Chapter 5 The Crude Awakening

I sat on the nurses bed, looking around at shiny glass cabinets that gleamed white. The smell of bleach lifted the room and the dull blue morning light filtering through the large windows. The walls were a shady green and walls and ceilings a crystal white, the hospital bed a thick leather with a paper sheet over it.
              "What did you do this time, Ammie?" Dr. Hillmaeker asked, tearing cotton wool from a plastic bag. She wore a slimming white uniform with her name on a silver badge over the academy's logo on the right breast.
              Dr. Lilian Hillmaeker was in her middle twenties, originally from her home country of Sweden. Her long blonde hair in a tight bun at the back of her head. Her skin was rose white and blue eyes always lined with eyeliner and mascara. All the boys at the academy hurt themselves just to see her.
              But I was always ended up in here.
"I walked into a branch." I looked up at the ceiling, having to tilt my head back so the bleeding would stop.
              After I shouted at Nathan, I had felt like crying. But as soon as I left him, he didn't run after me. Which made me glad... Then upset. I don't know why I did, but I did. And I cried, actually slid a tear... For Nathan Grund! But as soon as Clair seen me and blood over my face, I had never seen her face twist the way it did (only when I had injured myself in the past). She ran to me, looking me over and frantically shaking me by the shoulders as if I had told her I killed her hamster... If she had a hamster.
              So here I was, after convincing Clair she didn't need to take me to the nurses office, even though Miss Harney wouldn't let her. She even believed I had injured myself on purpose to get out of detention.
              "You've done worse." Dr. Hillmaeker laughed. Everyone just called her Lil. "On a mission last night?" She came over and held my chin with blue clean gloves on. Her breath smelt like strawberries.
              "Yeah," I frowned. "How'd you know?" I tried not to speak since my jaw moved and the blood spotted cotton wad brushed my teeth.
             "You have nasty bruises on your neck," She spoke softly. "Unless you've been play fighting with Nathan." She knew how me and Nathan usually got on. Like bickering siblings, always agruing. "Are you two together, yet?" She added in cheerily.
             To her suprise, I jolted back away from her, staring at her joyous blue eyes. Why was everyone saying this? It was becoming annoying and scary, knowing for a fact that people thought me and Nathan where either getting together or already were. It pissed me right off.
             "No." I said flatly, dipping my head down to stare at the floor that made more sense than peoples' predictions.
             "Oh," She buttered up. "I thought you two would be a couple by now." She started to redab my top lip and bloody chin. "Everyone thinks you two will hit it off." She smiled her perfect pink lips, her young cheek bones rising while smiling.I felt my patience run out with everyone.
             "Why?" I asked myself more than to Lil. "Alyson deserves him."  I muttered, then frowned at myself, reassuring if I was being totally honest. But sitting on the hard bed was hurting my a*s and my nose was still dripping.
             "What?" Lil chuckled. "His creepy stalker? No," Lil tilted my head back and stuffed two buds up my nose, I winced, a little too sensitive, still. "You two are like a married couple."
I laughed at her, feeling like smiling for a while. Then actually thought about what she said and mentally smacked my brain.
             "Nah," I uttered. "I think Alyson suits him, they are both stingy and idiots." I spoke. Then felt a pang of jealousy, I didn't even know if I was speaking the truth anymore. It hurt to think of Nathan, I was scared of my own reaction. I didn't even want to see Nathan, now.
       
           
I walked back to the forest. The sky shone blue now, baby clouds drifted through the sky. I smelt fresh burgers being made from the kitchen, it was hard to smell while buds where up my nose. I seen people trail in and out the forest, sweat on their faces like a thin line of  cling film was over their faces.
I seen Miss Harney shout at a kid, his face flinching at every word she spat at him. I felt sorry for him. Then I seen Nathan and Alyson by the skip, talking to eachother.
              Reluctantly, I dodged behind a tree, peeking around the corner like a ninja to glare at them. I wanted to barge in and know what was happening. I stared at Nathan, beads of sweat on his forehead and neck, I seen his jaw tense while talking to Alyson. He leaned his elbow on the huge skip, his body language read Uncomfortable. Alyson just stood by the skip, her face was reasonable. Yet, her eyes said otherwise. They burned blue, her pupils from this distance looked huge. Hands on her hips and hair still in spick-and-span condition.
               Nathan then straightened himself and leaned into her and kissed her.
I felt like a large rock was attached to my jaw, pulling it down. My lip twitched big style, my hands gripped on the bark of the tree in front of me, making it crumble. My body stung, as if I fell in a bed of stinging nettles. My eyes glued to Nathan, I didn't want to see that, but I did. My head buzzed and my knees felt weak.
               Even though I literally told him to give her a straight answer for her undying love, I wish I hadn't. My knees felt like they popped and I wanted, no, I needed to sit down. I slid down the trunk of the tree and sat with my back to them. I had to control my breathing as I was hyperventilating, I placed my hand over my heart and stared hard at the school.
               What is this I'm feeling? I questioned my own mind, unaware why I felt like this. Is this a sign of something?
               I swallowed hard and inhaled a satisfying gulp of air, the dank mist from the woods lingered at the back of my throat.
"What's wro-" Clair appeared from behind a tree at my side, a big and large black bin bag in her hand. She dropped it, landing with a clash to the dirt and she dived head first by my side. "What's wrong, what's happened?" She grabbed my face in both hands and looked me up and down. "Are you hurt? Talk, Ammie, talk!" She pleaded, almost in hysterics. "Why are you...Crying?" She brushed a tear away, gently bringing my face to hers, turning it to one side then to the other.
              I felt a lump in my throat and eyes sting, nose aching, even though it already hurt.
"Am I crying?" I asked, my eyebrows raised. I cleared my throat of the lump that threatened to make me scream.
              "Yeah," Clair whispered, letting go of my face and resting back on her heels, sighing. "What have you done now?" She smiled warmly at me, her smile putting me at ease. I pointed over my shoulder.
              She leaned to the side, straining her eyes. "What?" She poked my leg. "No-one is there." She peered at me and picked at a piece of grass by her legs.
              I leaned arouned the tree and seen Nathan and Alyson were gone from the side of the skip. I sighed and rested back on the tree, my arms and legs not wanting to work.
             "It's nothing." I managed to stand on shaky legs, wiping my face with the back of my hand.
             "Mhmm," Clair stood in front of me, hands on hips and lips curved on one side, as if she were trying to figure me out. "I've known you for six years, I think I know how you work." Clair stepped closer, I just stared at her with watery eyes.  "I know."
             "Know what?" I mumbled, all of a sudden, I was afraid of what Clair might say. If it was about me, she knew me to well, and I wasn't going to hear it from her mouth.
             "It's becoming more and more obvious," She muttered, walking around to my side. I felt intimidated. "And I knew it'd happen sooner or later-"
             "What, Clair?" I raised my voice to her, I thought she'd just leave me speechless then and there, but she just smiled a thoughtful smile.
             "You're in love."

    

Clan 41 were assigned to another mission down a little city. Apparently there was more and more demons spawning there than usual, we needed to check it out.
             Earlier when Clair told me I was 'in love', I basically stared at her, gobsmacked. I had never throught me, Amelia Hale, would ever fall in love, and with the person Clair said next.
             "You love Nathan Grund."
If I was told this a few weeks ago, I'd have laughed in her face while holding my stomach, struggling not to get a stitch. But now she told me, after a few episodes with Nathan, I couldn't agree more. Now I knew what the fluttery feeling in my gut was for when he'd be around, of how he saves me makes me feel special and appreciated.
             But I never knew it'd be so awkward. The weird thing is, when I saw Nathan kiss Alyson, I thought they'd be together. But in the car, they just sat away from eachother. 
             The car was filled with tension, I could cut it with a knife. I was just staring out the window, seeing the ink black sky hovered above us, glittery stars sparkling ahead. A pretty moon rested in a little halo of clouds and constellations.
             Clair sat by my side, watching Nathan carefully as he cleaned his gun with a baby wipe and Alyson was in the back seat. Since I was to scared to even look at Nathan, I just ignored everyone. Even Amy thought something was wrong with me.
              "You okay, Ammie?" She'd asked, leaning over Nathan and touching my knee affectionately. I'd smiled at her and tried not to look at Nathan since he was opposite me.
              "I'm fine, just detention didn't do me the world of good." I chuckled.
"If you didn't spend so much time running into trees, you might actually get some work done." Nathan interjected, spitting the words, yet it came across as arrogant.
              Clair had opened her mouth and tried not to do a sarcastic laugh, she was vibrating with anger next to me, clenching her fists around her magnum on her thigh, covered by her cloak. I just waved it off and looked away while Amy gave confused glances between me and Nathan.
              After the car ride, we made it to GapWate City.
The streets were roaring with cars, air heavy with car exhaust and smoke from smokers at local pubs. The shops were highly lit and I could faintly smell a bakery. It was only 09:12 pm, so I guessed it took a while for the place to close, even though some shops stayed open all night. Bright lights were everywhere, the loud sound of people shouting and partying in little night clubs.
              "We should take this party to the clubs, they always fester in little pig pits like that." Mike bobbed along the pavement, whisking away. Amy grabbed his jacket.
              "It's a great idea, but you just wanna check out the opposite sex." Mike blushed, but he meant it as his lips curled into a playful smile. He turned around and hugged Amy.
              "You know me all to well." He faked a sniffle and looked at her. "But you're the only girl I have eyes for." At that, Amy looked bewildered, as if she'd been free falling from a great height and only now just landed. Then it changed to a smirk.
             "Mhmm," She mumbled. "I've heard that before."
So the clan manouvered itself to a little underground club called OneStep, and the loud music drummed into the streets. People were outside, either in someones arms, or sitting at the kirb, bringing their alcohol back up.
             "Nice." Clair muttered under her breath, making me smile. I wore a thick, long black coat with massive pockets on it. Underneath, I had a black t-shirt on, the logo on the inside so the demons don't know what academy we are. And I also had black jeans on with a few chains dangling. They weren't heavy metal jeans, but to camouflage my pistol straped to my thigh.
              We made our way through grinding bodies down steep steps, the smell of alcohol lingered in the air. I smelt so well after my nose bleed.
              The club was large. The floor covered in bodies, dancing, sliding, jumping and spilling drinks. Tables were laced at the edges of the room, a higher step to make them stand out. A stage was placed at the end of the room, box sized speakers were dotted around the room, but clear of the bar. Which was at the right side of the room, the electric blue lights made it attrative for brainless people who gathered at the bar like flies to a fly killer electronic homebase.
              A band played heavy music on the stage, their long hair over their faces. Dressed like goths and emo's. I loved the style and music, but in here, I was going to go deaf.
               "There's a table over there." Sarah pushed through bodies that kept dancing. I shoved through guys who suddenly came up to me and asked me to dance.
              Eventually, I was whisked away by some bloke. He grabbed my hand and swirled me into his arms. I smelt strong drink, it was making me feel sickly. He had dark hair that flopped over his face, eyes a dark chocolate brown. His square jaw looked delicious as he dipped his head closer too mine, but his breath put me off as he breathed on me. I swung my head away, suddenly not thinking so much of him. My palms pressed into his chest that felt so chisled under my fingertips. I licked my lips and shouted over the loud music. "Please let me go!" I yelled, trying to block out the peircing screaming down the microphone. "I need to get to my friends!" I pushed again and felt someone from behind step on my coat. I went down a little and he pulled me up.
               "I thought we could dance." He whispered close to my ear, his breath tickling my ear lobe which he suddenly found edible as he nibbled.
              Then, I felt a hand grip in my coat, dragging me back. I was going to have to thank Nathan big time. The dudes hands lingered on my hand, he stared at me wild eyed and disappointed.
              "Thank you so much Nath-" I stuttered as I turned to my recuer. But as I did, I flinched to see Clair.
              Her smile fired up and she kept dragging me along. "Sorry, babe, I'm not your knight in shining armour. He looked for you, couldn't find you and just sat down." She did me a sympathetic frown. I felt my stomach churn with embarrassment and anger. Nathan looked for me and gave up when he didn't find me.
              Damn, I thought to myself quietly. I'm going to be as obsessed as Alyson. I laughed to myself and Clair just frowned and looked beyond me, her gaze becoming steely.
              "Found some." She shouted through gritted teeth, the band still screaming down the microphone.
I peered over my shoulder and onto a group of teens on a table near the stage, their table was higher and of course, the acid bile from my stomach gurgled into my mouth. I needed a drink to swallow it down.
              "I'm going for a drink." I barked over the classic guitar solos. Clair gripped my arm and yelled in my ear.
              "Be careful." She gave me a stern look like a mother would give their child. I nodded at her, the smell of fruity alcohol knocking me off my feet.
              I swam through countless bodies that grinded into eachother, and, ironically, into me. I yelped when someone touched my arse. But left it and kept moving.
              I reached the bar, feeling the damp surface made my face contort. I wiped my hands on my coat and yelled to the bar tender. He wore a stained white button down shirt with a black bow tie. His hair a sandy blonde hair stuck up like a hedgehog. Light blue eyes and a stud in his nose, peirced ears, eyebrow, lip and ring for his septum peircing. He was beautiful, dark and dangerous. I yelled to him and he swiftly came over, wiping a glass. He eyed me suspiciously.
              "Aren't you a little too young to drink?" He raised a fine eyebrow, eyeing me.
"I just want water." I pointed to a glass fridge at his feet behind him. I seen bottles of Evian and J2O. "Evian, please." I shouted over the music.
              He got me my bottled water and I paid him, my money tucked in my boot. Then, I felt an arm slide around my waist, a body behind me. I thought it was the dude from earlier. I swung round and shouted in his face, feeling my anger bubble. "Hey, hotshot, leave me alone before I kick your a*s!" I felt my throat sting and head hurt from this loud music. I opened my eyes and tight lipped my mouth. My eyes wandered over Nathan who stood in front of me, his eyes wide and lips parted.
              S**t.
"What was that for?" He leaned close to me and shouted. I was sick of all this shouting, I was getting a headache.
             "I thought you were someone else." I yelled back just as loud, I stil wasn't happy with him. "Why are you here?" I faced him. His eyes turned from mine then returned a bit lighter, his fluffy black hair a fountain over his face.
             "You shouldn't be here alone when we've spotted them," He sneered, blinking at me. "Are you crazy? Or just suicidle?" He smiled a deadly smile and I couldn't help but look at his lips. The lips that Alyson got to kiss first. I was angry with him, yet, why did I want him to hold me so bad? Clair did confirm that I loved him, but I was so confused with myself. One minute I can't stand him so ignore him, then, I'm feeling a funny feelling in my stomach and I want him to be near me.
             "Are you with Alyson yet?" I shouted, squinting my eyes from the strobe lights that suddenly appeared.
              Bollocks. I frowned at myself and clenched my fists around my bottle, feeling my mind whir and chest hurt. Am I this stupid? Is this why Alyson always makes fun of me?
             Nathan frowned at me and crept his hand up my face. His warm palm cradled my head, his eyes soft and sweet. The blaring music seemed like poetry to me, the bodies becoming blurry and dizzy. I smelt alcohol, but I could only smell Nathan's fresh body spray and his peppermint shampoo. I was dazed.
            "You are crazy," He smiled at me. Even though he spoke slowly to me, I could still hear him. My lips parted and I just stared at him wide eyed. Someone shouted down the microphone, the amazing song dancing with my insides.

             I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
And you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore

That was Nickelback singing me a melody, but a band played it and made it more loud. But still more beautiful. I felt lost in Nathan's eyes.
               "I don't like Alyson," He smiled sadly at me. "Didn't I tell you that?" He moved closer, his eyes searching mine. I felt like dying in his arms. My hands were empty, I guess my loose limbs dropped my bottle. I'd be angry later since that drink cost £1.99.
               I literally couldn't beanywhere else as long as Nathan was there. My smile felt good, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. My hands were now latched onto Nathan's side, gripping his jacket. His head leaned into mine as much as his body did, I felt his warm breath on my face like a birds wings. I closed my eyes and let him cradle my face, his hand lifting my chin and comforting my cheek. I know my face burned, but I was too happy. With demons a few feet away didn't matter to me anymore.
              I know knew what I felt for Nathan, and always have. Alyson might be pissed, but I couldn't help what my heart does. And right now, it chose Nathan. For some reason, I was okay with that. Heck, I was overjoyed. And deep down, I know he chose me, I think.
             Just as I felt his breath become more hotter against my mouth, I heard a clash and bunch of screams, feedback from the speaker and the smell of rotting corpses lingered into my nose.

Author's Note

The song that played in the club is "Faw Away" by Nickelback incase u wanted to know :')