The Insiders

Chapter 23

Chapter 23-Sharlene.

I slowly begin to wake from a needed sleep. I quickly reach my hands to pull the covers over my face. I don't want to wake up. To face reality. Life is better in the numbness of sleep. I begin to roll over but I end up crashing into Coren. He groans but then quickly continues to snore in deep sleep. I open my eyes and take in every feature of him. He looks calm in his sleep. He looks open to the world unlike when he's awake and wears a guard. The constant tension in his muscles is gone completely. I wonder if he's dreaming. A nice dream I would hope. Unlike all of my dreams last night. I sit up and rub my eyes trying to make the reruns of my nightmares go away. I need to get up but it seems almost impossible. I don't know how I'm going to be able to get around Coren's body. I push the blankets off of my body and accidentally off of Coren's stomach revealing his very toned abs. I officially decide I need to get out of bed. I raise to my knees and bend my neck so I don't hit my head off of the top bunk. The only way out of this is if I go over Coren. I bring my right leg over him but I can't catch my balance. I tumble out of bed and land on the hard floor. I let out a small "ow" but stand up.

"You want to get some breakfast?" Thomas's voice scares me. I fall back down to the ground. Thomas begins to chuckle and I join him.

"Didn't mean to frighten you." He apologizes. I slowly stand back up and lean against the top railing for balance. Thomas doesn't have his glasses on which makes his eyes look much smaller. His hair is in a huge mess. I can't help but smile at my friend who I always thought was the most put together.

"Should we bring Coren along to breakfast with us?" I lead off of his earlier question.

"Nah, we should let him sleep. This would be the most sleep he got since I met him." Thomas begins to climb out of his bed.

"What do you mean?" I ask as I look at Thomas's clothes. I guess he fell asleep in his jeans and navy blue t-shirt. Coren begins to stir but Thomas quickly opens the door silently telling me to exit the room. Thomas ,suddenly with his glasses on,quietly shuts the door.

"Coren wakes up screaming in the middle of the night but last night was the first time he hasn't." He explains. I stay silent as I remember what Coren told me about his nightmares. A small chill runs up my spine.

When we reach the almost empty dinning hall, we both grab some food and sit at our normal table since day one. We discuss our old school and how odd it is that we're here together. Eventually Coren comes into the hall wearing dark jeans and a darker green t-shirt.

"Good morning sleepy head." I joke as he approaches. Very quickly he bends down pressing his lips to mine. His arms gently wrap around my waist as I place mine around his neck. We continue to kiss. He kisses me like he hasn't seen me in days. I kiss him like I can't get enough of him.This is where I belong. In his arms. No matter who I am or what is going on around us this is where I belong. A cough brings us back to reality. We slowly part but keep our noses touching.

"Sorry to ruin the moment guys but we still have a class to get to." Thomas interrupts us. Coren turns away from me and slowly walks over to Thomas. For a moment I'm afraid of what Coren is about to do but then Coren places his hands on his chair and knocks it onto the ground with Thomas On it. Once I see that Thomas is okay I begin to laugh. Very quickly they join in my laughter. Coren offers his hand and picks Thomas up.

"C'mon let's go." Coren says. He walks back over to me and grabs my hand. We begin to leave the hall with Thomas beside Coren. As we're walking I remember something. Steve said that we were going to have a few days off after we got attacked. Then why are we going training? I stop in my tracks. Coren doesn't seem to notice until he gets jerked back.

"What's wrong?" He asks. Thomas stops and turns around too.

"I thought training was canceled." I say but it's more of a question. I've had enough people in my life betray me, I just couldn't bare them betraying me too.

"It was. Until you left. Steve and Liane told everyone to take a day off if they needed it but that it was highly recommended for us to come training." Thomas explains. Coren walks back to me and takes my hand again.

"Are you okay?" He whispers in my ear. I nod my head and walk past him without his hand. Finally, I reach the familiar door of the training room. I'm not sure if I need to knock or if I can just walk in. Even though it's only been a day since I've been here, it feels like a lifetime has gone by. Probably because I've been through enough pain and sorrow to last any soul a lifetime. Coren and Thomas's loud conversation snatches me out of my thoughts. I turn to Coren with lost eyes. Without reading his thoughts I know he understands how lost I am. He reaches past me and knocks on the door. We silently wait for an answer. Steve is quick to answer the door. Steve is in all black as always but this time with a black t-shirt. He nods silently telling us to come in. I let Coren lead the way with Thomas trailing behind. The set up in the room is the same as on the first day, a big wooden table in the middle of the room with six chairs around it. Only this time in one of the chairs sits Bryce in a white shirt and black pants. He doesn't look at any of us as we sit down across from him. I can tell he hasn't slept by the dark colored bags under his eyes.

"Amy isn't coming?" I ask gently. I already know the answer I just need to hear him say it. Bryce looks at me. The sadness he wears on his face almost hurts. He slowly shakes his head no. Before I can say anything Steve sits down at the head of the table to begin.