Adrenaline

Chapter 6

"We're going out tonight." Noah makes room for himself on the small, exquisitely designed couch by physically removing Autumn from the equation, picking her small frame up from its sleepy resting position on my shoulder and placing her gently against our legs... on the floor. Somehow, she remains asleep, snuggling up to Kara's legs for stability before becoming completely still again. This library was quickly becoming one of my favourite places, all wooden carvings and red walls. It would never be home, but it was comforting to know that even in this shit-show there was somewhere that made me feel at ease.

The whole group had been training continuously throughout the day. Mr. Silver has ever so kindly concocted a crippling schedule which only concluded when the first trainee gave in. It wasn't me or Alec, that's for damn sure.

"Oh yeah? And how do you propose we do that?" Kara frowns down at Autumns wondering hands as they form a small circle around her feet, ready and waiting to trip her up. Calmly, she reaches down, plucking her pale hands from her body and placing them back in her lap, completely baffled, slightly amused. It seemed to be Kara's default, mild tempered yet always questioning. The opposite of me and unsurprisingly the opposite of Alec.

Opposites better not fucking attract this time. Kara never seemed interested but Alec's persistent. Murderously persistent.

"Silvers talked to the guard; after lights out we can just leave in the minivan. I mean it's no Bentley, but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. Athena's in, right?" I feel his gaze bore into the side of my face as my options flit through my mind.

1. Go. Get mind-blowingly drunk. Hate myself tomorrow.

2. Don't go. Stay sober. Hate myself tomorrow.

"Yeah, I'm in. Has anyone told Alec yet?" Noah shakes his head at my response, throwing an arm around my shoulder in a way that shouldn't make me flinch... but it does and I stand, exhaling through my nose before I can delve into the depths of my fucked-up mind and procrastinate my way into a bad mood.

Normal people wouldn't flinch at the slightest touch. Normal people wouldn't move away at the first sign of someone becoming a little too comfortable around them. Normal people would be happy to make an acquaintance outside of the family. However, I am no normal person and I'm not friendship material.

I'm drowning and I refuse to drag anyone else down with me. Not again.

"Where are you going, girlie?" Obviously my subtle escape plan didn't go unnoticed as Noah waves at the gap I left between him and Kara, who looks at me with newfound interest. Yet another thing that shouldn't  bother me, but it does, inexplicably. She's studying me, like I'm a puzzle that she just cannot wrap her pretty little head around, like she's making a mental note of every weakness, every wrong move and it's pissing me off. The last thing I need is someone psycho-analysing my every move, trying desperately to predict my next play.

Honestly, her non-subtle observation is a cold reminder: these people, they aren't here for me, they don't benefit me, they don't mean anything. No, these people are a obstacle, a hindering force on my time here.

These people are nothing.

"I'm gonna tell Alec. Wake Autumn up, now. She spent an hour in the shower this morning and I'm not doing my make-up in the van."

***

"Alec. Alec! Alec-Alec-Alec-Alec-" Thirty seconds into my incessant knocking the wooden door flies open, revealing a very shirtless, very wet Seth Silver. It takes all my will power and a little lip biting to hold in a string of curse words, which I'm sure Silvers would find ridiculously amusing, as he raises his eyebrows at me, his hands doing the universal sign of 'and you want what?'. Asshole.