Can't I Fit In Anywhere?

Chapter 25: Stones

Ryan's POV

To say that I was angry at Unicorn for not telling me that the portal destabilized is an understatement.

Kinda angry.

. 

.

.

Okay, ya, not really.

It's hard to be angry at him. I have plenty of secrets from them, so being angry is kinda hypocritical of me.

I sat on my bed in my dorm. My alarm clock read 5:28. There was no dot in the corner, showing that it was A.M. instead of P.M. I guess I wouldn't be getting any sleep. Not that unusual, I just hope that my friends don't realize it.

...or my girlfriend.

I felt my face heat up thinking about Tori. God, why is someone so perfect with a mess like me?

Eh, she really doesn't know how much of a mess I am though. Thank the gods above.

I looked around my room. There really wasn't much to do. Maybe I can go explore a bit more, that would be nice. Where though? I already mapped out most of the land surrounding the school, except on the East side. I don't want to go there. That's where that bunker is from last year.

Maybe I'll do the North side. I know that side pretty well since Slade and I trained there a lot.

It's kinda funny how the school is in between a plain and some woods.

I turned around and opened my window. Time to wander for a bit. In a movement I've done to many times, I was out the window and down the tree. Time to explore!

I didn't bother trying to sneak around anymore. I had enough sneaking with Aaron. I get caught, oh well. I'll just say I couldn't sleep and thought a walk would help.

That's happened a few times. A few of the night guards got used to me walking around this time. I still tried to avoid them though.

I came to the hill that overlooked the school. Time to start the climb.

I just hope I don't loose track of time when I explore. Lexi was planning my murder when I ran into class right before the bell. It was hard to explain why I had a few branches and leaves in my hair.

Maybe I should've but some jeans on, those are more durable that sweats. Eh, too late for that. I reached the top of the hill in no time, only to see that someone beat me there.

"Slade?" I asked. Wasn't he just in the lab though?

Slade was sitting at the base of one tree, eyes closed, but his runes activated. He opened his eyes upon my one word question.

"Ryan?" He seemed to realize something. "Why are you out? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

I shrugged. "Eh, couldn't sleep. I could ask the same to you."

He stood up and stretched. "Petra called me a while ago for a problem, nothing major." Lie. "Decided to stay up. So care to explain why you're out of your dorm room."

"I needed to move, so I planned to go into the woods. Got to boring in there." It wasn't a complete lie.

Slade's eyes darted around, searching, before settling on me again. "You explored the woods?"

"Yep. Cave system a few miles back, a lake not far from here, I think there's an old tree house a little farther back actually."

Slade seemed to just look at me. "A few miles, there's a cave system. How did you even have enough time to- How are you not lost yet?"