Kora POV
The day after we all found out who my partner is, we all went to Theo's pool party but boss asked to speak with Lee and Taryn.
"Shit. I forgot my phone, I'll be right back." I say and head back into the room.
As I was about to open the door I hear something.
"So I need you to make sure she doesn't do anything drastic. I can't keep risking the teams lives-" Boss start before Lee interrupts
"It's true and maybe since she has a partner she'll become less reckless and take all things into consideration." She continues.
"So I must make sure she doesn't cause another incident."
"Yes basically and do your job. The other reason I wanted you on my teams is because you're great at what you do, and I only want the best on my team. I just want to ensure their lives aren't at risk." Boss finishes.
"Well then why are they assassins?" Taryn says and they all chuckle.
I push the door open and head straight for my phone.
"Oh sorry, the loose canon forgot her phone and just wanted to do something right that doesn't risk my friends lives." I say and walk out to my car.
"Yo Kora, where you going?" Kenny shouts.
"Kora come on get out the car, talk to me." Vega says as she approaches.
"Sorry mom I just wanted some air so I can forget what a fucking child I am you know, so I can try and do things right that doesn't get everyone killed." I say with a fake smile. "I'll see you at Theo's." I ride away at full speed hoping to clear my mind.
Taryn POV
"So she was eavesdropping on private meetings?" I ask.
"Don't forget you all intruded the previous meeting." Boss shoots back.
"I wasn't here for that."
"We came to ask if we could leave, she was standing behind the door the whole time. We are not the same." Lee says.
"Yeah whatever just head to your pool party." Boss says.
"See ya." Taryn says as we exit.
We head out to the rest and find Kora not present.
"She left and looked pissed." Amara tells us.
"Yeah who pissed in her coffee?" Griffin asks.
"Yeah she said she'll meet us at Theo's, she's probably doing something to help calm her down." Vee says with boredom
"Fine let's go then." Karter says and we head to Aria and Erin's to fetch them before going to the party.
Karter POV
We are already in the pool chilling and drinking. We're teenagers besides killing, we do something normal for balance.
It was 20 minutes in when Kora finally graced us with her presence. She took off her shirt and shorts and got in the pool.
"You look nice." Aria compliments.
"Hmm." she responds.
"So you alright? You cooled off?" Lee asks.
"Yes mom I'm fine." Kora says clearly still pissed off.
"What's your damage, we're just checking on you you don't have to have attitude about it." Kennedy says, blunt as ever.
"Why don't you ask Theo if he's storage room is open to you know blow off some steam." I say. Storage room is code for his underground shooting range for times when Aria and Erin are present.
She gets out and walks over to him.
"Theo is your sho-I mean storage room open?" Kora asks.
"Yeah you wanna go down?" Theo asks after setting his drink down.
She nods.
He hands her the keys and she grabs her sweater and heads down.
Vega POV
She must really be upset then. I swim to the edge of the pool and start to leave until I feel a hand on my shoulder.
"I'll come with you, Come one Griff you might have a part in this too." it's Lee.
"Ugh seriously, fine." she grunts and gets out of the pool
"I know why she's upset. Plus if she's letting some steam out, she's gonna wanna try sorting out the Griff situation. "
We get our jackets and head down to the range thats on a underground level in his basement.
We just gotta take the elevator first.
"So what happened?" I ask her.
"She overheard me, Boss and Taryn talking about how we must keep an eye on her so we get killed again. So that's why she's angry or sad or both."
"So then why the fuck am I here? I wasn't in that meeting, this is bullshit." Griff says and mumbles the last part.
"I think that struck a nerve. Her parents put alot of pressure on her and make her feel like shit if she doesn't get it right. So it probably hit close to home." I explain to her while ignoring Griffin.
Jason POV
I felt bad for Kora and decided to check up on her. I walk in and find her shooting one post with so much anger.
Yep I know about this life. Theo's my best friend he eventually told me about him and the girls.
They were so mad that he told them without consulting them first. But then they warmed up to me and who wouldn't I'm cool. I'm kidding but they came around and it's all good.
While she's shooting and I see her changes her reload the gun so quick, so angry that I feel scared for my life.
"You know you'll end up getting hurt if you keep that up." trying to lighten the mood but managing to keep my distance.
"Excuse me?" She says and when she turns around I'm able to see her face.
She looked like she'd been crying. Her eyes were a mix of anger, frustration and sadness.
"I told you taking Griff's seat wasn't a great idea." I say with a chuckle.
"This isn't about Griff, it's never about her. And could you not, you sound like everybody else and I'm so fucking tired of it." she answers and returns to her shooting.
"What do you mean 'like everybody else. I'm trying to cheer you up and you shooting around and acting cold is not helping us have a proper conversation." I say.
"I-I'm sorry, thank you for coming here talking to me." she takes along breathe. "So, I blew a mission because of a guy and it almost got me and my friends killed. I feel so bad about it and whenever I do something wrong it reminds me of home, always trying to make me into a robot, and when this aren't perfect I'm a failure. I try, I really do but it's hard cause I don't want to see them with the face my parents give me." she finishes I see her eyes tearing again and I embrace her in a hug.
"But you're already perfect, your mistakes make your perfection that's why we're all different." I tell her.
She chuckles.
"Thanks, for cheering me up. I feel slightly better."
"No problem, it's my thing. I have a way with words you know." I say making her laugh. "Now you fully cheered up?" I ask.
"That is a problem I need to sort out with Boss and Griffin." she says leaving my embrace and sighing.
"Try me."
"Well he expects highly of me when I just want to see which part of the world do I fit in." She starts "Boss might get rid of me soon and if not then Griffin leaves. Everyone favors her, so anything will be done to please her. No one but me challenges her and when I do everyone turns against me like it now." she finishes.
"That's not true." we both turn to the new voice.
It's Griffin, Lee and Vega.
"Were you guys here the whole time?" Kora asks pretty pissed.
"Hey, calm down. We came to check up on you. We were worried."
"Uh I was forced to be here so it's really not that deep." Griff says, I shoot her a look and she shrugs.
"Why? Everyone hates me because of what happened, especially her! She gets everything she wants and has everyone wrapped around her little fucking finger." she tried stepping forward but I grab her arm preventing her from trying anything.
"It's not everyone being wrapped around my finger. It's making sure they have their shit together and they don't die, because if they do its on me!" she screams back.
"What?" she asks genuinely confused.
"Yeah princess, not everything is as black and white as you think. Can like the rest of you leave now? It's our turn." she asks indicating at us.
Griffin POV
"Griffin what do you mean?"
"Your special treatment, really urks me. You can basically do anything and get away with it. It pisses me off cause we all bust our asses left and right just for you to come here with your princess privilege and shit on us." I tell her
"You have no idea, what its like to have so many expectations of you." she tells me and I scoff.
"You don't know me, to think you know what people want from me. I'm the second in command for fuck sake, that's enough pressure as it is. Then you come here with your bullshit and make my life 10x then it needs to be. Boss automatically expects me to fix the situation and make sure you don't screw up and the rest of us don't die. So yeah I kinda know what it's like to have expectations of you Kora." I tell her.
She doesn't say anything.
"Maybe we really aren't that different but come on princess, there's a party up there so stop moping damn." I say and head up.