Manipulate

All of us pile out of the dorm. We are a blur of black as we walk down the halls. The adults look at us. Some of them cheer quietly as we leave TID. I laugh to myself. I guess that the adults still aren’t happy about our prank we pulled last night.

Max and Alia lead us outside and into St. Louis. It’s so weird to see the actual city again, but it is a nice change to the dark compound. Max and Alia lead us to Forest Park, I guess this is the field trip then. Everyone looks at Max and Alia for directions.

“We’re doing ten laps around the park and when you’re done come back here and wait,” Alia explains. Everyone groans but oblige to Alia’s orders.

“Go!” Max barks at us.

We all start jogging at a steady pace. Once I’m on my second lap my legs burn from the running. Everyone runs at the same pace until Nick stumbles into me.

“Hey, watch where you’re going,” I snap.

“Sorry,” Nick says. I roll my eyes at him and continue running.

By the time I’m on my seventh lap my legs feel like jelly. “Come on you guys! You got this!” Alia says trying to motivate us.

She claps her hands as we pass her. I push through the burning in my legs and make my way to my eighth lap. I push through my ninth lap. I see Nick struggling but I don’t give a damn.

Everyone is on their tenth lap by 9:05. When we finally finish the ten laps everyone collapses on the grass and benches. I lay sprawled out on the grass. I can’t feel my legs. Theo sits on my left; his legs are stretched out in front of him. He smiles at me. I prop myself up onto my elbows.

“Do you know the whole point of this field trip is?” I ask.

“It just lets us get out and have fun,” Theo says.

I nod my head. “Got it,”

We spend the rest of the morning in the park talking on the grass and benches. I laugh with everyone as we act like total idiots. We leave at noon to head back to TID. Everyone attempts to jog back, but that is impossible for us.

We all stumble back into TID using each other as crutches to lean on. The adults look at us and laugh as we attempt to walk by ourselves. “Did you guys just do the ten-lap run?” One adult shouts. We all answer “Yes!” The adults burst out into laughter. Everyone rolls their eyes as we walk down the hallway to the dorms.

Everyone collapses on the floor when we enter the dorm. Half of us sit and the other half lay down. “So those are field trips,” I say.

“Yep,” Abi says next to me. I laugh. Abi smiles at me, then she starts laughing with me.

“What’s so funny?” Nick asks.

“We don’t know. Abhaya just started laughing,” Abi says.

“Okay,” Nick says, looking at me.

The bell rings at one o’clock signaling that it’s time for lunch. Everyone groans as they get up off the floor. I pull myself up with a bed frame, my legs feel like jelly. Someone catches me before I fall back to the ground. Theo has an arm around my waist. His face turns red from embarrassment.

“Sorry,” he apologizes.

I look at him. “It’s fine.”

I pull myself up with the support of the bed frame. Theo unwraps his arm from my waist.

“Are you tired?” I ask Theo as we head down to the cafeteria.

“Yes, I am very tired,” he says with a smile.

I smile a little. I walk along the wall; ten laps will make your legs numb.

“Are you excited for the paintball game this week?” Theo asks after an awkward silence.

“Yeah. I’m excited,” I say with a yawn. Theo puts a hand over his mouth to stifle a laugh. I look at the ground and smile.

Theo and I arrive at lunch at one fifteen. I get a spot in line and grab a tray. Today they’re serving pizza, hamburgers and sandwiches. I grab four slices of pizza as fast as I can. Theo looks confused as I put half a pizza on my plate.

“I like pizza a lot,” I explain, unashamed.

Theo lets out a small chuckle. My face burns as the line moves down. I sit down at a table in the far-left corner next to the cafeteria doors. My tray consists of pizza, an apple, water and raspberry swirl cheesecake. Theo sits next to Trey and Peter at a different table. I see Theo throw his head back laughing along with Trey and Peter. I pick up my pizza and bite into the delicious melted cheese. The hot red tomato sauce almost scalds my tongue. I grab my water and take a swig of it.

The bell rings at one thirty. I get up and dump my trash into the trash can. Everyone rushes out of the cafeteria. Instead of heading to the dorms with everyone else, I head to the training room. I find it unlocked. I open the door and poke my head in to see if anyone is there. I walk in and close the door softly behind me.

I walk over to the closet where the archery, knives and paintball guns are stored. I open the door and grab a bow and a quiver of arrows. I walk over to a target and load the arrow into the bow. I pull back the string and shoot the arrow. The arrow whizzes through the air and hits the middle of the target. I smile as I load another arrow and shoot it.

I hear the door click open. I stop and freeze. I turn my head and see someone come in. I see the silhouette of a male; he is tall as the shadows around him consume him. My breathing quickens. I draw back the string of the bow, I slowly bring it up. My eyes are trained on the silhouette.

“Woah! What are you doing, Abhaya?” The voice exclaims.

I look up and lower my bow. I squint my eyes, trying to make out any facial features or eye color or even his hair.

The man steps into the light. It’s Nick.

“You know, you really shouldn’t sneak up on a girl like that. Especially if she has a weapon,” I explain as Nick rolls his eyes.

“Then tell me something I don’t know then,” he says in a smart aleck tone.

That tone makes me want to shoot him the arrow. But I won’t since I’m that nice. And it’s illegal to murder someone.

“Go away,” I order.

“I’d rather not,” he retaliates. I sigh and roll my eyes. “I like you Abhaya,” he confesses.

“Back off!” I yell. Either he doesn’t hear my request or he is a completely stupid son of a bitch and won’t listen to me.

Nick comes and walks over to me. He puts his hands on my shoulders. I try to shrug him off, but he doesn’t understand that I don’t like him.

“Let me go,” I command against the struggle of his grip.

“I’d rather not,” he whispers into my ear. And just as quickly, he leans in and kisses me.

Every muscle in my body wants to punch him or kick him. I try but his grip holds me and I can’t move. My arms are locked in place. Shit. Shit. Shit, is all I can think

This is not okay. This is not okay, I think. The door clicks open. I’m saved.