Chapter 8 Still A Girl

I woke, surprised to find a blanket draped across my shoulders and a body beside me on the bed.

"I didn't think you were coming back."

"I wanted Lills to have her time with Dave," I whispered, terrified of moving and scaring him away. "Burney went to his own room. I figured it would be okay since I'd be here the whole time."

"I know, I saw him."

"You didn't get mad at him did you?"

"No."

I nodded. "Thanks for the blanket."

"You looked cold."

I lifted my chin and met his eyes. "For someone who hates secrets, you've got a lot."

"Fayle -"

"It's okay, I'm not asking you to talk about it."

He studied my eyes a moment, weighing up his next words. "I promised myself I wouldn't move on until I found her and freed her, and then you..."

"Messed with your plans?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you stayed with us? In case we found her whilst searching for Nick?"

"We knew there was more to you both than you were letting on. It doesn't matter how good you are, the probability of the two of you staying alive longer than six months on your own this far south is insane. Yet you'd done it. So we decided to stay and see where you took us. We had nothing to lose."

"Except Stuart."

"We knew there'd be casualties."

"And the money?"

"We never needed it."

I closed my eyes, hoping he wouldn't notice my body trembling from the heat of his so close to mine.

"I've accepted she's gone," he said after a moment. "I've even accepted what she did to our son, but I can't go back on my word."

"I know," I whispered, feeling the last piece of my heart break.

"And the worst thing is," he said, tucking a strand of black hair behind my ear, "Is that for all I know, she could already be dead."

I stayed in his eyes a minute longer, then forced myself to sit and slide off the end of his bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting the sleeping bag."

"You don't have to do that."

"Yes I do," I said, turning to face him. "I don't have the strength to torture myself over you, not when I have Nick to find and you have your vendetta."

"Fayle..."

"I hope you find her. I really do."

He nodded, his eyes refusing to leave me as I felt the weight of my words crush us both. I shook out the spare bedroll and lay down, praying that sleep would come quickly and free me from the earthquake in my chest.

Sleep came in fits and bursts. Every time I woke I'd look at his bed and find him still awake, watching me. He'd hold my gaze in that unnerving silence of his until I'd force myself to look away, saving myself the embarrassment of useless tears. The only thing that kept me from fleeing his suffocating room was my promise to Lills. She deserved her night alone with Dave.

I grinned to myself, finding it amusing that out of the two of us, it was her that would be the first to... I cleared my throat aloud without thinking. I froze, wondering if Aaron was still awake, or if I'd just woke him. He wasn't snoring so...

I risked a glance at his bed and felt my heart drop. He was gone.

"Morning sunshine," Burney said, startling me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprising myself with an answering grin. How I could manage a smile for him when my insides felt like they were collapsing in on themselves?

He shrugged. "Aaron had stuff to do. How did it go last night?"

"Well enough," I said, throwing aside my blanket so I could sit up. "Did he say anything?"

"Just that he had stuff to do... and that it would be best if I kept you out of his way."

I nodded, trying to ignore the raw ache that refused to budge.

"Do you want breakfast?"

"I'm not hungry," I said, rolling up the matt and dumping it in the corner. "But we can still go if you need to eat."

"Nah, I'm done already."

"Have you seen Dave or Lills yet?"

"Nope," he said with a knowing grin.

I shook my head, mirroring his smile yet again. "What are our plans for the day then?"

"There's a basic training class on in the far cavern if you're up for it."

"Sounds like fun." It'd be interesting to see how Scorchers trained.

"Let's go then," he said, stretching his arms above his head as he stood up.

I nodded, indulging myself in one last look at Aaron's rumpled bed before following his brother out.

"Oh, heads up about the teacher."

"The teacher?"

"It's Stan."

The one who'd wanted to skin me alive at Aaron's welcome back party. "You're kidding me."

"Nope."

"Great. What's the bet he offers me a one on one?"

"Nah, he wouldn't off you in front of witnesses."

I rolled my eyes. "You're so sweet and reassuring."

"It runs in the family," He said dryly.

We headed back to the main Cavern and took the tunnel directly opposite to the one that led to the kitchen and water caves. This hall was free of side rooms and had a slight upward curve to it, before opening out into a level room the size of a barn.

"Is that them?" I asked, nodding towards the two rows of teens facing each other.

"Yep," he said, walking in their direction.

"Nice of you to join us," Stan called out.

"Just here to watch," Burney yelled back, squatting against the opposite wall to the red haired teacher. I stayed standing beside him.

"Fayle, join us."

I raised an eyebrow at Burney.

"If you're going to stay with us, you can join in and learn. Unless you feel your skills are above ours?"

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Take the end. Move. Burney, partner her."

Burney stood and grabbed my hand, pulling me after him until I'd reached my place. I felt stupid standing there, lined up with kids that couldn't be any older than fourteen, and Burney's amused look was making it worse.

"This is embarrassing," I hissed, as he positioned himself across from me.

"Quiet," Stan said, giving me daggers. "Positions!"

I knew it meant something, because those on my side moved into a defensive stance. I frowned, grounding my feet as best I could.

"Go!"

I looked from Stan to Burney just in time to see him collide with me, knocking me to the ground. He twisted as we landed, his side taking the brunt of our fall.

"Holy hell!" I breathed, hitting his chest.

"Positions!" Stan yelled again.

Burney grinned as he leapt to his feet and moved back to his side of the line, watching me rub my hip. I barely had enough time to stand again before Stan yelled.

"Go!"

I braced myself, waiting for Burney to run at me again when I realised it was my side that moved.

"Damn it," I muttered, running at him.

He side stepped at the last minute and I skidded to a halt, missing him completely.

"What did you do that for?" I demanded, short of breath.

"To avoid going down. That is the whole point of the exercise."

I poked my tongue at him and fell back into line. So this is what he meant by basic training. Scorchers running head long at each other to see who was the fastest on their feet.

"Go!"

I planted my feet the same as last time then leapt off to the side at the last moment, mimicking what I'd just seen. But Burney was faster. His arm flung out sideways as I moved, catching my waist and bringing me down on top of him. Again.

"Damn it!" I yelled, pushing myself off him. I was the only one to go down that time.

"Positions!"

I shot Stan a dirty look, wondering how long he'd drag this on for.

"Go!"

I was ready this time and took off at a sprint. I slammed into him and grunted as I bounced back off, landing on my backside. I'd expected him to side step like last time, but he'd kept his ground, deflecting my lunge. He offered me his hand. I glowered at it, refusing to take it as I picked myself up, and dusted off my backside.

"You're throwing your weight too high. You're short, use it to your advantage."

"Positions!"

I groaned, ignoring the smirks on the other teens faces as I trudged back to my side of the line. They knew what they were supposed to be doing and they didn't have bruised ribs and a healing burn on their shoulder.

"Go!"

I tried to side step again, the opposite side this time, but his arms shot out and took me down, just like the last time.

"Damn you to hell!" I gasped, landing against him.

"Positions!"

He grinned as he released me, lifting me to my feet and jogging back to his side. I grit my teeth, determined to wipe the smile off his face. And Stan's.

"Go!"

I ran at him, throwing my weight and the last of my strength at his legs. He knew I'd go low like he'd said to, but he hadn't counted on my shoulder nutting him. He crumpled into a heap beneath me.

"That was a foul, Fayle."

"What! It worked didn't it?"

"Taken don't react to pain like we do. You can't count on that low of a blow to count. Positions!"

Burney rolled to his side and got up, still looking like he wanted to vomit. "You did that... On purpose?"

I grinned as I backed away. "You said to go low."

"You're dead," he said, positioning himself for the sprint.

"Go!"

Burney ran at me and I ducked. He'd expected another side step, so threw his arms wide and his weight low so he could catch me on either side, but his torso hit me strait on, pinning me beneath his entire weight.

The thud of my back smacking into the hard rock winded me. My head bounced like a soggy orange and stars littered my vision, raining glitter on Burney's face. I gasped, gulping for air as I realised just how much of my weight he'd taken the other times we'd gone down.

"Fayle! I'm so sorry, are you okay?"

He was still atop me, his face inches from mine.

"Get off her you idiot, your crushing her lungs!"

He sprang off me and I rolled to my side, a rush of air piercing my chest like a dozen throwing knives as I coughed.

"Are you okay?" He asked again, his hand hovering above me, not sure if he should touch me.

"Fine," I croaked, still catching my breath.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were going to duck like that."

I nodded at his apology and let him help me up.

"Positions!" Stan called.

I pushed Burney's hands away. "You heard the man."

"Not you Fayle. You've had enough for today."

I glowered at Stan. He was the reason we'd joined this stupid tackle practice in the first place. "But -"

"I said enough. You can join us again tomorrow."

I muttered a few choice words under my breath as Burney slipped an arm around my waist.

"I don't need your -" I took a step and nearly fell. "Wipe the smile off your face before I do it for you."

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to hurt you like that. If you had of side stepped like you were suppose to I would've been able to take your weight again."

"I know."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I've survived worse."

"I still should've been more careful."

"I'm not made of glass."

"But you're still a girl."

"You did not just say that!"

"I only meant..." He sighed. "What is it Dave says? I'm sorry, you're perfect?"

I laughed, making my head hurt. "Yeah, something like that."

"Here," he said, opening the curtain to our room. "It might be best if you lie down for a bit."

"Burney -"

"Please, it'll make me feel better."

"Okay."

He lowered me down onto my bed. "I'm gonna duck out for a minute."

"And leave me on my own? Without asking Aaron?"

He rolled his eyes at me. "It's him I've got to see."

"Why?"

"Because he'll kill me if he finds out what just happened from someone else."

"I don't think he's going to care," I said, putting my spinning head on my pillow.

"I'd still rather be safe than sorry," he said, slipping from our room.