Perfect School

Kira:

I was in a half doze, struggling to get every minute possible. I couldn't even hope for a dream with how I had been sleeping. I couldn't pick any one thing that woke me. But I heard Kyra's soft voice and let out a slow breath through my nose. "If he complains about being in pain then don't give him any sympathy. He refused morphine and is only on ibuprofen."

Kyra:

My brow knit together when she told me he refused pain meds. "Why?" I asked, directing my question at Jonah.

"The pain doesn't bother me as much as the drugs do. It's manageable," He said with a glance at Kira. He looked back to me. "Thank you."

"Me? For what?"

"I might not be here if you hadn't reacted as quickly as you did."

"Oh," I said, my eyes slid to Kira for a second before falling on the bedspread. I wonder if he knew that when I had gone to him when I had my hands pressed on his wound, that Kira had been laughing.

"It's only fair. You saved me. You could have left me, but you didn't. I only did the same thing you did." It wasn't just that. I wasn't repaying him for saving my life. I wanted him to live. Despite what he was, I cared for him.

Kira:

I listened to them before pushing myself up onto my feet. "I'm going to go wash my face." Stepping into the bathroom I went for the sink, turning on the cold water and splashing it into my skin. Gripping the edges after I was done I stared into my face, searching it for any sign or hint as to what I was going to do.

All the mirror gave for answers was showing just how exhausted I was. Dark circles under my eyes, worse than yesterday, and I could feel the knots in my back and shoulders from my sleeping position and stress. Drawing in slow breaths I tried to let the tension ease out of my body but I only managed so much. Still I was satisfied with the result and returned to my chair.

Kyra:

“My dad is bringing Krissy and Michael in a little bit. I think they’re getting breakfast too,” I said to Kira when she came back. Both of them looked exhausted. “You know, if you had said you were coming back here, I would have come with you,” I said softly. Maybe she hadn’t wanted me to come.

Kira:

I shook my head, "I needed time to think. Without influences or additional pressures. I didn't exactly get that. If I'd have known I'd have invited you along." I didn't look at Jonah, I wasn't sure how much of his conversation he remembered. I barely remembered anything from when I was out of it on pain killers.

"I'm sorry for leaving you behind."

Kyra:

“It’s okay,” I said with a shrug. It wasn’t often that Kira apologized. It was enough to make me feel a bit better. “If you want to get some rest, I can stay here.” I pulled a chair closer to Jonah’s bed and sat down.

"I'd have to go back to the hotel for that.  Everyone is coming here already.  I'm fine."  Finally I glanced at Jonah again, thinking about his offer of laying next to him.  If i hadn't been so grumpy earlier, i'd have given it more thought.  As it was now i didn't even have the energy to be grumpy or cold.

Jonah:

I looked Kira in the eyes for a moment. I would have said that they could go and leave me alone, but I knew I needed them. I would have to suck it up and be reliant on them until I was healed enough to protect myself.

“I spoke with Zero this morning. She’s making plans to move you back to the school. This area isn’t exactly safe for all of us, least of all you two,” Kyra said. I gave a small nod. Moving wouldn’t be pleasant, but it was necessary.

Kira:

"Good. The sooner we are gone the better." I looked up at Kyra when she spoke then my gaze returned to Jonah afterwards. "I hope you know that I will drug you against your will when it comes time. We wont have time for pride or your complaints. It's probably going to hurt. And you are probably going to make it slower going."

Jonah:

“Considering you’ve complained more than I have, I don’t think you need to worry about me. I can manage what I’m feeling better than that,” I said. There was only so much of her sour mood I could take. I was the one in the hospital bed after all.

I raised an eyebrow at him, but decided it was better to brush it off. Instead I sank behind my walls, trying to close myself out from the stress, exhaustion, and myriad of feelings. There wasn't relief to be found, but I did find myself remarkably clear headed for the moment. "So be it."

Kyra:

I didn’t look at either of them for a moment. It was awkward to see them bicker because usually they were more reserved than that. It was clear that exhaustion and stress was getting to them. I was saved from saying anything by the footsteps in the hallway.

A moment later my dad came into the room followed by Krissy and Michael. “I brought breakfast, help yourself,” he said offering a bag out to Kira. “Surprised to see you up and alert. How are you doing?” He nodded to Jonah.

“I’ll survive,” Jonah said.

Kira:

I was slow to respond, staring at the offered bag for a long moment before taking it and peaking inside. It wasn't the meal I felt I needed, but the pastries inside smelled delicious. Plucking one out I passed the bag over Jonah to Kyra before staring to rummage through my backpack. Only after I got out a vial of my medicine did I finally look up at the trio of adults. Kyle seemed the most normal, Michael looked tired. I only spared Krissy a glance before trying to work off the cap of my medicine while not relinquishing hold on my kolache.

Michael:

I had a coffee that I was sipping on, my pastries already consumed on the ride over. I observed the three children while I noted Kira was doing the same to us. That we were so alike in some regards brought a brief smile to my face. Kyra seemed weary like she didn't want to be in the room but relieved we were here, though I couldn't place why. Jonah had the tension in his body, and a quick look around showed he had no morphine machine anymore. Kira simply looked exhausted. She had dark circles around her eyes and she seemed subdued.

Krissy:

I had picked at a kolache in the car, but I hadn’t had much. My stomach was still in knots from everything that had happened. I knew I had to talk to Kira and Jonah, but for the time being I kept a secure hold on Michael’s arm.

When both Kira and Kyra were finished eating Kyle motioned for his daughter to go with him. I gave Michael one last squeeze before I let him go too.

“I wanted to talk with both of you,” I said when we were alone. In all honesty, I had hoped that Jonah would still have been asleep when we came to visit. I would have preferred to talk to Kira alone.

“I wanted to apologize to you. What I did was dangerous and reckless and it put both of you in jeopardy. Not to mention I could have killed you, Jonah. I am truly sorry.”

Kira:

I was licking my fingers clean of my second kolache when I paused mid lick to watch everyone file out until it was only Krissy, Jonah, and myself. I finished instead by wiping my hand on a napkin as Krissy started on her apology.

"Michael made you do this." I guessed after she was done. I held up a hand to forestall any continued words from her and then gave Jonah a look to keep him quiet before I leveled my gaze on Krissy once more.

Searching her face I took a slow breath before asking, "What did you think was going to happen with all of this? Apologies are easy to do. They cause no pain and are only words. Kyle mentioned you have issues controlling your urges. With that in mind, what do you want to happen now Krissy?"

Krissy:

“What I want to happen?  I want to work to make sure I don’t do anything to harm those I love again.  I want to be better for the people I care about.  A better wife, aunt, sister… mother.  I know I messed up.  I want to do everything I can to fix that.  I don’t exactly know how, but I will be working on it.  I just hope that you’ll give me another chance…”  It was hard to look her in the face throughout my speech, but I did my best not to let my eyes stray.

She looked so much like a wounded puppy. I could tell she so desperately wanted to shy away, look elsewhere and tuck her tail. I could almost commend her for it. But I wasn't in the mood for such things. "I don't even know if I will have another chance Krissy..." I looked down at the floor for a moment. "Jonah you listen to this too, since you also seem to enjoy meddling into my life. My entire world and freedom has always been a bridge made of glass. It's sturdy enough to hold me so long as I walk the straight and narrow. But when people start messing with the bridge, when they start making it tremble and shake then it comes closer and closer to shattering."

My eyes focused on Krissy once more after a brief look at Jonah. "I really, really have come to enjoy spending time with everyone. I feel...happy even." Slowly I shook my head, "But it's not something that is going to last. If Marie suspects even the slightest that I'm like this. That the little doll she wants has slipped from her. Then I'll be taken away. I'll be buried in a bunker that wont exist on paper. That wont have anybody but Marie's most trusted and talented. You will never see me again. Because if you do happen to find me again after that happens. She would simply kill me to make sure I never leave her."

Again I glanced between them before focusing on Krissy. If I hadn't been so tired I could have dealt with this better. I wouldn't have rambled all my thoughts out there. I knew that. And yet I didn't care. Better for them to understand just what I faced and risked just by changing for them and being with them. When it came down to it....I was scared to lose what I'd just come to hold dear.

Jonah:

I watched mostly Kira but occasionally I would glance to Krissy. It was clear the woman didn’t know what to say to her daughter in response. I sat up slightly on my elbows. It hurt my side to do so, but I ignored the pain.

“Kira, if it comes to Marie finding out about this, I’ll take the blame. It’s not a stretch to believe I would have gone after the guy. Not exactly my killing style,” I spared a brief glance to Krissy, “But it’s still believable. I don’t have as much to lose as you.”

Kira:

I could only shrug. Jonah wasn't wrong. That was the better option. But still I worried. One camera feed. One eye witness. And my presence here would be revealed. That was all that was needed for the worst to happen.

I caught myself and took several steadying breaths. I was done going down that path. The confusion, the worry. It was time to just let everything play out. It was out of my hands now. "We'll see what comes." Jonah's words now, and Kyle's words from earlier played through my mind. I had good companions, and they were all sweet in their own way to me.

I nodded and turned to Krissy. “You’re not the only one who messed up. My own actions put me in this bed. Perhaps things would have gone more smoothly had I not under estimated you.”

“I’m sorry for that, Jonah. I didn’t mean to harm you. It was just that-”

“It was that I didn’t think you were a threat and treated you as such. I could have saved myself from this if I took the necessary precautions. This is the one thing you don’t need to feel guilty about. Losing your self-control, well, that is something you’ll have to deal with.”

Krissy:

I looked at the floor for a moment then Kira again. “I will do anything to make this better for you. Anything to take the burden off of you. Anything for you. Just say it and I’ll do it.”

Kira:

I raised my gaze up to Krissy when she addressed me again. "Right now sleep is what I need most. Real sleep." I could see on her face that she needed something. Anything to know things would be alright. But I didn't know if things would be alright. It was hard to forgive even when I knew the circumstances. "There isn't anything to be done right now. I can only put hope that my friend Zero can take care of things and conceal what is happening. The sooner we get out of here the better. After we are away and are safer then maybe....maybe you can try telling me what I've missed with the sheep and the dogs." It wasn't much of an offer, but it was the start for her to earn forgiveness. I wanted to trust her and believe in her again.

Krissy:

I nodded “Of course, I understand,” I said and apologized again to both of them before I let them go. I still needed to apologize to Kyra. She was the only one I had not given a true apology to.

Jonah:

I turned my face to Kira when we were alone again. “You’re bridge isn’t as fragile as you think. We may be making it more difficult to walk on but were also fortifying it. People care about you, Kira. We aren’t going to let you fall.”

"Mmm. But I wouldn't need to even stand on the bridge at all if it wasn't for all of you." It was a soft counter and afterwards I rubbed at my eyes. "I hope one day that you all stop making things more complicated before I have a chance to get used to what I have now."

Jonah:

“Life is complicated. The only time it is simple is when it is not your own. When your told how to live and what to do,” I said. Now wasn’t the time to push her, but I couldn’t resist. She blamed others for making her life harder, when she should be blaming Marie.

"Jonah." My voice was firm and chastising. "Not now. Please not now. I came to you already hoping to find answers and peace. You gave me more questions and confusion instead. I don't want word games or nudges."