Glitch | #ONC2020 ✔

Chapter Fourteen

Aira

A huff is released from my lips as my arms are crossed.  My gaze is trained on the hallway as I lean on the wall in the abandoned walkway.  A lookout entails a brave soul to spend the night making sure the machines do not learn how to open the hideouts, and I am the lucky person to watch out tonight.

Yay.

Although, I would much rather be out of the walls for a night to clear my head.  After what happened with Aeryn, I would not wish to blow up at anyone.

And as if the person above wishes to just flip me off, there stands Aira staring at me with a confused look on her face.  “You okay?”

I glance at her, my eye twitching in annoyance.  “You are not supposed to be out here Aira.”

She giggles at my response.  “Well that is pretty self explanatory.” Aira strolls over to the wall I am currently leaning on and sits down.  “Do you wanna talk about it?”

I slide down the wall and sit down as well.  A sigh of relief releases itself from my lips before I can stop, making me realize how sore my legs are after standing for three hours without moving.  “No, I do not want to talk about it, now go inside.”

Aira audibly laughs at my comment.  “Do you think I want to be out here?” My eye cracks open and stares at the redhead who is now playing with her hair with a smile on her face.  “No one will talk to me in there except for you.”

Now it is my turn to snort at her comment.  “Maybe it is because you turned out to be a brat.”

Aira huffs at my comment and looks forward, trying to hide her blush from embarrassment.  “I do not even mean to be rude, you know. It is just scary now, I am just stressed.” 

I shake my head at the girl, not taking her crap.  I learned as of recently that she is not the same person I once believed her to be.  She, in lack of words, is the most annoying brat that I have ever met. My brain really did a number on her true personality if I must say so myself. "I do not think I believe that."

Aira huffs at me.  Her eyes reflect plain confusion at my statement, as if asking 'what does he mean by that?'  "What-"

"We met before all of this stuff happened you know. "  My eyes look straight ahead as my heart cannot exactly handle looking at her gorgeous green eyes.  "We went to the same highschool, and you acted the same. You have been a bully before your life was in danger, you and I both know that."

Aira opens her mouth to say something,  but closes it immediately. I hear fabric move around before turning towards the girl, only to be greeted by her leaning on my shoulder.  "I am a terrible person."

"Yeah."

Her eyes close as she relaxes, which is the opposite of what I am currently doing.  "I cannot even gain a single friend in this dump because of my attitude."

"Yep." She slaps my shoulder and glares.  I hiss in pain, rubbing my injured shoulder. "What the hell was that for?"

"That," she over pronounces the t.  "Was for giving me a single word answer!" She slaps me again and I hiss once more.  "And that was for being rude! Just because I am a bitch, does not mean that you can be one!"  

I inch away from the crazy red-head,  not wishing to be hit once more. "I am….sorry?"

"Sorry does not hack it! Do you understand how bad I feel about my attitude? I have been raised only to put people in their rightful place! It is not my fault my parents are even worse than me!"

"But," I grab her hands so she cannot hit me a third time, which she probably would if I am being honest.  "That does not give you a free pass to being a brat. You saw how others treated each other and you should have learned by yourself."

"You really are a jackass, you know that?" She deadpans, making me feel uncomfortable at her expression.  "The way we are raised partially tells you how the child will act. The Harry Potter series has some great examples, especially Draco Malfoy."

I quickly let go of her hands,  in fear that she may hurt me if I do not.  "But didn't Malfoy learn how what he was taught was wrong and became a good guy?"  

She glares at me for the millionth time today. "That is not the point I am trying to make! I am trying to say that how I am now is partially my family's fault!"

I smile at her, forcing it.  With a quick movement, I pat her head and ruffle her hair.  "Since you are so self aware, actually do something about it then."

She stands up and crosses her arms defiantly.  "I will!" Her body slams against the wall as she leans on it while standing.

I chuckle and scratch the back of my neck awkwardly.  "I meant to go do something in the hideout."

"What?" She looks at me confused as she still leans on the wall.

I lean on the wall once more, looking straight ahead immediately.  "It is way too dangerous for you to be out here Aira. Go back inside."

"I do not have to! Beating those robots are a piece of cake for me!"

I glance over to her in the corner of my eye.  She is shaking. Not so tough as you make yourself out to be.   "Right…"

"Even then, you cannot tell me what to do!" She stomps over to me until she is right in front of me.  "I have freedom to do whatever I want and you cannot stop me!"

I smile at her before completely laughing my head off.  I gasp for air as my laughs become more violent. Aira stares at me with a mix of concern and confusion, not knowing what to do.  "Aira…" I trail off, staring at the girl with a smile.  

My eyes glance to see an incoming machine marching towards us.  "Look out!" I tackle her right before the machine can grab her.

The red-head looks frozen as she stares at the hunk of metal with fear.  "Oh my god…" she trails off.

"Aira, get back to the hideout, but make sure you do not show this thing how to get in!" I yell as I hop away from the machine.  It has more of a praying mantis body, not making me a tiny bit relieved.

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Figure it out!" I yell and jump out of the way, almost getting skewered by one of the robot's large claws.  

I do not check to make sure Aira gets inside, because my life is on the line at the moment.  Glancing over, I attempt to run at the wall so I can push off it and get on the robot's back.  Unfortunately, the machine sees through my trick and knocks me down as I run.

Turns out action movies are a lie, who knew?

I try to crawl away from the monstrosity, but unfortunately knock my head on the cement wall instead.

And geez did that hurt!

My vision begins to blur as I ultimately accept my death.

And then it all went black.

Chapter WC: 1261
Official Book WC: 15380