Traitor

15- The Pretty Princesses Are Down

Aiden

Right, so the explosion went off. Maddison was making fun of me with the spatula, and my dumbass roommates were being idiots about it. Gotta love them though.

So maybe I know what the explosion was. Maybe I know who did it. Heck, maybe I did it.

But for fucks sake, I'm a spy.

You're delusional if you think I'd say.

"Boys and girls, get down," Madame Coarsens voice goes low, husky. She's nervous, I can tell. I know Mr T is with Headmistress Stalling and the other teachers right now, that's why I was left in charge for the chamber. He came in after Maddison bolted. Told me he was sorry and asked me if I'd done what needed to be done.

I stayed quiet and slammed my shoulder into his as I left. I thought Maddison would hate me, but she seems glad, almost. I guess she is, she didn't have to go through it. Not like I have.

But that's a different story.

"Aiden," Maddison's voice draws my attention to her face as she peeks around the edge of the counter. Her bright eyes are filled with worry and she's biting her lip.

Fuck. I think. She needs to not do that. She really needs to stop doing that.

"Yeah?" I answer. She looks like she's about to say something before another explosion rattles the floor and the lights flicker out. I hear the emergency shutters slide over the windows.

"What's going on," her voice is quick. She's scared, I can tell. Normally she does a good enough job of hiding it. But lately something has been bothering her. I'm sure the chamber didn't help either.

What pisses me off is that I can't figure out what it is.

I'm a spy, for fucks sake. This is literally what I'm trained to do, but I just can't seem to get it with her.

"Not sure," I lie. She can't see my face, but it wouldn't matter. I've passed top notch lie detector tests without a waver. Lying to someone's face is easy.

But something about lying to Maddison makes it harder.

I hear all the girls shuffle around to our kitchenette, no - I hear Alexa and Roxy shuffling around - Maddison is silent, as usual. I only know she's over here because I feel her fingers touch my shoulder lightly.

"Maddison," I whisper.

"Yeah?" She replies. Without speaking, I pull her into my arms. All I can do is picture her face. Her bright eyes wide, her hair fallen in wisps, her small frame shaking. And that damn thing she does when she bites her lip. I know I shouldn't hold her, but I want her to feel safe. I want her to know I'm here. I turn my head, accidentally, and my lips graze her ear. I curse myself mentally and turn away. I feel her shaking.

It only lasts another second before the other four huddle in too. We learned this years ago. Always stay in contact in dark emergency situations. That way you'll know when someone's missing.

I suppose if Maddison asks later on why I was holding her, that will be my excuse. I let go, almost forcefully, and I hear her scramble over to where I think the girls are huddled.

Odd, I don't normally hear her moving. It's terrifying, really.

If she could see me right now, I know she'd be confused, frustrated once again that I'm holding her one second and shoving her away the next. I never meant to hurt her. It's the last thing I want.

But then Mr T goes and has me supervise for the chamber, and all of it seems to go to shit.

"Where's Mr T?" Roxy pipes up in a low voice.