Jonah's POV -In case that isn't clear yet ;)
I just want to make something completely clear. I was not interested because of Her. Not at all the reason what so ever. I just wanted information. I am at war. I would be interested if it was any other leader of the UC. It doesn't matter to me at all that She is going crazy. I wouldn't care if She lost Her position. I don't give a shit. I don't care what Choi thinks.
My reason entirely was because obviously the School was in turmoil and it was a perfect opportunity for me to try to tip the place and win some land or the club house or even to see Her again, just for a minute. See? Nothing to do with Her.
… Shut up.
I'm not stupid. I can see the times where Choi goes to mention Her or my plans for how this war is going and every time he stops himself from mentioning Her. Everyone does it. Like they want to pretend She doesn't exist. It drives me crazy. But I ignore it. I have to. This is war. I have to remember that She is no longer the girl who I… Who I what? Went crazy for? Who stopped me from jumping when I felt like I had nothing left? How do I finish that sentence? I can't focus on this. On Her. I have a war on my hands. I just need to remind Her that She does too.
So, with all that crap I still find myself again in this position. Hiding. In Bushes. With Animal Shit. Again…. Great. This time, the entire upper class of the cadets is behind me hiding in trees and bushes. The positive thing about bushland, lots of hiding places. When they come, the sobbing from one of the girls is ridiculously loud and the boys half my size make threats to thin air. She stands apart. She watches and waits, ignoring the others. Again, She is different. There are dark shadows under Her eyes and gauntness in her cheeks, but the fierce look in Her eyes remains and I pull myself away from them. I need something though, and so I wait, I refuse to run to Her. She ignored me for a year, She owes me this. Choi sends a message through the cadets to me and I ignore him. I know what he wants to ask me. But I have to wait.
Until finally, She gets fed up and a loud and highly annoyed "Jonah Griggs" is called out.
I answer, "Taylor Markham." I relish in the sound of Her name. Something I had forbidden myself to say or even think. She sighs and takes a step over the boundary line into my territory and I make the signal for all to appear. I slowly make my way toward Her, acting calm and ignoring just how much I want to run to Her.
"Where are they?" Her voice could cut glass but I ignore it choosing to stare at Her instead.
"Don't like these things," I point to the darkness under Her eyes. "You really need to get some sleep."
Her hand comes up and pushes mine away. "Where are they?" She demands again.
"You didn't warn them about the boundary lines. Those girls had absolutely no idea, whereas my juniors could point them out in their sleep."
Her eyes harden and She says "Why don't you just give yourself a pat on the back for being the world's best leader then." The sarcasm drips heavy but I smirk and raise my hand to pat my back.
She continues, her tone becoming more agitated. "I can't believe how petty you are. They're in year seven!"
We are at war.
"Why is this a surprise to you?" I ask. "This has always happened. One of you ventures into our territory, and there's payback. Do you remember that?" I call to the idiot whose fingers I smashed, "Payback for trespassing?"
"With alarming clarity," He yells back and I want to laugh.
"Same with us. Happened to my friend Choi here, last year. Do you remember that, Choi?" As I turn more of the guys come out of hiding behind me and Choi comes to stand by my side. "He ventured into your territory and our leader had to go fight your leader to get him back." Choi nods sadly and I avoid saying the reason he was in their territory. He most definitely was not spying on a certain leader of the UC.
"Traumatic time. They put me into Murrumbidgee House. Very uptight bastards in there. They thought I'd be good at chess and they forced me to play all night."
She turns to me and asks, "So are you and I going to have a punch up?"
"What do you propose I do?" I would rather do anything than punch Her.
"Hand back my year sevens."
"This is how territory wars have always been fought." I have to remind Her of this. "It's in the handbook. Do you think they're just about threats and "Don't walk on our boundaries"? It's hand-to-hand combat. Someone is going to lose. Sometimes it's just one to the jaw. Other times a few to the gut and presto, we hand back the hostages. The only thing is that for the past four years the leaders have been male."
"Let's change the rules this year. Because just between you and me, you're scaring me."
I stare at Her again. "You need to put all your shit behind you because we've had at least two meetings about the Club House without you there and Santangelo and I are about this close," I say, indicating a small space between my fingers, "To breaking each other's necks."
She ignores me and again asks, "Jonah, hand over the kids." I repeat those sounds in my head for longer than I should. Then I have a moment of inspiration. I whistle to the guys for the girls to be brought out. Then I call out to the insensitive prick from earlier, "Are you in charge?"
She turns quickly to see who I'm talking to as the prick nods as though he is from heaven. "Technically." And he comes towards me, honestly a stupid idea.
"Technicalities rarely interest me," I say and then throw all my weight into a punch straight to the idiots nose. Man, that felt amazing. "We don't really like scaring the kids," I continue watching the idiot wallow in the dirt. "So you need to warn them that for every one of them who enters our territory, their leader gets payback. You, of course, can distribute punishment to them for your troubles. I've found in the past if I have to be the punching bag for one of my juniors, I usually get him to polish my shoes, maybe do my washing- the petty things, you know. But it rarely happens. You see, my juniors know who's in charge. We try not to confuse them because it puts them in danger." I pretend to be confused. "So who is in charge around here?"
"I'm in charge." She says glaring at me for god knows what reason. I give that prick, Richard I think, a hand up and he stares at it for a bit.
"You okay with that decision, Dick? Can I call you that? Her being in charge?" The idiot says something I take as an agreement. "Good to hear." And I walk away.
I want to turn and watch her in action as she gives instructions to the others but I know I shouldn't. Instead I make the signal to leave and most of the year, with the exception of Choi and myself are headed back to camp when She calls out and I stop. I allow myself a small smile and picture just how thankful She will be. Before She slaps me hard across my cheek.
"Don't you ever do that again." She practically yells.
"Ouch, that hurt!" I rub my red cheek.
"I can fight my own battles."
"I wasn't fighting your battles," I argue back.
"Yes you were. That's my buisness," She points to Dick's retreating figure. "and your little patronising act could put me in a weak position with them. " Sigh, Politics. It's so much easier when you can punch your opposition in the face.
"I don't think he realised he was protecting your interest, Tayls," The nitwit maybe-boyfriend calls out. "They're too stupid."
"I wasn't protecting her," I yell back at the idiot.
"It kind of came across as if you were," Choi buts in and I want to kill him.
"Did I ask your opinion, Choi?"
"No, but just from my perspective and what I know about your history," Choi really needs to learn to shut up, "It came across like you were-" I glare at Choi to shut the fuck up and he finally gets the picture and puts his hands up in defence.
"Protect your boundaries and it won't happen again," I explain to Her and the nitwit.
"If you think you are scaring us, think again, G I Jerk," Nitwit replies.
"Let's go," She says and then She is gone and Choi pulls me from the clearing.
A/N- Hey guys, Im actually so proud I can say that because there are people reading this!
I have no excuse. Im sorry. I hope you like it.
Escape Art1st (Who really loves everyone who reviewed sooooo much)