A Second Chance (book 2. of Transport)

43) Barely Better

Aris’s P.O.V

For what must have been hours I stayed in the same position as more people were eventually put on, some of them quietly talking amongst themselves. By the sixth I lost faith that it would be Y/N, and I couldn't find the strength to call to her. I tried and tried and tried.

“Aris?”a voice I had been waiting for whispered. Opening my eyes, I saw her sitting in front of me, her face almost devoid of color as she looked at me. “What did they do to you?”

“Nothing that could kill me,”I whispered back, giving a weak smile. Trying to move over, I winced as I swore it cracked all my ribs in two.

“Here. I’ve got something,”She stated, pulling up my shirt.

“Are you that desperate to see me shirtless again?”I joked, trying to take some of her worry away. Giving me a strained smile, she just shook her head before pulling bandages that she somehow kept out of her pocket. Wrapping my torso, she mumbled apologizes every time I showed the slightest sign of pain.

“I tried to reach you.”

“Sorry. I was just a little busy over here.”

“Not funny,”She said firmly.

“I’m sorry. Just don't worry about me, okay? I’m fine,”I assured her.

“But-”
“Shh,”I hushed, putting her beside me. With her hesitating to lean on me, I wrapped my arms around her waist, holding back a sound as she was just barely against my skin. Thankfully, she didn't notice as she slowly put her head on her shoulder. “It's all okay. I’m okay,”I coaxed.

“Promise?”

“I promise, pretty girl. It's all going to be okay.”

Not saying anything, she just stayed against me as I rubbed shapes on her shoulder until someone else was thrown on the train, clearly having gotten into a tussle too. Looking closer, I saw that it was Minho. Glaring at whoever threw him in, he shouted insults until the door was shut. Banging on the door a few times, we all watched until he realized that it was useless.

Turning around with a frustrated groan, he spotted us when he glanced over. The thing is he looked a little longer at Y/N than needed, especially after all he said when she told the truth. Any chance he could have had, he blew it. Even if he hadn't, I would have always been her choice. It was meant to be me. Not him.

Pulling her closer to me, I kissed her forehead for longer than I had to.

Because yes. We are all going to need to work together, but she's still my girl. There can't be any thought in anyone's head that they have a chance.

My girl. She's my girl. Mine to look after. Mine to protect. Mine to love. My pretty girl. My sweet angel. My savoir. My darling. My Y/N.

Always mine. Always hers. Always.

Your P.O.V

When the door opened again I saw that it was Sonya and Harriet. Raising my hand, I silently urged them over. Doing so, Harriet took her hand as she led her over all the people just sitting down or laying on the ground. Something about it, about the way she led her the way a mother leads a daughter, made her look her age again. Sonya looked like the preteen she was, probably one of the youngest here. As she kept her head high though, she also looked older than she should. Not physically but mentally.

Moving over, I had them sit on the side of me while still having just a little bit more space for me to not be dependent on Aris.

“Are you two okay?”Harriet whispered.

“We are,”Aris answered.

“Have you seen Fry or Teresa yet?”I added.

“No,”Sonya admitted.

“Do you think they'll be here?”Aris asked.

“We're together, and other people seem to have already made their group before this so yes. I think they will be,”Harriet pointed out.

“That's good. I mean it's not, but it's better for us to be together than split up,”I clarified.

“Yeah. Better to be together,”Sonya mumbled, leaning closer against Harriet. Rubbing her shoulder, she just closed her eyes as she silently comforted her.

Silence. Our entire, little, incomplete group went silent.