15

Alton and I had a stare off for a few minutes, then he bid us farewell, and left. I started before Bianca, because she had run up the stairs before me to tell Alton something I couldn't know, apparently something important. I'd made my first lap, when she joined me. Her chest was heaving up and down, and she kept trying to hold it down, but that just made her look funny when she ran, so she finally gave up and let them bounce. We were almost done with her first lap, which for me was my second lap here, first lap at home, and she was weazing, and having problems breathing, so I told her to go sit down, she did great for today, I was going to finish, and if she wanted leave she could, I'd be fine.

She left, using the excuse that she needed to take a shower before breakfast at 8am, it was just before 7am, but I knew it took her almost an hour in the shower, so I just said bye, and decided to do another lap, making it a half lap farther then I usually go. This time I pushed myself as hard as I could, I sprinted all the way around, by the time I made it back to the starting point I was huffing and puffing, and couldn't get enough oxygen into my lungs, my side stung, my legs were starting to cramp up. I wouldn't make it to my room in this state, and if I didn't make it to my room, I wouldn't have time to shower and make it to breakfast.

I placed my hands on my head as I walked around taking as big of breaths as I could to even my breathing out, and I was going to walk another lap, when I decided I would just walk back and forth. As soon as I got my breath back, I knew I wouldn't make it to my room, then breakfast on time, there was no way, so I decided why even leave the gym, I could spend all day here, no one would miss me. I walked back towards the weapons to check them out and see what they had.

I looked over everything on the wall, there were countless knives, ranging from a few inches to over a foot in length, and they all looked like they were left dull for practices. I moved to the next part, there were a bunch of brass knuckles, swords, axes, throwing stars and knives, wooden staffs, and a million of other weapons I couldn't name. I picked up a small set of throwing knives, I remember when I first moved to California they suggested since I was a rich young girl living on my own in a big city, at that time at least, that I should take self defense classes. I decided to take a few other courses, and I ended up learning how to use small weapons. I spread them out to look at them, and saw the bulls eye on the side of the room perpendicular from the weapons.

I stood where there was a set of tape feet on the floor, and readied myself. I took a steadying breath, and put my back to the bulls eye, I grabbed a single knife, and flung myself around, hitting directly in the center, but I didn't stop there, I barely even paused I grabbed another one and flung my arm upwards instead of downwards, again hitting right beside my first knife. I continued throwing all of the knives, until I ran out. As I was collecting them, and grouping them into sets, my stomach started to rumble.

I put my hand over my stomach, when someone spoke from the door of the gym, "Well done, amazing actually." I spun around and my eyes locked on his, the green looking lighter under the fluorescents.

I turned away from him, finishing what I was doing, "Really?"

I sat there listening to the room, when he let out a breath, "You missed breakfast."

I shrugged, "Yea, I know."

I heard him punch a bag in the corner farthest from me, "So I know you took a self defense class, are you any good at that?"

I awkwardly laughed, "Yeah, truthfully, 4 months of self defense class, and I really really sucked at that."

He snickered, "Yet, a week of practicing with throwing knives and even two years later you're an expert at it."

I put all of the knives where I'd grabbed them from, and turned to look at him, "Something like that." I started walking to the door, "Is there anywhere in town I can get something to eat, or even better, a mini fridge to keep in my room?"

He elbowed the bag a couple times, "Actually we have some of those here if you really want some, then we'll just stop by the kitchen after I'm done here." he switched to his knees, "If you want to wait for me at least."

I leaned against the wall, "I can wait, if you want to try to teach me something at least." I looked towards the weapons again.

He punched it a few times, "Weapons can wait until tomorrow, I can teach you hand to hand combat that isn't punching and elbowing, it's mostly kneeing." he turned towards me, "Plus just some tips so you don't get attacked."

"Well you can try, but I can't do those kinds of things all that well."

He walked up to me, and grabbed my arm, pulling me to the middle of a mat, "Well lets see if you can stop me from attacking you." He took a step back and just stood there looking at me, "Nothing is off limits."

He put one foot back then he ran at me, it took me a second to realize what was going on, then he slammed into me and wrapped his arms around me, spinning me so my back was against his chest. He twisted my arm behind my back, and bent me forward. I thought back to my self defense class, and I remembered if I turned my wrist I could break out of a wrist hold easier. I twisted my wrist just slightly, so that I lined the part below my thumb up against where his fingers and his thumb were together. I couldn't move just my arm that direction, without breaking my arm, so I spun my entire body that way.

He lost his grip, and my foot swung around, catching him in the side, forcing me to the ground, I kicked up into his crotch this time, and he doubled over. He laid on the ground for a while holding himself, groaning every so often.

I leaned over him, my dark brown hair almost looked the opposite of his white hair, "So are you done now, and can we go get me something to eat?"

Someone started clapping from the door, so I turned to see Alton standing there, "Quite a brilliant display of your talent, sadly I only came in towards the end."

Jackson moaned, "That wasn't even the amazing part of today yet." He'd gotten to sitting, and his face was flushed beet red and his eyes were bloodshot, standing out horribly against the green in his eyes.

"Well anyways can we go get me something to eat?" I put my hand out to Jackson, who took it, for me to pull him up to his feet.

He grimaced, "Yea, lets go pick you up a snack."

Alton stepped away from the door to let us pass, "I'll just stay here. Also that was a low blow, literally."

Jackson waddled out of the room before me, so I just shrugged at Alton and followed Jackson out. We walked in silence, not exactly awkward, at least not for me, he was fidgeting, even after he stopped waddling he kept looking at me, away from me, at his feet, it was strange. He kept acting like he want to say something, but he kept changing his mind, if he kept this up I was going to hurt him.

He stopped in front of a door, "This is the kitchen, this is where you'll get your snack and request a mini fridge for your room."

He walked inside the room, and waved to a few people. He walked to a giant fridge to the left of the room, he opened it and tossed a water bottle back at me, I caught it barely before it hit me in the face, and then he grabbed a muffin for himself, I couldn't tell if it was chocolate chip of blueberry though. I walked up to the muffins and I saw a banana nut muffin, I didn't even stop to think, I just grabbed it and sunk my teeth in.

It was moist, and tasted almost like banana bread, it was perfect, I'm still not sure what kind of nuts they have, but it's always just perfect, a great contrast. I ate the entire thing in 5 bites, the whole time Jackson just stood there watching me with an eyebrow arched. I opened my water bottle, and quickly drinking half of it, when I looked back at him he had both of his eyebrows raised this time.

I screwed the top back on, and snapped at him, "Why are you starring?"

He lowered his eyebrows, and looked away, "No reason. But you shouldn't eat that fast, it's not good for you."

"Oh, okay, I guess I'll keep that in mind next time."

He had me go ask someone to bring up a mini fridge, and the person said it would be there in about an hour, fully stocked with whatever I wanted, so I told him I wanted water bottles, energy drinks, and quick to grab snacks, mostly fruits and vegetables. We left the kitchen and he had me follow him around, while he showed me all the other rooms there were. across from the gym was an indoor pool, with a hot tub and a sauna. The next few doors down where meeting rooms. I think we were like 4 doors down from the gym on that side, and when he pulled me through it was just a big empty room with lots of chairs, and what would be a lunch line type area directly to the riht of the door, so I was guessing this was where they ate.

I looked around the room and realized we'd gone into town to eat yesterday night, "Why did we go into town yesterday to eat?"

He walked out of the room, and leaned on the wall, "They only serve food here for about an hour, after that they leave and if you want something to eat you have to hit the kitchen or go to the town for something to eat. Also they frown on people going to the kitchen all the time."

"That makes sense." I walked past him, "Well I'm heading to my room, you should come get me when lunch is going to be served."

I could hear his footsteps following me, I was about to turn around and ask him why he was following me, then I remembered his room was a few doors down from mine. I just ignored him and kept walking, until I got to my room, where he stopped walking too.This time it was going to bother me.

I opened my door and disappeared inside, from outside he called through the open door, "You should practice with your powers." I heard him take a few steps away, "But don't start anything on fire."

He walked away leaving me alone, to realize, I can't practice with my powers, I haven't been able to feel them since I saw my dad. I tried to summon them at the same time, like I'd practiced, but nothing happened, not even the feeling of them fighting in the pit of my stomach. I was empty, but I wasn't sure why, and I truthfully really didn't care, I was learning other things right now, fighting with Jackson and Alton would probably be a lot of fun.

I think I feel asleep a some point while I was daydreaming about kicking their asses, but I can't be sure, my mind had wandered to everything that had happened, and how everyone around me were either Virq's or Wims', even if they didn't actually try to do that. I was woken by a knocking on my door, and a small voice that I knew.

"Princess, Jackson sent me to wake you, he said that you wished to be woken before lunch." I could barely understand what was being said, she was so quiet, and I couldn't pin point where I'd heard her voice before.

I yelled through the door, "If you're going to try to wake me up, the least you can do is not be a mouse!"

The voice got slightly louder, but I still couldn't tell where I knew her from, "I'm sorry, Princess. May I come in?"

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever."

The door opened, and a light blond stepped through, and I knew her obviously, but I never really listened to her when she talked, especially since all she ever talked about was her stupid model boyfriend, "Good afternoon, Princess. Oh wait it's still morning for the next half hour, hmmm, well Good morning Princess." She smiled at me.

I pulled my pillow over my head, and muttered, "Sophie, you're too chipper to be around me right now, anyways what happened to Garrett?"

She sat down on my bed, "Oh, he's here too."

I got up, "Was everyone around me a Virq or a Wims?"

She touched her chin and looked at the ceiling, "Scott wasn't."