Runaway Lover // Andy Leo

Chapter Five

I sit on one of the benches in the Training area, watching Andy run around talking to every person he sees, trying to figure out exactly who got taken. The atmosphere is grim, though thankfully nobody is seriously injured - turns out the Runaways are really good at combat. David sits next to me, leaning forward on his arms in frustration. He keeps mumbling to himself every now and again.

I watch people scurry around in front of me. At one point I see Megan and Brandon, but they quickly disappear down a corridor before I can make contact with them. Unable to stop myself, I yawn, only just realising how entirely exhausted I am.

"You tired?" David asks. I yawn again, nodding midway through. "It has been a long day for you, hasn't it?" He chuckles to himself, still surveying the room. He sees something and sits up just a tiny bit straighter.

"You both okay?" Andy asks as he jogs over. He doesn't wait for a reply, and speaks more to Dave than me. "Thirteen were taken. All relatively new recruits." His jaw is set, showing outwardly the anger he must be feeling inside.

"Better than thirteen dead, mate. Listen, do you know if we have any spare rooms left? Sam's going to pass out soon." He nods over to me and Andy follows his gesture. I stare up at him, never having seen him this shaken and angry before.

"No spare. Just show her mine, she can sleep in there for now." David nods and Andy turns away, going to speak to one of the males I saw sparring just before the attack. We both watch him leave before getting up and weaving our way through the people to the bottom end of the training room.

Dave leads me through a maze of corridors, and I try to remember the turnings we take. Right, left, left, right, up the stairs, right, right. We end up stood outside some big metal doors.

"There you go, cupcake. The Lion's den. I've got to go and help with things downstairs, just come find one of us when you're awake." He pats my shoulder before turning and going back along the corridor. I stand still for a bit, my head spinning, before taking a deep breath and pushing the heavy door to the side.

The room is large as far as bedrooms go, with the entire back wall made of small windows. Different colours of light dance around the room due to various coloured film covering some of the windows where they have been smashed. Other than a big double bed sitting against the wall and a couple of chests of drawers, the room is empty. I feel intrusive being in here, like I'm invading Andy's personal space even though he told me to use his.

I sigh and walk over to the bed, falling facefirst into it. I breathe in, welcoming the now familliar scent as an anchor to reality. A hurricane is inside my head, the events of the past two days spinning out if control. I close my eyes and try to focus on the smell surrounding me. I curl up onto my side, still in the middle of the bed.

Sleep almost takes me before I hear the heavy door slide to the side. I stay still and try to even my breathing to appear asleep. Footsteps echo in the room, and I hear Andy curse under his breath. He walks over and sits on the end of the bed. He breathes heavily, as if he had been fighting.

"It wasn't your fault they were taken, y'know." The words are out before I can stop it. He stays still before letting out a big sigh.

"Still makes me a shitty leader." His voice sounds broken and let down.

"No it doesn't!" I sit up and scoot over to him. I hesitantly place a hand on his shoulder. "As Dave said, they're all still alive, and thats better than them all being dead. But now you can get them back - show them that you're the type of leader that isn't perfect, but you won't abandon them." I feel him breathing shakily, and I don't know if he's going to punch me or cry.

We stay silent for a while before he speaks. "You're right." He turns to face me, "Thanks." He smiles and pulls me into a hug. I freeze for a moment before hugging back, smiling to myself.