ELECTRIC LOVE; Sam Guthrie

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Athena startled awake the morning alarm ringing across the compound. The girl had such a fright she had fallen off the bed catching herself before she had hit the ground.

"Good Heavens Athena!" Sam's head shot up hanging off the edge of the bed. Athena shifted her hands back down laying comfortably on the floor, Sam chuckling above her.

"Good to know ya didn't hurt yourself." Sam yawned loudly stepping over the girl to fetch Athena's gloves, "We got an early session Thene, you need to get up."

Sam bent down beside the girl nudging her slightly, noticing she had fallen back asleep. "Athena, come on." Sam had nudged her shoulder a little harder, the girl's eyes opening slowly.

"What do you want at this hour Guthrie." Athena sighed pulling herself up onto her elbows. Athena wasn't a morning person, everyone at the compound knew this.

If any of them decided to test her patience in the morning she didn't last long. One time she had snapped so badly, she was sent to solitary. Only after she had fried the lights in the cafeteria due to Roberto's teasing.

"Up, you know the drill Thene." Sam smiled keeping his composure as he stood to his full height. Athena looked up at the boy for a moment before her head quickly jolted back down. A hot blush spread across her face the girl rubbing her cheeks self-consciously.

Sam was shirtless. Shirtless.

Athena closed her eyes for a moment longer hearing Sam shuffle around the room. This was the first time Athena had woken up the same time as Sam. Usually Sam was already dressed by the time she was up.

Thankfully the girl's face had returned to its original colour, and Athena was quick to spring to her feet. She swayed in her feet for a moment steadying herself on the wall, the effects of the sedatives still lingering in her head. She noticed Sam had turned away busy writing a quick note in his journal, leaving her the perfect opportunity to remove her sweater.

Athena adjusted the cropped singlet she was wearing tightening the drawstring on her baggy pants. She became so distracted with her outfit she hadn't noticed Sam staring at the girl curiously.

"Thene? Ready to go." Sam's voice brought her back into reality, the girl glad he had managed to find a shirt. Athena nodded silently Sam handing the girl her gloves. Athena hastily pulled the thick leather over her hands leaving before Sam, making her way to the cafeteria.

Athena headed straight past the tables walking to the kitchen tiredly. Roberto was already eating leaning against the counter lazily when she entered.

"Thena." Roberto greeted, nodding his head towards a cup of coffee. Athena grabbed the cup gratefully, smiling at the older boy slumping forward onto the metal wall in front of the kitchen.

"Get any sleep Berto?" Athena glanced at the heavy bags under his eyes. Roberto slept the least out of the five mutants. The boy often experienced horrible nightmares keeping him awake at night.

To make matters worse Berto's room was beside Illyana's, the traumatised girl going through manic episodes weekly. "Hardly, Illyana having one of those weeks." Roberto laughed dryly, shovelling more cereal into his open mouth.

"Sometimes I wish we could swap powers Thena, wouldn't mind sleeping 20 hours a day." Roberto grinned cheesily, a piece of cereal falling from his mouth, Athena shuddering at his gross behaviour.

"Me too Berto. Me too." Athena agreed sipping her coffee slowly, "Reyes tell you anything about today, don't think I can stand another meditation session." The small girl giggled making her way to Sam's table. The southern boy had busied himself throwing small balls of paper across the cafeteria, aiming for the bin across the room.

"Nothing, except we need to be out there by ten, or 'solitary for everyone'." Roberto mimicked Reyes, a snicker coming from Sam as Athena sat beside him, Roberto across from the pair.

Sam and Roberto continued talking loudly, Athena ignoring the pair as she continued drinking her hot coffee. Her gloved fingers gripped the mug carefully as she placed it back on the table.

"Attie, please don't mess up next time."

Athena's head swung back involuntarily, voices running through her head, his voice.

Her legs bounced up and down underneath the table anxiously, her mug slipping out of her fingers. One of her hands began tugging at the edge of her black glove, electricity radiating within the thick material.

The girl flinched suddenly when she felt hands pull her fingers gently away from her gloves. Athena's eyes quickly darted to figure, breathing a sigh of relief seeing Sam's concerned glance. Roberto had made his way across the cafeteria, starting the dishes Athena barely noticing.

"Want me to fetch your headphones?" Sam pulled her loose glove back on, Athena ducking her head down paranoid. She ran her trembling fingers across her hair focusing on just Sam's voice.

"No.. I'm- I'm fine thank you." She counted as she breathed in and out, Sam's hand holding the small of her back supportively. Suddenly Reyes voice echoed over the speakers, stating all classes for the day were to be cancelled.

"What's that all about?" Athena looked to Sam for an answer the taller boy too busy looking over at Roberto.

"Hey Sam! Look." Berto's voice interrupted, the brunette tilting her head up to see Roberto staring at the window. Sam got up quickly stumbling over to Roberto watching intently.

"Thene might wanna take a look at this." Sam beckoned the girl over, Athena making her way to the two boys. Her mouth dropped open as she watched the van pull into the driveway of the compound.

That could only mean one thing. Someone else was being admitted into the facility.

"What in tarnation." Sam scoffed, Athena perching on her tippy toes to see over the window sill. Athena hated her height more than anything. Out of all bad traits she could've been given why was it being 5'3.

"What do you guys see? Is it a girl?" Athena asked curiously giving up on seeing clearly through the window. "Sam." She demanded once again gaining his attention.

"It's a girl Thene." Sam mumbled looking back out the window, "She doesn't look right." His eyes softened, Athena staring at the van in the distance curiously.