Seizing Sang Sorenson (A Ghost Bird Story)

Chapter 12

Sangs Pov

I grabbed Ryzix by the arm, pulling him behind me as I exited.

"Sang," he whispered.

"Wait until we're upstairs," I said in a choked voice, already finding my eyes flooding and my vision became blurry as I climbed up the stairs and pulled him into my bedroom. My floor was a mess from where Gabriel threw clothes earlier, but I ignored it as I fell into bed.

"Why won't they try to understand?" I whispered brokenly. I tried to tell Owen, but he just wouldn't listen.

"Oh, Sang," Ryzix sighed, crawling in behind me. "It's going to take more than one emotionally-taxing night to convince them that without you, they're nothing. Things will work out eventually, I know it."

"They all hate me, don't they? They think I'm a mindless killer, but I'm trying! They don't know me, or what I've had to do to survive as girl running away from home at sixteen with nothing to her name, or what's going on in the Academy! They don't know how it is, because they're in such a low division! I cried. Then I just kicked them out of my house. They're never going to want to see me again, will they? I feel like I'm sixteen again, and I'm pulling myself apart between trying to put on the act of a heartless person, being myself, and being who they want me to be."

"Shh, you don't have to explain yourself to me," he said, pulling me close and running soothing fingers through my hair as I choked on a sob. "Dexter, Mag, and I know you're trying your best, and that's what matters. You've made mistakes, but you've apologized for them. If they never come back, that's their own fault and they aren't worth a second of your time, alright? You've done good for yourself without them, so don't let them bring you down after just a night being around all of them."

"I can't do this anymore. I can't keep acting like someone I'm not. I'm a good person, right? I'm doing the right thing, even if I go about it the wrong way sometimes?"

"You've been doing better ever since we've came to Charleston. You're taking control of your life back into your hands instead of letting the Academy try to control you. Almost everything you've done comes down to necessity to earn the Academy's trust and to make allies. Your boys will see that eventually," he whispered.

"I don't even know what I want anymore, I'm so confused," I said with a sniffle. "Trying to have the upper-hand in everything is exhausting me, but I can't help but to want to make them see things my way. Using the information I know from my past is just hurting my chances with them, but I want them to understand that I'm still me, even if they don't know me. Its so hard and I'm constantly conflicted." 

"Were confused too, sweetie. Just don't worry about anything tonight, and sleep. Its been an emotionally taxing night, and well handle everything tomorrow, he whispered softly, stroking my hair gently until I finally fell asleep."

A few hours later, I woke up to whispering going on around me, but it quieted quickly when I stretched my legs out from the ball I was curled up in.

"Go back to sleep. Its nothing important, just a quick update," Magnus murmured next to me before I felt the bed dip on the opposite side than Ryzix was on, and an arm drape across my waist. I snuggled into the warmth on either side of me, and soon enough, I was back in the land of dreams.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The boys gave me a few days to mope around in bed before they reprimanded me for being lazy and wasting training time. I knew that they didn't mind the break from the rigorous workout, but they knew that I wouldn't be able to resist an argument like that. However, they probably regretted it now that they got me out of bed, as I increased our workout time by at least two hours, wanting to distract myself.

It wasn't until a week after I saw the Blackbourne team that I was forced to actually leave my house.

"You got a phone call. They want you to come in tonight for the banquet," Dexter said when I came inside after an independent workout session.

"Thanks for informing before I got all sweaty," I muttered. "Did they happen to say why? We haven't been in town for long, so I don't see why we need to be there." 

"Not really, just that they needed your opinion on a situation after the festivities. Ryzix and Magnus are getting ready now."

I shrugged, not bothered at all that they were coming with me, even when they weren't specifically invited. Tonight wasn't an unusual occurrence, but definitely not within my job description. However, these types of events typically paid off, gaining a few favors for my team, not that we'd used them.

"What time do we have to be there?" I asked.

"It starts at seven."

I glanced at the clock, seeing that it was five-thirty already and sighed. Running towards the stairs and into the bathroom, I took a quick shower. After a half-an-hour in there, I wrapped a towel around myself before heading towards my room. After a few minutes of indecision, I grabbed a long, wine red dress that slipped off the shoulders I kept at the back of my closet and threw it on quickly. Adjusting it in the mirror, I headed towards the bathroom, where I quickly blow-dried my hair and ran a flat iron through it before applying a light coat of makeup.

'This isn't the first time I've wished Gabriel was here so I didn't have to deal with all this girly shit.'

Racing down the stairs, I almost knocked Ryzix over.

"Whoa! Where's the fire?!" He laughed, catching me before either of us could fall.

"We have to be there by seven, don't we?" I asked, breathlessly.

Dexter spoke up. "You're right on time, and you look fantastic, but may I make a suggestion?"

"What is it?"

"Typically, when someone's leaving the house, they usually make a point to put shoes on," he murmured.

I groaned, turning back around and running back up the stairs, grabbing the first pair of black heels I could find.

Grabbing the keys to Magnus car once I got back downstairs, we set off on the hour drive into the Academy building here in Charleston. I'd acquainted myself with the building a long time ago, but in the last two months, I'd seen more parts of this sector of the Academy than I ever saw before. Whether that was because of my lack of knowledge of the Academy in my first life, or my position in the Academy in this one, I couldn't be sure.

If I had to pick a favorite sector of the Academy here in America, it was the New York. The area in general wasn't to my liking, but it was where all the big dogs played, and I loved every second I was there. Not many of those I trained with were nice or gentle, which enforced the realism of how the world worked outside of the quaint southern states. It was in New York that I found Magnus, and they honed in on my skills as a hitman.

We pulled into the parking lot behind the old factory building that stood as a cover for the Charleston Academy. Because of my travelling, Charleston considered me on a loan program, and gave my team and I temporary keycards to the place that would expire within a years time. Making sure my heels were strapped on, I got out of the car and waved my card in front of the scanner, huffing when it let me in easily.

Shouldn't they be more worried about someone getting in when they shouldn't? Hell, they just let a killer through the door without a thought.'

It appeared that it would be a busy night, as the conference-hall-turned- ballroom was crowded with all different teams from all over the states.

"Have fun night, and don't kill anyone unless it's necessary! Dexter called out, grabbing a drink off the nearest table and heading in the opposite direction, probably going to meet some old friends he had before teaming up with me.

If I had glanced back at him, I might have caught the small, mischievous grin he shared with Ryz and Magnus.