The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (145 page)

             
“I’m getting used to it,” he said, cracking a smile.

             
I gave a dramatic gasp, making him smile even wider. “Very funny. I would almost say you’ve been hanging around me too much. I think I might be rubbing off on you.” I playfully hit his arm and he coughed uncomfortably making me smile. “So I guess this means we’re okay?” He nodded. “Can I come back to training with you then?” I asked hopeful. I didn’t want to get up in the morning, but if it meant training with Gabe I would do what I had to. 

             
“As much as I did enjoy our little sessions,” he said sarcastically. “I wasn’t wrong when I said you lack discipline.”

             
“I can work on that I promise,” I jumped in.

             
“I believe you will but you will do it with Zane.”

             
“But I –”

             
“Ella, Zane can work with you one on one and that’s what you need. It will also be good practice for him when he becomes a licensed trainer himself. I put you with Zane not to punish you, but to help you. I have faith that Zane can train you every bit as well as I can.”

             
“I understand.”

             
“Besides, I thought you’d be more than thrilled to get to sleep in. If not I can gladly give you someone else who –”

             
“No, no. I’m good,” I said swiftly, not wanting to push my luck. He smiled and turned to open his door. “Hey Gabe?” He looked over his shoulder at me. I slipped in front of him and wrapped my arms around him. He stiffened at first, but then relaxed and hugged me back. “Thanks for worrying about me.” He patted my back and I let go. I walked away with a smile, but not before turning back around to see Gabe wearing a smile of his own. He nodded his head respectfully and then retreated to his room. My heart warmed as I headed down the steps and to my first class.

             
I was making amends for my mistakes and it felt good. Next were the students I abandoned after the attacked. I had planned to stop by Aidan’s office to let him know my idea for the memorial. After my extensive research I had found the best way to honor them was to have a ceremony where we lit sky lanterns with the names of those we were honoring on them. Traditionally sky lanterns were used in celebrations, but I felt it was perfect for the fact that we should celebrate their lives instead of mourning them. I was hoping it would help to lift the spirits of those students who remained.

             
I swung by Aidan’s office on my way to class and told him my idea. He loved it and said he would get right on it to get the supplies we needed. Having a slight hop in my step, I skipped on my way to class. I was finally on the right path and undoing all my wrongs. Next on my
‘to do’
list was Roman. I saved Roman for last because I knew he would be the hardest. I tried not to think about it too much so it wouldn’t burst my feel good mood. Even when Mr. Grant reprimanded me for being late and Mackenzie tried to trip me, I was still in good spirits. That was until I saw there were no seats except for one next to Roman. My good mood suddenly swooshed out of me as I took the only seat left. The moment I sat down Roman shifted away from me.

             
Despite Roman being next on my list to make amends with, I wasn’t quite ready yet. I knew with Roman it would take time and a well thought out plan. Not wanting to let Roman fester with anger I decided to skip ahead and just jump right into it, but before I had the chance to say something Mr. Grant started his lecture. I took a deep breath and let it out. Okay, all I had to do was get through today and the next two days and then school was done for the year –
well, for
everyone else at least.

             
All throughout class I would try to look at Roman from the corner of my eye to see if I could get a feel for his mood. The only thing I saw was rage and irritation and it was growing. Every time he would try to relax he would shift uncomfortably. Because of his long body he had no choice, but to be closer to me which clearly he did not like.

             
I knew this wasn’t going to go well and I knew there was a possibility he might never forgive me, but we couldn’t continue to be this way around each other. Sometimes he looked as if I repulsed him and other times he just looked sad. Not wanting to spend the rest of the summer worrying about tiptoeing around Roman I thought I’d start with making an effort to keep the peace.

             
Knowing he wouldn’t speak to me, I slipped him a note.

            
 
We need to talk

              He looked it over, scribbled something, and passed it back.

            
 
I have nothing to say to you

            
 
Then you don’t have to say anything. You can just listen. Meet me behind the library after dinner.

              Mr. Grant dismissed the class before he had a chance to respond. I left for my next class before he could turn me down.

             
“Ella, how are you? You look well,” Ms. Kraft greeted me with a smile.

             
“I’ve been better,” I said honestly.

             
“Did you find what you were looking for?”

             
I looked at her curiously, wondering how she always knew. “I’m not sure,” I said, having no idea why I said that.

             
“Sometimes when you set out to search for something, what you find is not always what you truly intended to.” A part of me understood what she meant. “We seek for the truth to only find cracks in the foundation of what we once believed was the truth,” she spouted on. Okay now I was lost. She smiled gently grazing my cheek. “Trust me, soon enough you will understand.”

             
The class was piling in so I went to take my seat only to find someone was already sitting there. I turned back to Ms. Kraft questioningly. “Oh Ella, I’m sorry I forgot. While you were gone we had to give Roman a temporary partner since I wasn’t sure when you would be returning. There is a desk in the back if you wouldn’t mind sitting there for the time being,” she said kindly.

             
“No, that’s fine,” I said, walking back to the only single desk in the room. It was pushed up against the wall and I had to pull it out so I could sit. The desk was obviously not used very much and when I moved it, it shrieked across the floor making a noise like nails on a chalk board. Everyone turned to glare at me for making so much noise. 

             
I slid into my sear wanting to just disappear for the time being. I couldn’t even pay attention because I couldn’t stop staring at Roman. Even though his back was to me, I knew he could feel me watching. His posture, the slight shifts in his body, the way he would run his fingers through his hair, all indications of tense nerves.

Throughout the rest of the day I couldn’t stop thinking about the meeting with Roman. I still didn’t know if he was even going to show. I thought about peeking into his head, but I promised myself I wouldn’t invade people’s privacy unless it was necessary. So I drove myself nuts all day wondering.

             
At training, Zane just had me show him what I already learned and said we’d do a refresher course and go from there. I was happy to have an easy session our first time around. Being as distracted as I was, a refresher course helped keep my mind busy and off the meeting with Roman.

             
After training I quickly showered – not bothering to dry my hair – and headed to dinner. I barely ate because I was so nervous. Dixon kept trying to get me to dish about Ireland and I just kept telling him I didn’t want to talk about it, but he wouldn’t leave it be. So I told him I found him and he dumped me, end of story. Thankfully he kept quiet for the rest of dinner.

             
I left before everyone else. I was too antsy to sit around and wait. I headed to the back of the library. Despite how hot it was earlier, it certainly did cool off and I was regretting not drying my hair. On the way over my stomach was grumbling uneasily and I couldn’t do anything to calm it down. I had to keep reminding myself not to throw up all the way to the library.

             
When I reached the back, to my disbelief, Roman was already there. I knew he sensed me because his back tensed the moment I stepped around the corner. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to show,” I said softly. 

             
“I didn’t think I was going to either,” he said gruffly.

             
“What made you decide to come?” I asked, even though I was pretty sure I was pressing my luck.

             
He turned around to face me and his expression showed slight remorse. I didn’t know if it was because he felt bad about what he said or because I looked pretty pathetic. I knew I had dark circles under my eyes for the lack of sleep and constant worry. I was wearing very unflattering clothes. I had on baggy sweats and one of Xander’s old high school t-shirts that I swiped before I left. With my hair still soaking wet it just made me look unkempt and malnourished. The darkness made my already pale skin glow white in the moonlight.

             
Roman’s face flinched slightly and then he went back to his normal scowl. “You wanted to talk so talk,” he growled. I took a deep breath knowing this wasn’t going to go easy. I had to do this right, but I didn’t even know where to begin. There was so much that had to be said and I didn’t exactly have time to work through what I wanted to say. “I don’t have all night,” Roman said impatiently.

             
“Okay, well, I wanted to talk to you because I…I apologized to Gabe.” That was the best thing I could start with.

             
“That’s just great. Is that all?” he asked. His body language indicated he wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible.

             
“No,” I fidgeted with my thumbs. “We need to talk about us.”

             
“There is no us.”

             
“I know, but we need to at least learn how to be civil with each other. We’re going to be stuck together the whole summer and I just thought maybe we could…I don’t know…I think neither of us wants to spend the summer miserable.”

             
“Ha,” he laughed. “I’m fine, better than fine actually. You did me a favor. So thank you,” he smiled cockily and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “The only one who’s going to miserable this summer is you and excuse me for saying you deserve to be.” He leaned up against the wall casually and lit up.

             
I bit my lip trying not to cry. Then I chastised myself for not being stronger. Roman stared at me while he took a puff of his cigarette. I crossed my arms over my chest feeling a cold chill run up and down my spine. I wasn’t sure if it was his cold stare or the chilly night that was making me feel like this, but either way I didn’t like it. “I can understand if you hate me and I’m not asking for your forgiveness,” I said, my teeth chattering. “But I need you to at least hear me out.”

             
He stood up straight and I thought he was going to take off. When he just stood there I took it as a sign to continue. “I need you to understand why I did what I did.”

             
“I really don’t want to hear the details of your infidelity,” he said, narrowing his eyes at me.

             
“That’s not what I…” I paused trying to come up with a better approach. “I love you Roman,” I blurted out.

             
“You have a funny way of showing it.”

             
“I messed up. I know I did. I can’t go back and fix it. People make mistakes. I’m not perfect and I don’t always do the right thing or make the best decision. I just wanted you to know that I never stopped loving you or thinking about you.”

             
“Then why did you leave!” he yelled. I flinched at the power in his voice. “If you loved me so much why didn’t you tell me what was going on? Something or anything would have been better then you leaving without so much as a goodbye.”

             
“I couldn’t tell you because I didn’t know how to explain it to you. I didn’t want you to think I was leaving you because I wasn’t. I only planned to find him. I just needed to know he was alive.”

             
“And where is lover boy now?”

             
“He…he said it would be better if we were friends. That I should go home and live my life as it was. Without him,” I whispered, having a hard time choking out the words.

             
Roman threw his head back and laughed. “So lover boy dumps you and you what, come crawling back to me expecting I’d take you back, just like that?”