The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (84 page)

Roman ran up next to me. “You know you look like shit,” he said.

“Thanks for the observation,” I mumbled.

“Maybe if you weren’t out sneaking around late at night you wouldn’t be so tired.”

“What are you talking about?” I said annoyed.

“I saw you Ella. I saw you go into the teachers’ dorms last night,” he spat accusingly.

“Were you spying on me?”

“I ran into Mackenzie and asked her if you were in your room
and she told me you were taking a walk. So I tried to catch up to you and that’s when I saw you.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but Mackenzie is to blame for this whole thing.”

“It’s pathetic that you can’t even admit it even after you were caught,” Roman said, pushing past me. My jaw dropped, the nerve of him, how dare he point fingers when he had no idea what was really going on. And why the hell was he looking for me? I mean really, was he that bored he felt the need to come torture me?

“Ella, I’m not going to tell you again. Pick up the pace or I’m adding laps,” Gabe said. I sucked it up and pushed past Roman and finished my laps.

At lunch, I apologized to Dixon for freaking out yesterday and he forgave me. He didn’t deserve that and I was glad to make things right. Besides, at the rate I was going, keeping friends might be harder than I thought. I was slowly realizing with all the catching up I had to do, plus the extra training sessions I didn’t have time for anything else - including time for friends. I tried to look at it as a good thing. The less time I spent with my new friends meant a possibility of keeping them out of danger.

              I did the same thing every day for the next few weeks. Got up, ran, then class, then training again, and then back to my room to do school work. I was in bed by nine and up at five. After our fight, Roman has yet to talk to me. I hadn’t seen Mackenzie since she confessed about the spell – no loss there – and I avoided Aidan every chance I got. I still wasn’t ready to face him yet. Frankly at this point, I almost just didn’t care about anything anymore. I was just trying to get through the semester.

Chapter seventeen

I woke up Saturday morning just in enough time to make breakfast. I found Riley at a small table in the corner and took a seat next to her. “Hey,” I said.

              “Hey Ella.”

             
“So, I was thinking maybe we could hang out tonight?” I said, feeling like I needed to make up for lost time. It has been over three weeks since I’ve had the chance to talk or hang out with anyone, especially Riley.

             
“Oh, can we maybe make plans for next weekend?”

             
“Sure,” I said a little disappointed.

             
“It’s just that Justin asked me to hang out. You know because we didn’t really get a chance to last time, but I can cancel if you want?”

             
“No, don’t do that. I’m happy you’re going to get another chance.  I’ll just see what Cameron and Sienna are doing.”

             
Riley looked uncomfortable and I could tell she didn’t want to upset me. “Umm, Cameron and Sienna are hanging with us. Cameron’s bringing Austin and Sienna’s been hanging with Kenny so…”

             
“So it’s a couple’s thing. I get it. It’s cool.”

             
“You’re welcome to join us. We just thought you might feel a little uncomfortable with it being all couples and well, you know, after what happened last time,” her voice softened.

             
“Riley, really, it’s okay. We’ll just make plans for next weekend,” I smiled, reassuring her.

             
“Next weekend, definitely,” she said.

I’d been so busy lately I didn’t know what to do now that I actually had some down time. Having time to do nothing left me with…well…time to do nothing. I thought maybe I’d call home but didn’t want to alarm my mom. I didn’t know if she had heard about the break in at school yet and I didn’t want to risk her finding out if she didn’t know – although knowing my dad I’m sure he was the first to hear about it.

             
I ended up spending the weekend in my room working on school work. I thought it would be nice to be ahead instead of behind for once. I decided staying in my room would be best so that way I wouldn’t run into Roman, Mackenzie, or Aidan. That was just too many people to avoid so staying put was my best option.

             
Getting the rest I so desperately needed I was able to get up in time for my training session on Monday which pleased Gabe. He praised me for being on time and said if I kept it up he’d go a little easier on me. I wasn’t quite sure if he was messing with me or not, but I decided not to take any chances.

             
He had us do laps again and sprints. Roman still wasn’t speaking to me. I didn’t mind. When he did decide to talk to me it was only to insult me or make fun of me so the silence was welcomed.

             
At lunch I noticed Justin and Kenny had now become additions to our table while Roman had sat alone at a table by himself. I also noticed Reagan and Blake had left our table to sit with the triplets at their new table. Apparently the new seating arrangements were a big to do. Dixon filled me in on all the gossip. Most assumed Roman was sitting by himself because of the so called public break-up between him and Mackenzie. And the whole reason Blake and Reagan were sitting somewhere else was because of Justin and Kenny. I didn’t know there was any animosity between them until Dixon informed me that Addyson used to date Justin which ended badly, causing a riff between their friendships when Reagan started dating her.

             
I was just glad for once the gossip wasn’t about me. When I first got here, I was the hot topic of conversation, but just like anything else as soon as there’s new gossip it’s out with the old and in with the new. I was so happy now that I could just blend into the background unnoticed. But the way my life was I knew at any moment I could be right back in the spotlight.

The rest of the week went by pretty much the same and by Friday there was already a new rumor spreading and the talk of new seating arrangements was already forgotten. I was looking forward to doing something with Riley this weekend until I found out Justin had surprised her with a romantic dinner and everyone else had plans as well.  Apparently I had forgotten it was Valentine’s Day. That tends to happen when you’re anti- love. I should have known my friends would have plans. So once again I was alone. It’s funny, when
I first got here this is what I wanted, but now it doesn’t seem as great as I thought it would be.

By Wednesday I was tired of running. “I don’t understand how this is going to help me defend myself against a predator?” I whined to Gabe. “All this is teaching me is to run away.”

             
“And that’s exactly why you need to do this,” he said.

             
I stopped. “Wait, so what you’re saying is our best defense is to run?”

             
“Yes. Sometimes you are going to come up against someone that you cannot beat and your only chance of surviving is to run. So let’s go. Two more laps.”

             
I rolled my eyes and finished my laps. You would think by now I would have learned to keep my mouth shut, but no, I have this strange uncontrollable urge to keep opening it. Once I was done with my extra laps I met Gabe and Roman in the gym. Today we were finally going to start one on one combat. Gabe had us show him what we learned so far in self-defense. Then he went over some techniques to help us improve on what we had already learned.

             
“Why do we have to learn self-defense when we have powers?” I complained, tired and out of breath.

             
“What are you going to do? Heal them to death,” Roman smirked.

             
I glared at him. “I can read minds too,” I said proudly.

             
“Yes, that might seem like an advantage to see your attacker’s next move, but what happens when he’s stronger than you. He has the strength to keep going while you weaken and tire out, giving him the advantage,” Gabe said.

             
“You just have an answer for everything, don’t you,” I mumbled to myself thinking no one heard.

             
“Yes, I do,” Gabe said.

             
Damn it. 

             
Roman smirked again. “What are you smiling about?” I snapped.

             
“I guess we can’t all be as lucky as me. Having a defensive power and the moves to back it up,” he said cockily.

             
“Defensive power, please, what are you going to do? Jump start their car for them,” I said laughing.

             
Roman’s face turned bright red with anger. He clenched his fist and then opened his hand making a crackling noise. I saw a spark at the base of his palm and took a step forward, challenging him to go ahead. “That’s enough!” Gabe yelled. “You’re here to learn how to fight as if you didn’t have any powers at all. Some of the best guardians fight with nothing but their own strength. You want to argue who has the better power do it on your own time.”

             
Roman and I bowed our heads at our childish behavior. “Now, Ella, you’re going to be on the defensive and Roman take the offensive,” Gabe said, getting back to business. I took my defensive pose and waited for Roman to attack. We were pretty evenly matched considering Gabe taught both of us. “Ella, pay better attention. You’re letting him get you with moves that you should have no problem blocking,” Gabe shouted.

             
“What’s the matter? Afraid you’re going to break a nail?” Roman taunted. I scowled at him and concentrated.

             
“That’s good Ella, now faster,” Gabe said. “Roman hit harder.”

             
Roman came at me full force, but I kept up with him. I saw an opening and I took it, knocking him on his backside. I smiled and turned around, happy I won. Roman swept his leg out, knocking me down. “And that is why you never turn your back on your opponent,” Roman said.

             
“Good job Roman. Ella, you’ll get there. Let’s go again.”

             
Pissed off that I let Roman get me, I came at him with everything I had. Neither one of us wanted to let the other win. We kept at it. I was getting tired, but I refused to give up. I could tell Roman was tired too and I felt if I just kept this up he would eventually tire out enough and make a mistake.

             
I was right. Roman was getting sloppy, and just like I predicted he made a mistake, giving me my opportunity. He swung high leaving his left side open. I struck hard and he curled forward. Then I bent down and swept my leg under him, knocking him on his back. To finish it off and claim my win, I jumped on top of him and pressed my knees down hard on his shoulders. I smiled proudly at my victory until he flipped me over his head and pinned me down.

             
We were both breathing hard, sweat dripping down our faces. Our eyes locked and for a second I saw a flicker of desperation in Roman’s eyes. I felt longing, desire, and then it was gone. “I bet you’re enjoying this. I know how you like to spend most of your time on your back,” he said harshly.

             
I pulled my knees up and pushed him off of me. Then I got up and walked away. I had enough of his insults and was not going to put up with this anymore. “Ella, where are you going? We’re not done!” Gabe called.

             
“Well I am!” I yelled.

             
“What’s the matter? Can’t take a joke?” Roman spat.

             
I stopped and turned to face him. “A joke? You think that was funny?”

             
“I call’em like I see’em.” I walked right over to him and shoved him. “You’re just going to stand there and let her do that?” Roman complained to Gabe.

             
Gabe shrugged his shoulders. “Defend yourself,” he said.

             
I came at Roman again. This time he blocked me. “You’ve got a lot of nerve,” I said, still attacking. “You have no right to talk. You dated Mackenzie.”

             
“Yes but I actually cared for her unlike Aidan who preys on naïve little girls. Then after he feeds them his lies and convinces them to sleep with him he dumps them.”

             
“I see Mackenzie was telling lies again.”

             
“It’s not lies it’s the truth,” he yelled, getting in my face. I was back on the defensive now as he came at me. “You’re just too dumb to see it. You’re just like all the others.”

             
“You know nothing about me!” I growled, throwing punch after punch.

             
“I know enough. I know you’re just as weak and pathetic as they were.”

             
That did it. I did not like being called weak. My body started to get hot as I felt the power surge through me. I flung my hands out as he struck. His fists never made it past my hands. It was like he hit a wall, an invisible barrier. And when he collided with that wall there was a bright flash. Roman flew about ten feet in the air. His body slammed into the wall of the gym, knocking him unconscious.

              I stood there staring at my hands with my mouth open not believing what just happened. “Ella!” Gabe called. I was so shocked I hadn’t even noticed he was kneeling next to Roman. “Ella, focus, we need you,” he said, pulling me out of my daze.

             
I ran over and bent down next to Roman and placed my hands on his chest. Nothing happened. “It’s not working,” I said panicked.

             
“Ella, concentrate, you can do this,” Gabe encouraged.

             
I closed my eyes and tried again. I could feel the power start to surface and when I opened my eyes I saw my hands were glowing. I quickly pressed them on Roman’s chest. His eyes flickered and went wide when he saw me. He quickly sat up as I slowly backed away. “You okay?” Gabe asked Roman. He nodded, but never took his eyes off of me. Gabe helped him up. “I think we can call it quits for today.”

             
“How’d you do that?” Roman asked.

             
“That’s what I’d like to know,” Gabe said.

             
“I…I don’t know?” And I didn’t. I had no idea how it happened or what I did.

             
“It was like I hit a wall,” Roman said.

             
Gabe looked at me. “You have no idea how you did it?”

             
“All I remember is getting really mad and then I felt my body get hot and the power. I felt so much power.”

             
“Yeah, I felt it too,” Roman said, rubbing the back of his head.