Chapter Thirteen:
Reid and Victoria sat in the dark, Reid didn't know if they had been there for a few minutes or hours. Neither of them had moved.
His cell started to ring. Victoria suddenly jumped. Reid dug around in his jeans pocket and pulled it out and flicked it open.
"Hi. Yeah….no…we're-…yeah…yes, I know." He hung up the phone slamming it shut.
Victoria watched him not saying anything. She wiped both her cheeks with the sleeve of her jean jacket. "Who was that?" She asked quietly.
"Caleb. Wondering where we are, demanding we go back to the dorms... worried we were getting…I dunno." Reid stood up and offered Victoria his hand. She took it and let him lift her up.
They both seemed keen to avoid the fact that she had openly admitted that she was falling in love with him. What Reid was most afraid of was admitting that he might, just might, feel the same way about her.
They walked through the cold dark house in silence. Soon they were at the truck.
Victoria let go of Reid's hand and walked around the truck to get in the passenger side.
"I can stop!" He said suddenly. She looked over at him.
"What?"
"I'm not addicted. I am not…. I don't have to use."
Victoria stared at him as if confused by the statement. She shrugged and looked down the dark road, "Now isn't the time Reid," She said quietly looking at the ground.
"Yes it is!" He said walking around the truck to stand in front of her. "You gotta believe me, I don't have to use!" He said his voice rising in agitation.
She looked him in the eye with a hard look. "Reid, do you think I am blind… or stupid?" He shook his head knowing the question needed no answer. "I see you, I watch you in class, you'll levitate a pencil a few centimetres just so you can use. I know you get short of breath and start getting panicky when you aren't using."
He looked at her with a vicious stare as if daring her to continue. The worst part was she was right. It annoyed him and scared him at the same time that Victoria could see him like that.
"I…" He started. Victoria held up a hand before he got a chance to speak.
"Not now Reid, I am not in the mood. I don't want to hear excuses, or hear you make promises you have no intention of keeping, I just…" Tears were filling her eyes, "I just want to go back to the dorms and get some sleep okay?" She asked in a pleading tone.
Reid didn't know whether to yell about her making presumptions about him or take her in his arms and try and make everything okay for her. In the end he decided on neither.
"Yeah, okay, I'll drive." He walked around and got in the truck, she did the same.
Reid wasn't sure what he was expecting or why he felt slightly let down. He concentrated on the road in front of the truck. He could see Victoria in his peripheral vision. She had pulled her legs up to her chest and had her arms around them, her forehead on the window.
He didn't know what he wanted, a small part of him wished she had yelled at him, begging him to stop using, pleading with him, saying she would leave if he didn't stop.
But leave what? They weren't a couple, they had no commitments.
In all realness, Reid realised that no commitments actually meant no disappointments, unfortunately they seemed to be coming anyway. He wasn't good enough for her. He chanced a glance at her. She was looking out the window.
Even though a tiny part of him wished she cared, a larger part of him hoped she didn't. That she wasn't falling for him, because if that was true then he would disappoint her. He knew in the end he would... just a matter of time 'til he did.
'What if you didn't? What if you could change?' He thought suddenly. He shook his head, he didn't want to change, he liked who he was. Victoria would just have to accept that and him. 'What if she doesn't?'
He looked at her again, her eyes were closed. He wanted to let her in, let her get closer, but he also didn't want to get hurt…and a small part of him was scared.
Scared to be vulnerable to another person, but more a fear of the power. What if he couldn't stop? What if he tried and failed. People always assumed he thought he was bigger then the addiction, he knew better, he knew what would happen to him if he continued using but it was harder then that…
He wasn't sure exactly what made him different from Caleb or Pogue; they could control it so easily. Maybe it was the fact he wanted to be the best, maybe it was because he had grown up seeing his father and his grandfather use in everyday life.
'You're making excuses ya know?' He thought pulling to a stop in front of the school.
Victoria opened her door and climbed out pulling her back pack with her. Reid got out slowly behind her. She walked around the truck and stood beside him placing her hand in his.
He looked at her but she was already staring at the school. He wanted to be her everything so badly but was painfully aware of the fact that he never could be, it just wasn't him.
They walked towards the school together. When they got to her dorm she started rifling through her bag for her keys.
"Ya know, I could just..." She looked up at him as he spoke, looking slightly scared.
"Please, just don't." He shrugged and she went back to looking through her bag.
When she finally dug out the keys she opened the door. They both walked into the dorm room to find the light already on and to their surprise, Caleb and Pogue standing in the room.
"Caleb?" Victoria asked, "What the hell?"
"Tori, I came to check on you when you didn't come back to the party and ….you've been crying, what's the matter?"
Victoria self consciously wiped her face again. Reid watched her and closed the dorm room door. Caleb's eyes finally fell on him and Reid had a sinking feeling from the look on Caleb's face.
Instantly Caleb was across the room with Reid pinned to the wall of the dorm. "What the hell did you do?" He yelled his face only inches away from Reid's.
"Caleb!" Victoria yelled.
Reid shoved Caleb off of him, "I didn't do anything." He said staring at Caleb with contempt.
"You did something!" He yelled pointing an accusatory finger at Reid.
"I didn't do anything to her." Reid yelled getting angry at the insinuation, he took a step forwards towards Caleb.
"Reid!" Victoria yelled, "Caleb he didn't do anything! He gave me a ride that was it, now cut it out the both of you!"
Caleb looked at Reid who stared back, "I don't want you near my little sister anymore." Caleb grabbed Victoria by the upper arm and dragged her towards the door.
Victoria was yelling in the background but all Reid could hear was a pounding in his ears. "Let her go!" He growled in a low voice.
Caleb turned, "Or what…" His voice faltered when he saw Reid's eyes were black. Reid scoffed.
"Not so big now are we Caleb?" He said advancing. Victoria looked scared behind Caleb but didn't say anything. "Not so big now that we aren't the only ascended."
"Back off." Caleb said not backing down.
"Let her go." He said quietly.
"And leave her with you? You don't know what's good for yourself let alone anyone else."
Reid's hands went to his side and could feel the energy gather into orbs in front of his palms.
"Reid," He could hear Victoria's voice, it sounded desperate.
"Back off Reid," Caleb's voice warned. Reid just smiled watching Caleb's mind process the situation.
"No Caleb, not anymore." In a second orbs flashed and flew across the room hitting Caleb in the chest. Victoria screamed as Pogue pulled her backwards and Caleb hit the closed door with a thud.
Instantly Caleb was on his feet and another orb flashed across the room and hit Reid once in the leg and then again in the chest landing him on the floor. He could hear Victoria yell his name but soon he was back on his feet. Caleb flew across the room and into the bathroom hitting the wall hard, cracking the tiles. Instantly Reid was off his feet and hit the ceiling flying across it hitting the opposite wall and falling to the ground. He was winded and panting.
"Enough!" Victoria screamed wrenching herself out of Pogue's protective grip. She ran across the room and knelt beside Reid. He could feel her hands tenderly touch his back and help him into a sitting position.
"Victoria," Victoria looked at Caleb who had gotten up and staggered to stand in the bathroom doorway with Pogue supporting him.
"Leave Caleb," She said quietly turning her attention back to Reid.
"No Victoria, I-"
"No Caleb!" She yelled standing up to face him, "No more, I am done. Now get out!"
Caleb didn't make a move to leave even though it looked like Pogue thought it was a good idea.
"Get out!" She screamed. Caleb and Pogue both slowly made their way out of the room.
Victoria was left standing staring at the again closed door. Reid carefully took her hand and tugged on her arm so she was pulled and sat beside him, she looked at him with tears in her eyes.
"Why Reid? Why?" She gasped staring at him. "He's my big brother and ….and I just don't know what to do any more," She leaned against the bed. She stared at him again, "I think you should leave,"
Reid stared at her, "What?" He asked shocked.
"You should go,"
"Why? Didn't you see…?" He yelled standing up. She stood up too tears running down her face.
"Yes, I saw it Reid and no matter how I feel, Caleb is still my older brother and before I was just getting under his skin but now…"
Reid watched her face, appalled by what she was saying, "But now…" He prompted.
She looked at him, "We said no commitments and I find…I find…myself wishing there was more, and I don't want to ruin what little family I have left for some guy who isn't interested in any promises," She shrugged. "I am sorry," She whispered.
Reid stood there staring at her for a few seconds before coming back to reality. "Fine, you're tired of this then fine!" He stormed towards the door.
"Tired?" She choked sounded sad and alone, "Tired of what, what are we, you haven't said anything."
Reid turned on his heels to face her, he instantly wished he hadn't, she looked scared, vulnerable and startled by the fact that his eyes were again black, "Yeah well, you set the terms and you haven't said anything about that changing, so I guess this is it." He gave her a sarcastic smile and opened the door and stormed down the hall.
"Reid!" Victoria yelled following him into the hall. He didn't turn back, it was like he couldn't. "Reid please don't do this." She begged. He could tell she was following him but not coming close enough to stop him.
If she wanted to abandon him then fine, she could, he wasn't about to give her an out. He charged down the front steps of the school and across the parking lot to his still warm truck.
"Reid!" She yelled stopping on the steps. Reid knew he could stop, run over to her and say it wasn't for nothing, he really cared about her, but something in him wouldn't…couldn't.
He got in the truck and pulled away from the school unsure of where he was going just away from her. He glanced in his rear view mirror. He could see her on the steps staring after the truck.