Ok, so a slightly darker chapter here, I had to change the rating of the story cause of it. A little bit of Warren/Rain (again) at the beginning, since that pairing seems to be quite popular )

Chapter 7: Truth Revealed

I really didn't want to go to Citizen Support on Wednesday morning. I knew Gunn wasn't going to be in lesson this morning because he'd mentioned yesterday how he had an appointment or something, and wouldn't be at school until half way through 3rd period.

As a wondered slowly to my lesson, I was surprised and curious to see Warren standing casually by the wall near my classroom door. I kept walking, pretending I hadn't noticed him, until he said my name.

"Rain."

My stomach doing that stupid little back flip, I turned to him.

"You going to lesson?"

I shrugged. "Do I have any other choice?"

Warren smiled a secretive smile which made me completely forget the fact that I was supposed to be upset with him after yesterday's events.

"You could come with me," he said, leaning back against the wall.

It was stupid to even consider it. I knew that if I went with him, something would happen. Something like what had happened last week. But I still agreed. Or maybe that's why I agreed? I don't know. All I know is that I was following Warren instead of going to my CS lesson.

We walked a little way down the hall and stopped outside a large grate of a ventilation shaft. Warren pried it from the wall, revealing a large space that could fit 2 or 3 people quite comfortably. He ushered me inside and came in after me, sliding the grate back into place behind him.

"Can you fly like me?" he asked. "I mean, without wings?"

I glanced upward and realised where we were going. There wasn't enough room for me to use my wings, so it was going to be a problem for me to get up there…

I shook my head, and he shrugged.

"I'll just have to carry you then," he said stepping behind me.

It took me a few seconds to process that statement. Carry me?

I drew a sharp breath as I felt his hands slide around my waist, his fingertips warm against my exposed skin. I wished right then that I had worn a longer top and anything other than the low-rise vintage jeans I was wearing right now.

"Ready?" he breathed in my ear, ending a chill down my spine as flames ignited around us. And then we were rising through the shaft, me leaning on Warren, feeling the muscles under his shirt against my back, his hands still firmly around my waist.

Once at the top of the shaft, Warren set me down on a tiny ledge, only about 20cm in width, while he worked on the latch of the grate that lead out onto the roof. Eventually it swung open, and he turned to help me through.

The view was amazing. It was like the view from an aeroplane window without those tiny windows that you have to press your face against to see out. Staring at the earth, hundreds of metres below me, I was totally awed.

"No-one knows about it," Warren said from behind me. "I don't think it's ever occurred to anyone to ever bother coming up here…"

We stayed up there for the rest of the lesson, just talking about random stuff. When the conversation turned to save the citizen, Warren went quiet. "Sorry about yesterday," he said to me, and I shrugged.

"Totally understandable, considering what had happened" I told him, but he shook his head.

"I shouldn't let my temper get out of control like that," he said. "My powers get out of control."

"Is that what happened when you set fire to the doors?" I asked "was that an accident?"

He nodded. "When I'm angry, my powers are so much stronger… but I'm not in control anymore."

I nodded knowingly. I had that exact same problem… except mine was more likely to kill me.

A little while later, the bell rang, signalling the end of lesson and I reluctantly stood up, following Warren to the shaft. Again I was temporarily robbed of all ability to speak or even breathe normally as Warren wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him tightly as we descended down the shaft.

My next lesson was PSHE, and once again Warren walked me there. Walking through the door, I was surprised to see Layla wasn't there yet – she arrived a little after me.

"Hi," I said, and she smiled warmly, and once the teacher had explained this lessons assignment, she turned to me.

"You skipped class with Warren." She tried –and failed- to look serious, as she asked me.

"Yeah," I said, wondering how she knew

"So what happened?" Layla wanted to know, and I told her.

"…and then he walked me to my lesson," I finished finally. Layla nodded thoughtfully.

"Rain…" she began, her face full of concern. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to do this anymore."

"Do what?" I was confused.

"You know, this… whatever it is. This thing you have going on with Warren."

"I…" I didn't know what to say.

"Look, each time this happens, you fall for Warren more and more. You're just making it worse for yourself-"

"What, you think I put myself in these situations? It just happens-"

"No Rain, it does not just happen. You can't tell me that when you went off with Warren today, you didn't think it was likely that something like that would happen."

I was starting to get angry now, even though I knew what she was saying was true.

"Well how did you know I skipped lesson with him? Is it any of your business?"

"Why are you getting so pissed off at me? I'm trying to help you!" Layla told me, a hint of anger in her voice.

"Help me what? What's going to happen that is so bad, just because I like him?" I snapped, accidentally breaking the pencil I had been using to draw a cannabis leaf. (we were making posters about drug abuse)

"This!" she said, grabbing my left arm, turning it so my forearm was exposed. "Exactly what happened before!" she traced her finger along a few barely visible lines on my arm, lines I thought no-one would ever notice. My anger dissipated immediately, and I sank back into my chair.

"You know?" my voice was barely above a whisper.

Layla nodded, her eyes full of concern. "But don't worry, I haven't told anyone."

Many people who had been watching our exchange, turned back to their assignment, unable to hear what was going on anymore. The teacher sat at the desk at the front completely oblivious.

"When did you figure it out?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "Last week. When you first wore Warrens glove, and you were showing me the bandages." She was silent for a second, before continuing. "Do your parents know?"

I shook my head.

"Does anyone else know?"

I shook my head again.

"You mean you never told anybody? Nobody noticed?"

"It was winter. I wore long sleeves." I told her shortly, unwilling to talk about it.

"Yeah, but if it's still visible now… I mean, during the summer you couldn't have gone around with long sleeves…"

I didn't answer her.

"Rain?"

"Nobody noticed," I said to her. "Because nobody particularly gave a shit, ok?"

"I'm sorry…" Layla sounded as if she was about to cry, and when I turned to her, her face was full of concern. It made me want to cry as well.

"Layla, it's ok. It's over. I sorted myself out," I told her.

"But that's just it," Layla said. "If this thing with Warren goes on, you might end up doing it again,"

I finally realised what she was saying. If I continued this whole thing with Warren, I was going to end up emotionally screwed up, and I would more than likely go back to cutting myself.

Because last year, I really was fucked up. Emotionally, mentally, whatever. At my old school, popularity came with a price. It was like being a celebrity, only without the money, the VIP passes, and the bestselling tracks/films. Always under pressure to look good, most of the girls within the upper social circles were bulimic. The ones at the top of the social chain all had some sort of addiction – cigarettes, weed, coke, alcohol or sex. It was always at least one of them. And of course, when I became popular, I saw less and less of my friends. Soon I stopped really seeing them at all, except maybe in lesson. The other popular girls weren't my friends. They were all nice to my face, and I was to them – we had to be – but there was no doubt that they would be bitching about you as soon as you left the room. And the guys? Well, they were all after one thing; it's not hard to guess what that was.

When Layla asked me about it, I told her. I guess I felt I could trust her, like I hadn't really trusted many people before, even though I'd barely known her for 3 weeks.

At the end of the lesson, when we were all filing out of the room, she turned to hug me. Surprised but pleased, I hugged her back, and for a while afterwards, I felt a lot happier – like I'd just gotten a huge weight off of my chest.

Um… yeah, I wasn't sure about this chapter when writing it, but I thought it might be a good idea to give a little background story…

Comments are muchly appreciated. Remember, the more reviews I get, the faster the next chapter goes up! )