Chapter 7:

Kori POV:

I entered my room and Goosebumps crept up my arms. It was cooler in here then it was in the living room. Looking around I saw that the walls were painted indigo. There was a queen sized bed in the middle of the room. There was a drawer with a mirror, a bed side drawer, a dresser, a bathroom, a walk in closet.

I jumped on the bed and buried my face in the pillows. ' So soft!'

I looked around one more time and realized my room wasn't properly equipped. No clothes, cosmetics, books, nothing. 'I forgot to get my stuff from X'

I was about to walk out the door. I put my shoes in the closet, then a saw a small bear.

It's ear was torn and stuffing was coming out of its stomach.

I picked it up and looked it over. "What a cute little bear, what's it doing in my closet?"

I walked out of the room and went to look for Rachel. "Though I don't know who you belong to, it would be a shame if someone found you all torn up"

I went down the hall, then around the corner. Ok dead end just go back. I went straight down the hall then went left. Wait haven't I seen that door before? I ran down a corridor and found a fork in the hall. Left or right left or right?

"Rawr!"

I flipped out my phone and called X.

"Kori?"

"I have no idea where I am and I think I'm gonna throw up!" X sighed "Calm down, you know how you get when you get scared, I'll ask one of these guys to go get you"

"Hurry hurry! It's like a labyrinth here! I feel like a trapped mouse desperate to find the cheese!"

X stifled a laugh.

I scoffed "Hurry up!"

I hung up as I heard him cackle. I tried to retrace my steps but ended up down a corridor I didn't recognize.

"Oh man! Why the hell did I wonder?"

I heard pounding coming from the last room. I poked my head in the doorway and saw a shirtless Richard. His fists pounded the punching bag, making it swing back and forth.

I started to blush.

"Wow" I whispered.

I never was able to fight Richard. X has but I never really get any action. I just steal, but I remember that one time I did fight Richard;

Flashback:

The alarm went off as the safe swung open.

"Get the cash and lets get out of here!"

I ran inside and stuffed the duffle bag with as much money it could hold.

" It'd be smart of you to put the money down"

I turned around and saw Robin. His eyes masked and his fists clenched.

I put on the duffle strap and jumped over him toward the entrance. I looked around for X but he was preoccupied. 'Dammit!'

I skid to a stop and readied myself to fight. He threw a punch but I blocked it, pushing him back. I jumped up and swung a kick and my foot made contact with his cheek. He was down but he lifted himself up with his feet. He threw a punch again this time it did hit.

I put my hand over the sore spot on my cheek. I gasped as I saw my mask laying on the ground. I turned around and he was right there. I covered my face with my hands but I think he saw the tear slide down my cheek from my emerald eyes.

"K let's go!"

I grabbed the duffel and swung it hitting him in the stomach.

I ran for the entrance not looking back my hand still over my face, leaving the mask lying on the floor.

End Flashback

I tiptoed into the room and stopped about a foot away.

I saw his muscles ripple and his spine, jutting out of his back. I wanted to touch it. His smooth, tanned back….

I shook the fantasy out of my head. I went over and tapped him on the shoulder.

He surprised me by swing his arm back almost knocking me down. I flipped backward grabbed his arm and pinned him to the ground.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!"

I helped him up into a sitting position.

"Are you ok?"

"Those were amazing reflexes"

I giggled "Just instinct I guess"

"Are you a fighter?"

I froze "U-um, well not professionally but you know defense wise"

"Defense wise yea yea, hey what did you do you know as far as working goes" He was digging and that was not good.

"I uh, I towed trucks" 'What?'

"Really? Whoa that ,must be some hard stuff"

I gave a nervous chuckle "Yea, ya know how guys get about their trucks"

We both laughed.

"What are you doing down in the gym?"

"Funny story, I was looking for Rachel when- Oh my gosh where's the bear?"

I got up and looked around for the damaged bear. "Bear?"

"Yea I found him in my closet, poor little thing all torn and abandoned- oh I found it"

I picked up the little bear and pat the dust off its stomach.

"I was looking for Rachel to see if she had a needle and some thread so I could fix this little guy up"

I looked at Richard and he was staring at the bear. He seemed kind of in a trance, like this bear was the key to all his problems.

"Richard?"

He smiled then chuckled "That's my old bear"

"Really?" I cooed "This is yours?"

He nodded. I quickly gave him the bear and he held it in both of his hands away from him.

"I used to sleep with BoBo when I was younger, my mom would tuck us in and I'd fall to sleep in an instant" he looked up and started blushing.

I guess I had a goofy look on my face that made him embarrassed.

"Um, you can take it, I wouldn't want the guys seeing me with this"

I was bewildered. "Wow" I said, kind of angry but also surprised. I took the bear from him and walked out.

"Whoa whoa what was that about?"

I turned around and looked at him.

"I really thought you were the one who wouldn't care what people think, evidently I was wrong"

I walked away again but he caught up to me.

"This is just what I have to do in order for me to have a higher sense of authority, if I slack off they wont listen to me"

I scoffed "Richard these are your friends, not your personal soldiers"

"But they're also my team"

I sighed "Do whatever you have to do Richard, but don't expect something too high of what they are, cause you'll only get disappointed and they'll get frustrated"

He froze and we just looked at each other. The tint of anger in his eyes disappeared, now he was just, sad.

He sighed, "Ever since I met Garfield and Victor, they've looked to me as the strong tough guy who knew all the answers, I just don't want to disappoint them"

I wasn't as mad but I was still not gonna show pity on him.

"But what about Rachel? I don't imagine you were always this hard"

He didn't say anything now, he just looked at his feet. He was really upset. I bit my lip feeling guilty.

"Yea, there was a time I wasn't so hard, but Rachel didn't stop seeing that person till a while ago"

I sighed knowing I triggered an old memory, something he didn't want to talk about.

"Don't listen to me, I-I haven't been here or known you guys long enough to judge"

He shook his head "No your right, I shouldn't be too hard on them, and act like something I'm not"

I smiled "It's real great to say that Rich, but are you really gonna do that?"

He looked at me, compassion in his eyes.

He chuckled, I"I guess I'm not that strong willed"

I took his hand

"But you will be"

He blushed making me blush.

"Thanks' Kori"

I lifted an eyebrow

"For what?"

He placed a kiss on my forehead. My face went red and goose bumps trailed up my arms.

"For knocking some sense into me"

I giggled like a goofy idiot making him smile. We then walked back to the living room.

Xavier's POV

Fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and corn bread. I haven't seen a meal as good as this in years.

My mouth was watering and I guess Kori's was too cause she was digging in before we had a chance to look at our plates.

"This is delicious!" She exclaimed.

It was delicious, warm and soft.

"Thank you for the dinner Victor" I said keeping my eyes on the plate and nothing else.

He smiled and said "No problem"

The table chattered about a lot of things; TV, video games, the news was brought up but Kori quickly dismissed that topic.

Then they started asking me and Kori questions. Is it sinful to lie? Maybe so, but me and Kori have done some sinful things already, a couple of white lies wont hurt.

"So X did you tow trucks too?"

Kori chocked on her drink and I almost burst out laughing. I cleared my throat and rubbed Kori's back.

"Yea, we towed trucks alright, but I did more of the hard stuff, Kori just got the truck"

I know she got the message behind my little tirade, making her kick my leg and stare daggers.

I cleared my throat "But we're trying to find better jobs" "There's a burger joint down the street"

"A book store not far by"

"A place that sells donuts AND waffles!"

I rolled my eyes "No thanks, I think we'll just lay low for a little while"

Richard was looking at Kori, not in a way that I liked. I growled and snapped my fingers in his face. "Hey pretty boy, got something to share with the class?" He looked at me then at Kori.

"I think Kori should join the team"

Kori fell out of her seat, I chocked on my drink, and the rest of the guys looked at us like we were crazy. "Whoa that was a shock!" Kori chuckled.

"I am not letting Kori fight with you guys, god knows she could uh break a leg or something"

"Yea right" she muttered.

I almost laughed at the thought of Kori, KORI, breaking a leg or getting a scratch while fighting

"We'll make sure she doesn't get hurt, and if she does you can do whatever you want to me"

Garfield and Victor chuckled making me throw a bowl at Garfield's face.

"Not like that you idiots"

"Hold on, shouldn't I be the one to decide if I want to do this or not?" Kori said putting an emphasis on "I".

Everyone looked at her, waiting for her answer. Finally she took a deep breath

"I'll only do it if X does it with me"

"What?" I exclaimed

"We are starting off well, why stop there, we can actually make a difference"

I know exactly what she's doing, she's trying to turn us good.

'Sorry Kori, but I'm anything but good, I cant forget who I am and you shouldn't try'

I gave her a look and she knew what I was thinking. She narrowed her eyebrows

"Fine, I'll do it myself"

She turned to Richard.

"I wanna join, X doesn't but I do" Richard nodded

"Alright, we'll start your physical test tomorrow"

"Cool! Kori's gonna be apart of the team!"

"If she fights like she eats I don't think we'll have a lot of problems"

Everyone laughed, and Kori slightly chuckled. I didn't find it amusing at all.

"Excuse me" Kori said, getting up and leaving the table.

I didn't bother with manners, I just got up and followed after Kori.

"Kori, Kori!"

"What?"

"Why are you mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you!"

"Yes you are, I know you are! Is it cause I don't want to be apart of there stupid little team"

"It's not stupid!"

"Says the girl who fought them without a thought"

She gasped. "I had to fight them, that doesn't mean I wanted to"

"Kori, we both know that we will never be good, we've done too much bad"

"Does that mean we cant change?"

I didn't have an answer

"I don't understand why? Why don't you want to change?" I chuckled "Kori, I haven't trusted anyone in my entire life, I'm not about to start now, there's to many two faced people in the world, and I'm not getting hurt"

She looked down and rubbed her neck.

"So, you don't trust me, you think I'm two faced?"

"God, Kori that's not what I meant!"

"Good night X"

She walked away leaving me in the lonely corridor.

My temper started to flare and I stomped to my room. I slammed the door and flopped on the bed.

"She's going to make me kill myself" I chuckled into the pillow.

I wish I could try, to be good and nice, but I can hardly be nice to Kori, how could I be nice to anyone else?