NIGHT CHANGES ▹ P. Maximoff

ELEVEN. el después del shock

[ NIGHT CHANGES ]
chapter eleven; el después del shock

❝ I'm sorry I gave you a reason to try. ❞

AFTER NATASHA'S COMFORTING, Catalina sat alone in her bedroom, the blankets and comforters wrapped tightly around her. The door was locked; there was a chance that Wanda would come back, and she'd be coming for blood. Not that Catalina could blame her.

The guilt settled in later. She could've left Wanda with a concussion, and for what? Because of her own emotions? Because she couldn't bring herself to face Wanda and talk to her? Because of the adrenaline that took over her senses?

The knock at the door nearly made her heart stop. She rose before opening it, and her face paled when she saw the visitor.

"Um," The Sokovian girl fiddled with the rings on her fingers. "Can I- Can I come in?"

No, you rude pig! You're a bully and a bitch and if you fell down the stairs, I wouldn't feel ba-

"Sure." She allowed Wanda to come inside, despite Catalina's senses telling her to lock the door. Catalina returned to her bed, Wanda standing in front of her.

For a moment, it seemed like Wanda was planning in her head. Catalina waited for Wanda to speak, even if she didn't want to.

"I haven't been fair to you," The rasp in her voice was prominent. Maybe she was crying before talking to Catalina. "And we both know it. And I'm sorry. I swear, I'm- I'm not that mean to everyone. And it's sad that it took me nearly getting a concussion to realize that."

Catalina sensed the anxiousness in Wanda's being; the girl's fingers subconsciously fiddled with her rings, and she couldn't seem to look Catalina in the eyes. "Why'd you do it then?" The young royal's eyes narrowed. "Why have you been bullying me? For fun? Boredom?"

Wanda paused and collected her thoughts. "Every time something changes, it ends badly. Not just for me, Pietro too." She tucked her brown locks behind her ears. "After a while, I kinda resented it. Changes, I mean. I got more secluded, more reserved. And when someone else, you, came in... I guess I- I got defensive. I know that probably sounds stupid, but that's my reason."

"It makes sense. Get them before they can get me, right?"

Wanda nodded, the guilt practically dripping off of her and her conscience. "Right. And for that, I'm sorry."

Catalina soaked in the information, carefully crafting her response. "Is it- is it just defense? Like, have I done anything to you?"