Drowning
Theresa is wrecking the training hall.
Again.
First, there were only the sounds of her normal training – and low grunts whenever she hit something. Normally, she was good at staying quiet while training. The others rarely noticed her. But then, Cassidy had entered the room and shut the door behind him. And that´s when it started to get different.
Now Ten, Marina, Nadya, Jaq, Jay and Terrence are staring at the half-open door. They´ve all seen Cassidy leave – he has marched right through the living-room, given them a short nod and disappeared upstairs. He didn´t look different, but from what can be heard from the training hall, there must have been some really interesting argument going on. Interesting to say the least.
The boys quickly decide they don´t want to be involved in their two leaders´ quarrels, whatever they are about. Jaq continues reading his book; Jay and Terrence get back to playing cards. The girls exchange worried glances. Yes, Theresa is a very short-tempered person, and yes, she doesn´t talk about her feelings at all. But yes, they´re worried about her. She´s screaming wordlessly, shrieking like a banshee, hitting and kicking and probably bruising herself in the process. The last time it happened she collapsed right there and was out for a day.
"You go", Ten finally decides and motions to Marina. "You know her best. She´ll talk to you."
"If she´ll talk at all", Nadya chimes in. It doesn´t sound too hopeful either.
Marina shakes her head doubtfully but nonetheless gets up and moves towards the training hall.
She doesn´t have to see Theresa to know she´s upset.
The tall, lean girl with her long, black hair tied in a pony-tail has been over-exerting herself. The moment Marina enters, she collapses on the floor, shaking and breathing in hard, ragged gasps.
Carefully, Marina walks over to her and kneels down.
"Rese?"
The girl doesn´t answer and just closes her eyes and to her horror, Marina sees tears seep down her cheeks. She extends a hand and places it on her arm.
"What´s the matter?"
There´s no answer. The ragged breathing continues.
She´s prepared to wait, as long as it will take, but there´s no need for it. Maybe that´s the reason Ten sent her – she can see it. Or better: feel it.
Feel what Cassidy´s words have done to Theresa.
Marina never knew it was possible to hear someone else´s heart shatter.
She wraps her arms around Theresa and lets her cry. Tears of humiliation and rage. Tears of disappointment.
"It´s enough, Rese. I´m not setting up with you as joint leaders any more if you don´t get a grip on yourself. We almost messed up bad time last night – because you don´t stop to think first. You can´t keep living for revenge only. You´ll get yourself killed faster than you can blink – and you´ll get the others killed, too. I´m not going to support that. I´ll ask teacher to be removed from our team until further notice."
He shouldn´t be able to say all these things in a few sentences.
And Marina feels like she´s drowning in Theresa´s feelings.
A/N Not knowing what will happen further - and not wanting to wait until the next volume is out - I cut out all the parts which remotely showed any signs of Cass having any feelings for Theresa except the usual comradeship - and the other way round. Whole six words went and, hopefully, make the difference^^
When I asked my sister whom she would pair of in Night School, the first pairing she was against was Rese/Cass, because, as she claimed, they were too close. But... I like them!^^°
What do you think?