. I'm the one who should be angry. She's broken pretty much every rule I've given her and she's angry?! Does she think she's the only one who has the right to get mad at people? Does she think she's the only one who gets upset or frustrated at what people say to and about her? She needs to stop being so selfish and think about other people for once. I'm sure she doesn't even know how to do that, seeing as she's been in care and then on the streets. She's probably spent a great part of her life on her own, and worrying solely about herself, but she needs to learn not to be so self-centered.

Todd, Louise and Mike are sitting round the fire when Ariya walks past. No one says a word. All I hear is the crackling of the fire. Todd is holding his ribs gingerly, so I say, “Sit up. If you slouch it'll hurt more. Mike, did you bandage his ribs up?”

“No. We don't do that anymore.”

“No, but he needs to ride back to the ranch. He'll need the extra support. Not too tight. Todd, keep your mouth shut and stay away from her. I'm warning you, she's out for your blood. I can't watch you constantly on the way back because I'll be herding the cattle, so can you stay away from her?”