Beyond City Limits (Under Revisions)

Chapter 23: ANSWERS

Kendrick rubs the back of his head as he watches Cole scramble to catch up with the other joggers running around the gym. Cole doesn't look back, keeping his head up and his back straight like he knows Kendrick is watching. Kendrick sighs and turns to me. His eyes are hard, but like the last time we talked, I see some uncertainty in them.

"I won't hurt Cole," I say with my arms crossed. "Unlike Outsiders, I don't manipulate children."

"'Outsiders'?" Kendrick draws his eyebrows in a confused frown.

"People who live in the Outercity."

"Last time I checked you live here too."

"I will never be an Outsider," I spit. Even thinking of being associated with these savages makes me want to jump in a shower and scrub until my skin's red and sore. "I don't train children to take from others or become murders." I flick my wrest to Cole, who runs behind young men wearing knifes in their calves.

Kendrick grits his teeth but doesn't say anything. I hold his stare until I see Rayn running up to us from across the room. She stares down at me like she could set me on fire with her eyes, but when she turns to Kendrick, the hate vanishes.

She stops with her hands on her back and sweat circling her collar. Her breath is heavy, and her ponytail swings when she looks up at Kendrick. "I can take her back to my room."

My heart sinks while my legs tease to run away before she can stuff me back in that hell hole. Kendrick looks me over once again, and I try to keep my face blank, although I can't relax the tension in my muscles. For a moment I think he will wave me off, but he shakes his head.

"She can stay until training is over," he says it like I shoved a frog down his throat. He doesn't look at me as he stomps off to the sparing couples, but my eyes stay glued to him with my mouth slightly gaped. In his own twisted way, it seems like he's trying to be kind.

Rayn whips to me and whispers, "Sit over there and try to stay quiet." She motions to a bench against a wall. Before anyone changes their minds, I rush to the seat and sit down. Rayn runs back to the targets and continues her attack on the defenseless body board, each thrust of her dagger harder than the last. I flinch as the last dagger's impact echoes around the gym.

Cole runs around the gym for the third time, his little body getting lost in the others. No one seems to be disturbed by him, and surprisingly, he is able to keep up with the older people. But one older guy does slow down for Cole to chat with him. When they pass me, I realize it is the guy who stood by me during my trial. Colby whispers something to Cole, and Cole bursts out laughing. Watching them relaxed and laughing gives me chills. Looks are deceiving, and with their comfort with each other, I have to keep reminding myself who they are and where I am. And how I got here.

But still, something like jealously wiggles inside me as I watch the two. Cole was the closest thing to normal, even if he was annoying with his prodding questions, but he promised his mentor he wouldn't see me again. How long will I last in those rooms without Cole coming to help my sanity?

I banish the thoughts of Cole and the Outsiders and look, instead, at the bench. I trace the words carved into the stone. Why should I care about him anyway? I only just met Cole, and I have never been good with kids. My finger moves over an I then a N. I've never had a brother before and all my cousins were older than me. I wish I could just show Cole that there's more to life than being a part of a gang. He can study and take the Test. He seems smart, he can at least be placed in the Middlecity. I trace another N and an E, R, thinking about how Cole's eyes grew large when I talked about the Middlecity. If I give Cole a few pointers, I bet I could get him to pass, but then again, I didn't pass. I shake the idea of tutoring Cole out of my head as my fingers move to the CIT in the bench. I don't plan on sticking around long enough for that anyway. My fingers stop at the Y.