The Beginning of The End

Chapter 11 - The Annoying Kid

THE ANNOYING KID

The kid named Johnny annoyed the crap out of Carlie. His corny jokes and the persisting smirk on his face brought the sudden urge to want to smack him. He was radiating infectious cheer and happiness, and Carlie wanted it to stop immediately.

"So, this is the garage check-in or as I like to call it - the Room Leading You Back To The Fun Life." Johnny chuckled at his not-so-creative creativity. His laugh caused something in Carlie's stomach to flutter. Well, that's a new experience.

Carlie decided to study the room to get her mind off the unfamiliar feeling. The truck had parked inside of a building, not allowing her to see where they were. They could be in Antartica for all she knew.

This place was amazing. Everything was bright and organized, and she was guessing it only stayed that way because people like her stayed away, so she decided to not touch a single thing. Glass doors lead to other rooms, like the one they had just gone through. Most of the doors were like that, but some were thick metal. Carlie raised an eyebrow at the thought of what could be so important inside those doors.

Then her gaze settled on Johnny again. His medium length dark sable brown hair looked like he had just gotten out of bed, but in an almost perfection way - ruffled in areas, with a slight wave at the ends. He had dark tan skin and defined muscles on his biceps. The white business button up shirt he was wearing had the sleeves rolled up a little past his elbows...

"Like the view?" Johnny was turned around, watching her with a smirk on his face.

"What? No! I was just looking around!"

"But your eyes were checking me out."

"No they weren't! I...I just was taking everything in." Then a smirk made its way onto her embarrassed face. "And don't flatter yourself."

"Ooh, nice save, Mystery Girl." He grinned and turned back to face where he was going.

About a minute later, they ended up stopping in front of a set of two foggy glass doors. Shadows danced around the glass, making the situation more creepy than it should be.

Carlie was lost in daze in front of the doors. That is until someone grabbed her shoulders and yelled "Boo!", which made her scream. She jumped away and lost her balance, almost falling on her butt. Johnny caught her before she made it to the ground. The muscles in his arms rippled as he lifted her up. 

Stop noticing these things!! Carlie screamed to her brain.

"Jeez, you're already falling head over heels for me, huh?"

"Shut up!" She slapped him playfully in the chest. "Just open the flippin' door!"

"Okay, okay!" He held his hands up in mock surrender. "I will!"

Luke snorted. "Ugh, give me a break. We're back for two minutes and you're already making her want to leave."

"Am not!" Johnny protested as he opened the double doors dramatically. "Your highness." He held his hand out for her to take again, but as before, she didn't and just brushed past him. "Tough girl you've got," he whispered to Luke.

"She's a tough girl that can save the world or end it, so I suggest you don't make her hate you," Luke retorted back.

"I can hear you, you know." Carlie turned around and crossed her arms, careful of her wrist. "And stop saying that crap. I'm already here, and I'm guessing I won't be aloud to leave, so you don't have to lie to me anymore."

Luke simply shrugged. "Doctor!"

A woman in what looked to be her early sixties stepped out of what Carlie assumed to be an office.

"Luke! Johnny! What happened this time?" She clicked her tongue as she walked over to them. She acted as though they got hurt often. Hmm...

"Remember the mission I left to do a few days ago? Well, this is the aftermath of that. Also, meet Carlie. She has a broken leg and a sprained wrist. I have broken ribs and something's wrong with my shoulder."

"Oh dear!" The woman rushed over to me with a worried look on her face. "Wait a second. That cast is professionally done. How is that possible?"

"Uh...er..." Carlie glanced at Luke.

"We...uh...kind of got taken to the Tournament Headquarters," he whispered, suddenly becoming really interested in his torn-up shoes.

"What?!"

"Yeah, uh, could we talk about this later? Please?"

She shook herself out of her staring at Luke faze. "Yes. Definitely. But we are talking about this later, young man."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Now, the two of you have pretty nasty looking wounds. You," the doctor peered over her glasses at Carlie. "Carlie, sit on that bed, please."

"Yes ma'am." She did as she was told and sat down on her assigned bed, lifting her leg up to the bed with her good hand so it could rest. She let the other dangle off the side.

"As for you, Luke, lay down on that bed next to Carlies'." The doctor followed him. "I'm going to tend to you first, because she has a hard cast that should be good for a little while longer."

"Okay," Luke didn't insist on Carlie going before him, which both surprised and relieved her. She wanted him to get the help he needed before her.

Johnny sauntered over to where Carlie was laying. "Ehh, so I heard you guys went to da game place?"

"If you're referring to that Tournament Headquarters place, then yeah. We went there. What's the big deal about it? You know, other than the fact that the people there tried to kill us multiple times." She sighed and sunk into the pillow behind her. This was the most comfortable she had been in days. Scratch that - years.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'd say people trying to kill you guys is a big deal." He smirked. That stupid smirk made her stomach dance - which she did not appreciate.

"Yeah, no dip. But why did the doctor seem so scared that we went there?"

"Luke will explain that to you when the time comes. For now, he'll probably kill me for saying anything about it."

She rolled her eyes then focused them on him. "Nice choice of words by the way. 'He'll probably kill me...'"

"Oh, whoops. He will definitely not kill me, maybe just throw a punch or two. Or three."

"Four including mine when I get outta here," she corrected, holding her fist up threateningly.

"Hey, hey, hey! Okay, I get it! No messing with the new girl."

"Pfft. I'm not the new girl, I'm not even gonna stay here for long. Just until I've finished whatever crap I need to to be let out."

Johnny looked down uncomfortably.

"Uh, you're kinda not going back."

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WAHHHHHT??!!