Shadow

Chapter 2

"Leyla, come on."

"Why would I go do that when I could stay here where there aren't as many people as that stupid party."

"But come on. Everyone who just finished training like you will be there and it will be fun."

I look over at Tilly with a raised eyebrow. It has taken a while to get used to the people I am normally around, especially relaxing enough around them that I don't look like I am expecting them to see me do something wrong and do something about it. Slow and steady, like Leyla said.

"You know you want to go."

I look over at Tilly, left with two choices at the moment because it is very unlikely that I will get a mission right now. I can either make her happy and go to the party that will only make me wonder why I agreed to it in the first place or I can stay in my room and read a book with a very upset Tilly pestering me to go out to do something to celebrate.

I let out a sigh, tossing the book I was going to read on my bed and walking out of the door, "fine... let's go so I can get this done and over with as fast as possible."

"Yes!"

We get to one of the ballrooms and I instantly regret my decision when I see that literally, everyone is here. Not just the people who finished training with me. I walk in behind Tilly and we bounce from one group to the next as Tilly goes to talk to whoever called her over, the same people wanting to talk to me too.

"I guess no one thought that you would finish so early..."

I look at Evens, "of course not."

Tilly glances at me, "what she means is that all it took was hard work, she also had some of the skills so all we had to do was make sure that they were perfect before moving on to the next one."

I look over to the door, "I'll be back... I have to go to the bathroom."

Tilly looks at me for a moment before she is dragged back into the conversation. I walk over to the bathrooms and after making sure she wasn't paying attention I slip out one of the back doors and make my way over to the gardens. I walk over to the fountain and let out a sigh. Finally getting a chance to be alone.

I tense up when I hear something moving and before they can touch my shoulder I flip them on their back, "ow."

I let go of Zach's arm and frown at him, "I thought you said you were smart."

He sits up and looks at me, "I am."

I cross my arms and look over at windows for the ballroom, "sure... you shouldn't sneak up on me and you know that."

"I thought I would try it... Zillah about the other night."

I look at him, "what about it?"

"You-"

"Nothing happened."

He frowns at me and gets up, "something that Tilly and I have learned is that talking about it helps at times. She hasn't bugged you about it because she knows what is going on but would rather have you open up to her on your own."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

He frowns at me, "you're stubborn."

"All because I refuse to talk about something that didn't happen?"

He isn't wrong. The other night I fell asleep on the couch in the apartment we managed to get for me and I didn't realize that they were still there. I woke up from a nightmare and pinned Zach to the floor. I had been doing good, Tilly made sure to get me the help I needed whether I wanted it or not. She made sure I couldn't do anything until I started going and was cleared.