TRAIN [FIRST DRAFT]

Chapter 19: Friday and Saturday Games

 Stefan parked outside the main entrance. The foyer with the abandoned, swampy atmosphere greeted them – maybe that was what had inspired the marsh in The Arena.

Stefan and Aimee rode the elevator to the eleventh floor, and she asked him whether there was time to train with the RDAs. There always was; Stefan only booked The Arena two hours after school's cessation, in case Aimee needed to recuperate.

They moseyed into the Ranking Room and found Dominick stationed at his weights, as usual – he was rarely seen anywhere else. Valerie and Finn were engaging in one-on-one combat, but Finn appeared to be more focused than Valerie. Aimee wondered if their arrival had distracted her, but she soon realised that it was Dominick's biceps that had stolen her concentration. Out of the corner of her eye, Valerie saw Finn's fist come up to her cheek, and somehow she was fast enough to evade it. Her speed was almost supernatural. Stefan was right; the twins were spectacular.

Dominick dropped his weights and ambled towards Aimee and Stefan, biting his lip to recall something important.

"Aimee, Gavin told me to tell you he is with your parents in the firearms room downstairs."

"Awesome," Stefan beamed at him and Aimee, but she was more worried than anything.

Aimee was proud of her parents, truly, but she highly doubted they could even hold a gun, yet alone fire one. Then again, she was no better. She shook her head, shook away whatever thoughts she might have had that could bring her down before they could enter her mind.

"You want another go at those weights?" Dominick asked her.

"Yeah," she nodded naturally.

He looked surprised as he chuckled, "Alright then!"

That day, Dominick taught Aimee how to pick up and hold weights without spraining anything. He even taught her how to manage holding weights with her cast. Her ability to do that somewhat flawlessly amazed him.

"You sure it's not painful at all?" he queried, slightly concerned, but there was still a mischievous smile on his face.

She smiled back, "It feels fine."

Wordlessly, Dominick walked her over to another pair of weights, which he then swapped with Aimee's. "I have to admit, I lied; these are the lightest weights."

Aimee breathed in her disbelief, as Stefan took an antagonised step forward.

"Dom, I said to go easy on her!"

"Hey, she didn't get hurt. She said so herself. So, if you're done whining..." He held out a pair of weights for Aimee, heavier than the first.

She proceeded towards him with caution. It took her a while to get accustomed to them, but she never struggled or gave up. In some strange way, she felt better lifting weights, more able. She did not feel like her wrist was in a cast, or like her side had been branded by a bullet.

Just as Aimee had gotten used to the weights, Gavin walked in. Was he not supposed to be with Molly and Cliff? Aimee hardly noticed how mad he was, even though he was running towards them with eyes of fire. Stefan's heart fell into his stomach as the sense of déjà vu overtook him. Strike two.

"Are the two of you brainless?!" he barked at Dom and Stefan, without looking at them.

He headed straight for Aimee and pulled the weights from her hands and put them away. Swiftly, he came back to her and held her hands tenderly in his.

"Are you okay?" he asked lightly. The fire in his eyes had settled considerably, now his eyes were pure and caring, innocent.

"I'm fine, really," she muttered under her breath.