Elemental War

Chapter Twenty - Boy Trouble (ADDISON and HEDGE)

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{ADDISON}

I pull Jason behind me, wondering how I managed to get into this crazy mess.

Though on the surface I'm talking to him about Scout or something like that, inside, I'm torn. I like Jason. Like, I really like him. I've known him for ten days and I feel like I can talk to him about almost anything. But in comes the almost.

I just can't tell him about Jacob. How ridiculous is that? We're not together, but I feel like if I mention him that everything will spill out and he'll be disgusted with me, for accidentally leading him on - but I didn't mean to-

Okay, I really can tell I'm torn up; I'm imagining the conversation we might have about it. Ow, and there's the headache.

When Jason got stabbed, I felt like I was losing Jacob all over again. But this time, I had had the ability to stop it, but I didn't manage to. And what heroic thing did I do then? Did I stagger up to the house screaming for help? No. Did I pull out the knife and clot the blood myself? Nope. Did I do something even better? You bet! I passed out.

But it's just the way he seems to understand my eye rolls and looks better than anyone; the way he seems to comfort me when I'm meant to be the more confident, composed one; and just the way that he makes me blush by barely even looking at me.

Argh! My head!

***

Even though I'd been promised the rest of the week off, the Elder decided that I should at least join the Thursday Fitness Training. When he told me this, I inwardly groaned. That means I have to see Hedgehog's ugly face at one of the lowest points of my life. Maybe I'll give him a slight concussion, considering that I'm not up to much more. He never learns, that nasty f- uh, person. I'll explain what, why, when and how after I finish screaming in my head.

Done.

First thing you need to know about Hedge is that he used to be a 'nice guy': helped people who were struggling with their Element, defended everyone's right to speak their mind, etcetera, etcetera. I don't know why or when, but he suddenly became the opposite. He became a sexist womaniser, refusing to let girls take his classes until the Elder told him otherwise. Even then, he'd flirt with or attempt to ridicule all of us. Enter Addison, the girl who speaks her mind for all to hear and thumps any guy in the soft spot even for looking at her funny. You can guess what happened: first class with him, he's all like, "Pff, look at this kid. Whatcha gonna do, huh? Bite my kneecaps?", so I did something better. Let's just say that he squeaked like a mouse and hid behind the tallest guy in the room. The class after that, he tried to make me quit. He made me punch way above my weight, made me run up and down the stairs sixty-seven times and told me to do a hundred press ups. I punched the bag so hard it flew off the hook and into him; I didn't even break a sweat during the run; and I did one hundred and fifty two press ups. When he realised that I could do better than him, he tried to make me a laughing stock. To which he ended up in the hospital with a slight dent in his skull thanks to some well placed nunchucks. So, he hates me above all else. But the best part? I was only eight years old.

I was the one that made up his nickname: Hedgehog, which was actually for a few reasons. 1. He has a rather bristled white beard that he just can't grow and is rather sharp. 2. At the first sign of danger, he runs and hides. Usually in a corner. And finally, 3. He deserves the 'hog' at the end, because he's just such a pig. It's just luck his name worked.

But at the moment, it doesn't feel like there's such thing as luck.

***

So, regretfully, I bid a goodbye to Jason, leaving him in the dining hall with Callum, Claire and Samantha. He waves sarcastically, grinning at me like Cheshire Cat. To most I'd've scowled or punched them, but instead I just roll my eyes with a smile of my own. As I turn to walk out, I catch the sight of Callum nudging Jason, who's blushing slightly, on the shoulder.

I growl at myself; I need to be less obvious. Sally sees it, and, by the looks of it, so do Callum and Lucas. I can tell that Hedge is going to have a monster of a time attempting to control me today.

Not that he wouldn't anyway, of course.

***

I can hear the chatter through the door, and I set my shoulders, standing up straight to my full height before pushing through the door and into the fitness suite. There's a moment of resounding silence before someone starts to clap. Another follows, and another, until the whole room is echoing with applause.

Then, when the clapping stops, one snarky, venomous voice calls out above the noise. "Well, well, well. Little Princess is back."

"Well, well, well. Big Fatso hasn't been brutally murdered while I was away," I retort, completely undeterred.

His face contorts in anger.

{HEDGEhog}

That little swine! Waltzing in here, acting like she owns the place! Unbelievable.

"How come you're alive?" I spit at her.

"Unlike you, I trained."

I clench my jaw. "They should've left you to rot!"

"Great idea! Leave their best soldier because you can't deal with the fact that she's better than you."

I attempt a hysterical laugh. "You? Their best soldier? How could you possibly think-"

"Otherwise? I know, right?"

"Prove it!" I yell and swing my fist at her unscathed face. I'm suddenly flung backwards and my head hits a table. I feel woozy as I struggle to my feet.

"That all you got?" I say weakly, still blinking the spots out of my eyes.

"Nope. That's just about all you can take." A small shove is all I need to topple over backwards.

"I could take the world on my shoulders, girl," I say, using the wall to help me to my feet.

"I think your belly would be a better method." I can't even make a retort as I sink back to the floor, my head spinning.

One day, girl. One day.

{EOC}

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