Overtime

seventeen ✧ || gunfire

Sunlight had just began to creep in through the ceiling-high basement windows, ever-so-faintly illuminating the room in its usual eerie glow. The sensation of light gradually brightening pushed Aubrey's eyelids to open, revealing the groggy stare beneath.

The Professor made a point to turn on the lights whenever he wanted them to get up and to work, so none of the Overtimers dared to touch the switch until he came down. The Professor was in charge of everything: the lights, their routines, their lives. By now, they had just accepted it.

Her eyes, finally growing adjusted to the lighting and now able to fully open, glanced around the concrete room. Scattered all around their corner laid the other Overtimers, varying in positions and states of sleep.

Directly at her side was Colten, peaceful and quiet, with his back facing her. The twins were huddled closer to one another, Jay faintly snoring. Dustin was the farthest from the group, having fallen off of his gym mat at some point during the night, while Raymond had pushed theirs closer together, using both of them as a larger surface.

Her family.

The thought caused her stern expression to soften, finding charm and comfort in how vastly they were scattered about. It made the thought of them camping in a high school basement far less depressing.

Gradually, she pushed herself to a sitting position, stifling the groan building in her throat. She paused, hugging the ratty blanket she had been given the night before and savouring its warmth before heaving herself to her feet.

This time, her whimper of pain escaped, followed swiftly by her classic irritated sigh.

"Aubrey?" Almost instantly Colten's voice fluttered into the air. Turning, Aubrey could see he was forcing himself upright, his head tilting at her noises. "Are you okay?"

"You're awake," she breathed, somewhat taken aback by the speed of his response. The grip on her blanket loosened.

He shrugged, his concern flickering to that of a smirk. "Couldn't sleep. I've been awake for a while."

Aubrey nodded, a faint smile growing on her cheeks. It normally found its way there whenever she was speaking with Colten.

"Are you feeling alright?" He continued, leaning his back against the wall.

She shrugged, her expression returning to its usual neutral position, especially upon hearing shuffling of the others. "Just sore from yesterday."

Colten frowned before the sentence had fully left. Too well he remembered The Professor's brutal push yesterday, slamming her arm and forcing her to the ground. "Will you be okay?"

"It's nothing I haven't handled before."

"I feel you, Aubrey." Jay grumbled from across the room, snagging the stares of the two conversing. He was sitting upright, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and forcing out a yawn. "My body hates me today."

Noah scoffed from where he was still laying beside the male. "Your body hates you every day when you work in this dump."

While Aubrey had oddly been looking forward to everyone waking, seeing as it would give her a chance to talk to those she'd deepened her connection with the night before, the excitement was dashed hearing the doorway swing open.

In burst The Professor, two boxes in his arms. He discarded one to the side and, using his newly-found range of sight, heaved the other onto his growing table of equipment. The teens all flinched at the sudden light, not used to the intense brightness compared to the faint rising the sun offered.

The Professor paused, giving the crew a once over. "Good, you're up."

"Now." Jay quipped softly, so under his breath that only his brother was able to hear. In response, Noah gave a soft chuckle and jostle to his arm.