Chapter 28: The Aftermath
I went out of the Infinity Room holding my almost crushed arm. The moment I got out, I immediately used my ability to numb the pain but soon realized that I couldn't because of the Titan Academy logo in my uniform. It prevents the students from using their abilities inside of school.
I shook my head in frustration. Anyway, I can still bare it. I can just go down to the training room and treat my fractures and wounds. We already learned about this just yesterday.
I can fix this fucking thing. I can handle this alone. I was staggering along the hallway so it's good that this place was usually deserted. They can't see me like this.
I got out from the east chamber and shortly walked back to the hallway where I saw Gin earlier then I bumped into someone. I almost cursed loudly because of the pain from hitting my arm to his body.
"Hey."
I froze when I realized who it was. I lightly stepped back away from him and avoided his gaze.
"Captain."
I struggled to make my voice normal even though my teeth had been grinding together non-stop due to the pain.
Gin frowned. He looked at the hallway where I came from. I just realized why Gin had that reaction when I said I was going there earlier. The rooms in that hallway are hells on earth.
"I have to go, Captain."
I tried hard to keep a straight face and walked as normal as possible while he's still watching me. His frowned deepened when he looked down at my left arm. I followed his gaze and saw that it's now bleeding. Shit.
"Wait."
I froze at his tone. I knew that kind of cold and commanding voice so well.
"What happened to your arm?"
He was staring at me without a single expression on his face. I had this feeling that he already knew the answer but still wanted to hear it from me. Too bad, because I will never tell him anything.
"It's nothing, Captain."
I looked at him straight in the eyes and for a minute we just stared at each other. Him, who's waiting for me to say the truth and I, who kept onto my lie.
The staring contest only came to a halt when we heard noises. Footsteps from the hallway were coming from not so far from us. It was followed by bursts of laughter and voices as if telling some stories. I tightened when I realized these familiar voices.
Damn. What are these shameless people doing here?
Gin became rigid beside me. I lowered my gaze and saw his knuckles formed into a ball. I knew then. He already had a good grasp of what really happened.
"Gin," I warned.
I don't care if the formality in our conversation ceased. I know what he's thinking and I can't let that happen. The noise came nearer and sounded like they're soon about to come towards our direction. Their conversations gradually became clearer.
"She's daring as fuck. If only Beatrice didn't get scared; we could have crippled her."
"No wonder she tried to defend the old man in town so much."
I grabbed Gin's arm to prevent him from taking any actions. I winced painfully because of the sudden movement.
Gin's aura is so scary. But I am more afraid of what will happen to our group if he gets into trouble again.
"Gin, calm down."
He paused and looked to me. His eyes landed on my feet that's about to give way from supporting myself and to my arm that's still bloodied which was starting to spread.
"Go to the medic room," he commanded with deep voice. It's frightening how he sounded so tranquil and threatening at the same time. He started to walk away from me.
"Gin, what the fuck are you doing?"
I struggled to follow him, almost tripping on my way through. I hurriedly blocked myself before him. Blood started to trickle down my arms to the tip of my fingers but I ignored it.
"You can't hurt them. The group already has too many problems. If you do what you're thinking, the mess will just get bigger."
Gin narrowed his eyes at me. I can't help but be overwhelmed and intimidated by his stare.
"I said go."
I stood my ground firmly. "No."
"Go before I drag you." he ordered.
I raised my hands higher. "Just forget this, Gin."
He ran his fingers through his raven black hair in frustration.
"Why are you so stubborn? Can't you see yourself now? You can barely stand on your own feet. You think I can just let someone mess with my group and get the hell out without a fucking scratch?"
"Then don't treat me as a member!" I shouted. "I'm a substitute, an outsider. So just don't give a damn."
He froze. He looked at me as if I said something he didn't like. A moment later, I suddenly fell on the floor— I held to the nearest wall as sudden searing pain shot through my whole body. I arduously closed my eyes due to the extreme pain.
I heard Gin cursed while quickly approaching me. I shove his hand and forced myself to stand alone.
"I'm fine."
"Fuck it."
I was so surprised when he pulled me. I can feel his tight grip on my hands. It looks like he can't stand me anymore.
"Why are you always like this?" he asked in irritation as we started to walk. Gin was almost dragging me. I don't know where we were going. Pain was flooding my senses to even understand what's happening.
"Gin, let me go," I ordered him but in my head it's more like begging. The way he's pulling me is really painful and I'm also trying hard to keep up with his pace.
“I already said go before I drag you,” he replied seriously. “You made your choice.”
I winced painfully while we were walking. Gin's patience was not one to be tested. I had proven that many times. Still, this was better; instead of his plan to retaliate those who hurt me.
I bit my lips and endured the pain in my whole body. I kept repeating myself that this pain was nothing, it’s temporary, it's not even real. It's just a small thing that can be controlled.
We were passing in the hallway where the classrooms were when students flooded out from their classes exactly at that time. Their eyes widened when they saw Gin and I but they still quickly stepped aside and let us pass. Many of them had expressions of being afraid when they saw Gin's face while others regarded me instead with great surprise.
This is what I freaking hate; for them to see me in this state, this weak. If I hadn't met Gin the case wouldn't be like this. Damn it.
Gin suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway. I almost crashed to his back. I heard another voice in front of him as if he's talking with someone. Then, I saw a familiar face peeked over with bewilderment plastered on his face.
Ethan.
"Hey, what are you guys doing—" he halted when he noticed my condition. "What happened?"
"Bring her to the medic room," Gin ordered.
Ethan frowned but immediately followed. He approached me, held my uninjured arm to his shoulder and encircled his arm around my waist.
"What really happened?" Ethan asked again with concern.
Gin didn't answer but started walking away from us.
"Where are you going?!" I almost shrieked.
He turned to me slightly and looked straight into my eyes. "What do you think?"
"Don't," I said in a weak voice. I don't need to complete my sentence for him to know what I mean.
He sighed. "I'm going to find our healer."
He approached us and leaned slightly before me as if he wanted to whisper something but then, he just patted my forehead.
"I will let you win this time, little devil. Now shut up and stop worrying."
After that, Gin turned once more and walked away; leaving me with Ethan in the middle of the hallway. I stared at his back for a while and even with my injured condition, I heard him cursed under his breath before rounding the corner.
—
"Is the dosage okay?"
"Add more."
"But that would be painful."
"She can take it."
I felt the entry of a thin and sharp object to my skin. I could feel the strangely cold fluid flowing out of it and sipping into my body. The effect it brought was painful. I almost wanted to hurt myself for no apparent reasons.
"I told you the dosage is too much."
"She can handle it."
I sat suddenly. I felt like banging my head on the wall. I looked around, and although my vision was still blurry, I saw eyes startled staring at me. They moved soon after a while.
"Shia you need to lie down. This will hurt a little."
It was Luna who spoke. She was holding a syringe with fluid inside in indigo color. I know what kind of medicine that was. It was a heightened medicine that can repair a broken bone, an injured ligament, or a damaged joint. It's one of those medicines that have an odd, sometimes very painful, effect when used since your body will be reproducing certain parts in a fast forward phase.
Where am I? How did I get here?
I didn't lie down as ordered by Luna. I watched the faces of the three people looking at me. Cain, Victoria, and Luna.
"What am I doing here?" I asked. I touched my throat that felt dry and can hardly talk.
"You passed out while Ethan was helping you get here, the medic room." Luna answered.
Ethan? Medic room? I looked around the familiar room.
My head still hurt because of the medicine Luna gave me. My brain couldn't seem to make out whatever she was saying. Nothing was sinking in. I heard her sighing, instead. She bit her lips while gazing at my injuries that were now covered with thick bandages.
"Those people are too much! I'm sorry, Shia. You got hurt. And badly. We really feel ashamed now."
I heard Cain groaned in the corner; though, he didn't speak but for sure he had the same words in his mind.
I knitted my brow. I don't think they needed to apologize to me. Perhaps, I deserved this. It was a reality slap. It made me realize the few things that I was gradually neglecting over the time of my stay here in Titan Academy.
"Why didn't you fight back?"
I turned to Victoria who was leaning on the wall and was looking at me.
"Victoria," Cain warned.
"What?" Victoria retorted. "She's part of our group. She shouldn't have let them do that to her. If I find out who they are, I will make them realize who they're messing with."
'She's part of our group'.
Those words made a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I watched the three who were with me in the room. I guess this was how I forgot why I came here in the first place; it was because of them. I'm got too attached to the group.
"Please lie down, Shia." Luna pleaded. She noticed that I was gripping hard on the cushion because of the pain. I can feel my whole body pulsating in sweltering pain.
"Don't worry; the pain will be gone in a moment. Then, tomorrow your body will return to the way it was. You could just endure it for now." She explained.
After a while, the door suddenly opened.
The three of us looked over. Teacher Apollo casually entered and I soon noticed, for the first time, he's not holding a smoke.
"You okay?" he asked in a drawling voice as if he had just woken up from a hangover.
"Fine." I managed to say.
He came closer to me and examined my condition, and then he smiled. My turn, I frowned.
"Just think of it as if you had an unexpected endurance training," he finally said.
"Sir, what happened is not a joke." Luna pointed out. She lowered her gaze, continuing. "If worse had happened, she might have forfeited from the Cup."
Teacher Apollo simply nodded. "I know, Luna." his voice became serious.
"But let Gin and Ethan handle the aftermath. Don't interfere. This is a critical issue in a critical time of the Game."
"Are they still talking to Principal Bins?" Victoria asked.
"Anytime now they'll be done." Sir Apollo sat on one of the chairs. He crossed his legs in a carefree way.
"Someone leaked the information about Shia. The news already reached the parents of some students. They think it's unfair to import someone from Hesperia localities to compete in the Cup. We can't blame them. The rest of the students here have the privilege to be the first choice in case of vacancy. But what can the right of preference do if we cannot win the Cup? Stupid people."
Cain snorted with a slight laughter.
"So since the issue has yet to be settled, no one can move without the permission from the top to avoid additional mess. Just concentrate on your trainings and the things you need to do."
Sir Apollo said some more but I wasn't listening anymore. One thing kept rewinding in my mind.
Someone leaked my informations.
Who would do this?