Firecracker (On Hold)

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Justin's P.O.V.

Finally she's fallen asleep. I've been laying still and silent for a long time, listening to Ariya recite something under her breath. It's like she's deliberately trying to keep herself awake. Is she really that troubled about being in the same room as me? Am I really that terrible? Surely I'm not being too tough on her? She did break the rules by leaving; even if she did come back. She deserves a harsh punishment, but maybe the strictness is becoming counter productive. Maybe the homes were too strict and she naturally rebels against that now. It is a possibility, and something I need to consider. Honestly, Ariya is a bit of a learning curve for me. I've never had such a tough nut to crack, with the rules I've currently got. Sure, I've had my fair share of cocky soldiers, but I've been allowed to do pretty much anything to break them. Somehow, I don't think that treatment is going to work with Ariya. I have to learn a new way of figuring things out, so I'm just feeling my way in the dark here.

Just as I'm drifting off to sleep again, I hear Ariya's breathing turn erratic and she jumps up, like she's searching for something. The Marine in me automatically assumes she's heard something, so I question, “Ariya?”

She seems shocked at my voice and it takes her a minute to find her voice, “Yeah...”

“Everything ok?”

I'm pretty sure there's nothing outside or I would have heard it, but something has spooked her.

She clears her throat, “I thought I heard something, sorry.”

Wow, an apology. I think she's totally off guard at the moment and she probably thinks I'm going to take advantage of that. For that reason alone, I'm not going to ask her about it.

“Want to take a look with me, just to be sure?”

She looks shocked at my question, but quickly masks her expression before saying, “I can just look out of the window.”

“Sure? I'll take a walk if you want to.”

If checking the perimeter will make her feel less panicked, then that's what I'll do. Her sarcastic side filters through, letting me know she's starting to feel more like herself.

“You can't exactly go on your own to take that walk...”

She holds up her cuffed hand and her trademark smirk is back. I'm actually pleased to see that right now.

“Good point. Let's check the window then.”

Once we scan the perimeter, she sighs and then turns to go back to her makeshift bed on the floor. Surely that isn't comfortable, so instead of questioning her about her jumpiness, I say, “You really don't have to sleep on the floor, Ariya. We can make a wall of pillows if you want. The floor can't be comfortable.”

Maybe she isn't quite back to her usual self, because she quietly admits, “It's not that bad actually.”

This leads me to believe she really has seen worse. Again, I don't question it. I have a feeling that whatever I just saw is the reason she doesn't sleep well and the reason she doesn't want to share a room with me. However, I'm not backing out of my punishment now. It might just be the thing that helps me to get to know this mystery girl a bit better. She lays back down on the floor and I lay on the bed, waiting to see what happens next. I pretend to fall asleep, but I know Ariya hasn't gone back to sleep. Her breathing is getting more and more erratic, like she's fighting back some form of emotion.

My Marine training comes in handy here, because it prepared me to be patient; to wait for the enemy to show it's hand before acting. I think that pushing Ariya or not letting this situation play out, will seriously backfire. I fake sleep for probably almost an hour before she does anything. If I wasn't so acutely aware of everything, I would almost miss the fact that she's slipped her cuff, leaving my arm still dangling but not attached to anything. I don't know how she gets out of the bracelets so easily and so stealthily.