The Outsider (Original Version)

Chapter 23- Inner Beauty

The smoke clears and the familiar son of a town leader walks into the dusty prusion.

"I never expected you to get caught so easily." He jokes, my eyes staring angrily at him.

He may have come here to get me out, but I'm still pissed at him.

"You can't just act like a jerk and come here to rescue me like nothing happened Tucker!" I shout, making him shrink.

"I know a-" I cut him off, feeling my heart breaking all over again.

"No. You don't know. All your life you've had people that care about you Tucker. For me I've never had that." I start, obviously making him see me slightly differently with this distressed look.

His brown eyes look into mine as tears threaten to spill again.

Something has changed within me, and I wish it hadn't.

"You were the first person who ever cared Tucker." I whisper, not really wanting him to hear me.

He sighs, walking up to me.

His tan colored hands wrap around my pale ones, making me look up in surprise.

"Petra, you have no idea how sorry I am, but I can explain. See this brace on my arm like yours? It stops my brain from being controlled by my father." He says, making my hopes rise.

So.... He didn't mean any of it.

That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

"Fine, but when yare you here? I thought you couldn't leave the town walls." I ask, starting to walk towards the gaping hole in the wall.

He follows me out as we sneak around in the back alleys.

"I found a hidden meaasage on a wall under the lake. It says that I needed to find the creator or my town was destined to be destroyed. But Lindee told me you took the book I need to find him with. So it was sort of a I need you for a specific reason, and I need you because I can't do it without you." He says, making me stop in my tracks.

His words hit me hard.

Someone needs me?

Like, not just to pay for stealing something?

Can things get even weirder?

"Okay, so we find the creator. How do we do that?" I ask, making him smile.

"Well I have Soren with me, and Hazle followed us, but you have Spirit so..." His voice trails off in my head until I can't hear it anymore.

I had almost forgot that he is gone.

"Actually I don't have Spirit anymore." I choke, making him shrug.

"Well let's go get him back." He states, not getting the point.

I shoot him a small sad glance and his smile drops, turning into a shocked one.

"Oh god. Petra I'm so sorry." He whispers, hugging me.

My arms are plastered to my sides, unable to move.

Though I can't hug back, I cry silently into his shoulder.

"I don't know what to do anymore Tucker. He was the only friend I ever had that stayed with me til the end, and he was killed saving my life." I cry, making him bury his head into my hair.

"Its okay. That horse was amazing and had more humanity in him than half this town combined." He soothes, making me laugh lightly.

It was true.