Chapter 38: Intense
Two staircases of flinching and wincing dragging myself to the fifth floor. The teachers picked some random room to teach classes in that didn't involve training or art.
My side and leg are soaked with the warmth of my blood which tells me I won't be able to fully transform for weeks to come.
Mara will kill me for being so reckless. But Peter got to me. I mean who is he to say I am a liability. I get that he is pissed but Will and Varian are my flighter squad therefore I have more entitlement to go than he does.
My mind is twisted with rage, and I can't make sense of his motives. I am supposed to be better than this yet one poke from him and I explode. So not much progress has been made emotionally despite my growth in power.
A deep groan releases from my soul unintentionally but I finally make the fifth floor. At least after my visit to see Layla I can go and sleep in my room away from prying eyes.
My steps make squelching sound but ignore anything resembling pain until I reach Layla's class.
The door is ajar and the sound of overlaying voices signals which room the teacher chose.
As I lean on the door and poke my head in, I see Layla staring intensely at the teacher. I stifle my laugh as I see her face crumple with confusion at some math thing.
The teacher notices me and stops talking abruptly. Shit. I didn't want there to be a scene but here we are.
'E!' Layla jumps and rushes over. She stops short as she takes in my mess of appearance. In an instant she seems older than a tween as she lets out a resigned sigh.
She waves at her teacher and begins to walk me down the hall.
'What did you do now Erza?' She berates.
It takes me back how much older she sounds, and I feel a familiar sense of guilt as I worry, I haven't kept her away from the drama as much as I could.
'Me and Peter had a disagreement...' I murmur.
Layla quickly goes from concerned to irritated.
'You know you can't fight everyone who annoys you Erza.'
I am getting a lecture from a thirteen-year-old. What has my world come too?
'He implied I wasn't good enough to go in the field on a mission tomorrow and it annoyed me?..'
Layla rolls her eyes. 'He is worried about you. Can't you see that?'
'There is a way to show it.' I grumble.
'Have you heard yourself?' Layla slings my arm over as I slow down.
'Now what are you on about?' My annoyance seeping into my tone.
'You will never get him to love you if you act like that Erza.' Layla says nonchalantly.
'I don't want him to love me Layla, I want his forgiveness. All of them.'
'Who says that isnt the same thing?'
Same thing? Love and forgiveness. It can't be that simple or deep.
Layla slows immediately. Her eyes wide she looks at me then whoever is down the hall.
'Katie?'
Katie. Lin's daughter. How do I handle this right now.
I use what little energy I have left and look down the hall.
Katie is stood there, brown hair matted. Identical eyes of Lin's rimmed red. She stalks towards us.
Layla puts herself between me and Katie. The air feels wet alerting me to Layla activating her powers. But why?..
'Katie calm down.' Layla's voice shakes but she doesn't back down.
'Calm down? This is the bitch that led my mum to death. You're telling me to calm down? Some friend you are.'
Katie sticks a hand out towards me and heavy earth comes flying towards us.
I don't have time to move, and, in all honesty, I deserve this. Lin is dead because she came with me. I close my eyes and brace for impact.
The sound of water surrounds me, and I open my eyes to see a shield of water with hug spikes pointing towards Katie.
I look around in wonder and my eyes land on the conjurer. Layla.
Layla is standing in front of the shield one hand splayed toward Katie and another towards me. She is protecting me.
'Layla! Leave it. Katie has a right to do what she must do. Stand aside.'I yell banging on the shield.
'No. Enough fighting. We just lost some people, and we keep fighting against eachother. I am fucking sick of it. Collings is the enemy. Not you.'
Layla's eyes are pinned on Katie whose hands throw more and more earth at Layla. But Layla blocks it with ease.
Her power has grown so strong and despite all the misery I feel, a smile takes over.
'Layla you're my friend and I don't want to fight you. Move aside and let me get the famous Purple Predator already.' Katie sneers as she uses my old code name and I refrain from wincing.
Layla withdraws a hand from the shield towards Katie and stamps her right foot forward.
'No. I said ENOUGH already.' As her foot hits the ground water puddles around Layla until she pushes the water forward into a soaring wave.
Katie's eyes widen and she moves to block with earth but it's too late, the wave hits her full force sending her sliding down hall.
Layla lowers her hands and the water retreats. Katie is curled up in the hallway sobbing in her soaking wet clothes.
Layla looks back at me with a dejected expression.
She walks towards Katie and crouches to her side. She places a hand on her shoulder.
'Erza is not the enemy. Collings killed your mum not Erza. If Erza was so bad, why did she nearly die trying to distract him? She nearly died protecting me too.'
Katie sniffles and sits up; she slumps onto Layla and I take that as my cue to leave.
I step through the filtering shield and slip past the pair without a look back.
I make it to my room where I slip in there and slam the door shut.
I move a chair to block the door from anyone wanting to disturb me.
Then stumbling forward, I hit the mattress hard, and darkness claims me.