The Real Ram

Chapter 20

 It's different this time in training. Flame can see the tension between our group. The sad thing is that I don't even know why it's there. Like between Shawn and Trish, over the past hour of training, they have avoided eye contact. I can't talk to Beast about it though, because I guess I'm still mad at him. I'm really not mad anymore, I just don't think I can speak with him until we discuss our argument in his hospital room. I hate how social contact works.

"Zoe!" Flame yells, I look to him and he gestures me to come over. I jog over to him and he asks me in a lowered voice, "What is happening here?"

"We're training," I reply.

"Cute. I mean what's going on with the group?" 

"I don't know," I say back. "Trish and Shawn seem embarrassed to talk with each other, and Beast and I had an argument."

"He's mad at you?"

"No, I'm supposed to be the one mad at him, but see I'm not mad anymore, it's just awkward because we can't get past the argument," I say.

Flame sighs, "Just go apologize and it'll smooth over."

"But see he'll want to talk about the subject more and I don't want to."

"Honestly Zoe," he looks down at me with his red eyes, "I can't have this entire group not talking with each other. It won't help with the next fight."

"When do we fight again? It's been three days since our first fight," I ask. This is our first practice since the fight as well. Beast still needed some time to heal up, and Flame has some business to attend to with Willow.

"Mr. X will give out the rosters so the remaining groups in the tournament the night of the last day of first rounds."

"Who do you think we'll be facing?"

"It's completely random," Flame answers.

I look out to my friends, much like Flame is now. "You know it's not random."

I hear him scoff, "You know more than you should, Zoe."

"You don't say as much as you should, Flame."

He sighs, "Go apologize to Beast, then figure out what's wrong with Trish and Shawn. Okay?"

"Okay," I nod and walk over to Beast. I see he's watching the awkwardness between Shawn and Trish as they hit punching bags together. "I'm sorry," he jumps a little and looks at me, "For how I acted, I'm sorry," I say awkwardly.

"Don't apologize. I should have realized that you're smarter than you usually show. You have the brains and the skills to win in a fight. I shouldn't be the one trying to stop you from proving that."

"You weren't stopping me," he looks down, "See, I can tell that you didn't try to stop me because you thought I couldn't handle myself. You know I can."

"Then do you have an idea about why I tried?"

"Do you?"

He looks down and says softly,  "I don't know."

I sigh, "I don't usually speak with my emotions," I say to Beast. "Because of how I was raised, I'm able to detach my emotions for situations and see with unbiased eyes rather than think with emotional filled thoughts." I start, "I usually take everything into consideration, and then form my opinion there. But that morning I just—" I bite my lip, not really wanting to continue, "I took your words at face value. That's something I've never done. And that's what I'm sorry for."

"You're sorry for acting like a normal person?" Normal, I can't accept that anymore. Every since my epiphany from when I talked to my brother.

"I'm sorry for not taking into consideration your reasons. Everything isn't just black and white, there are other colors to view. It's my fault I was momentarily color blind. Anyways, later on that night I figured it out. What you really meant to say and how stupid I am for taking your need to restrict me from fighting as an undermine to my abilities."

"What are you saying?" Beast asks.

"I'm saying thank you, for trying to save me from another beating. You know I can handle myself, and you know why I can. That's why you don't want me to fight."

With a laugh he says, "You took the words right out of my mouth." He turns to me and looks down to my eyes, "I don't want you to get hurt anymore, and when you're in that ring, it doesn't feel like a silly match. It feels like life or death, and..." He inhales and says, "I can't...protect you...when you're in that ring, and that's what worries me me."

"You won't have to protect me Beast, I can protect myself."

"That's what they all say."

"I'm not a common they, am I?"

"That's another saying that's used."

"It's the saying that the protagonist says that leads them to a win." He frowns at me and I lift up onto my tip toes and whisper into his ear, "It's the saying that usually works."

He smiles, "So you can forget this argument?"

"As long as you can," I reply.

"Deal. I mean, after all it was just a small disagreement, not life or death."

"The matches aren't life or death either." I step away and turn to Shawn and Trish, "So what's going on with them."

"They don't even know," Beast responds. I look back to him waiting for him to elaborate and he smiles. "What do you think it is right now?" He moves to my side and says, "The awkward glances, the sudden silence of chatty people." He raises an eyebrow, "The uncomfortableness of this room?"

"Oh," I say nodding. "That makes way more sense," I say. Here I thought they were fighting, when now I see the signs clearly. "Which one said it?" I ask.

"I think Shawn did," Beast replies.

"Trish's response?"

"It looks like a definite maybe."

"Ehhh," I say unsure, but then I spot her side glance at Shawn, "Yeah, definite maybe." Beast suddenly starts laughing and I look to him, "What?"

"Nothing it's just that I find it funny that we can speak like this."

"I guess our minds are similar."

He looks at me with a smirk, "Great minds think alike."

"But fools seldom differ," I respond backing up.

"I never heard that part of the quote."

"You're not the only one," I reply, "It's the lost part of a brilliant quote."

"You just made it a brilliant quote," he remarks.

"Nah, a 17th century Englishmen did. I only wish the saying was kept together." By now I'm about ten feet away from Beast.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, if I'm going to fight then I need to practice, don't I?"

"Only if you promise to help me out with Trish and Shawn."

"Turning them down or hooking them up?"

"Whichever they want."

I take one glance back at them and smile, "Deal." When I look back to Beast I see he's already shifted into a wolf, and he's ready to fight.