it doesn't even matter

As the lights returned, everyone began panicking hysterically as the faculty tried to calm everything down. After being cleared, Zion took it upon himself to sneak out to the bleachers for a deep breath and a cigarette. He shook his head. “He’s dead. He’s fucking dead. I should’ve known. This school…it’s toxic to everything it touches.” 

The night had, undoubtedly, been hell for everyone. And as much as Tyree wanted to go back to Whitney--to comfort her and just be there for her--he really fucking needed a smoke. “You’ve got that right, mate.” He commented quietly to the other male, leaning against the rail of the bleachers as he pulled out a zippo and a cigarette. The scar from the gunshot wound from Halloween burned in memory of what horrors the school had in store for them all. “They need us, though. We can’t stay out here forever.” He mumbled as he placed the cigarette between his teeth and lit it.

Calista was far from the girl she once was since attending Fairfield. She went from picking the brightest and most beautiful flowers, to picking off rose thorns and letting them roll around in her palm. To say that Halloween messed her up would be a definite understatement. She felt so helpless and weak and it made her cringe. Half of her wanted to curl up and cry - something she actually found herself doing more often as the days progressed - while the other half wanted to smash windows and punch concrete walls. She missed Ty so much but figured to keep the distance between them thick, seeing as he always put her troubles and needs first before his own. And although she appreciated it so much that he was so damaged yet so gentle and caring, she didn’t want to dwell on her own issues. She wanted nothing more than to care for him, to let him know that she would always put him before herself– but hell; how could she do that for him if she could barely do such thing for herself? Frustrated, she sat in her room, letting her tears cleanse her face of the fake expressions it issued out to the others she had interacted with within the day.

Tyree’s voice made her breath catch in her throat. Were she aware of him paying a visit, she would have kept her charade up even longer. Grateful her back was to the door, she wiped at her face - almost angrily - blew her nose before turning around to face the male. She gave him a weak smile and tied her blonde locks up in a bun, getting up from her bed. “Sorry… allergies,” she lied, cursing mentally at the tears that ran intrusively down her cheeks. The sight of Ty made her heart hurt. “I missed you,” she murmured, closing the distance between them. Her arms went around his neck, hugging him like her life depended on it. It did. Now she was openly crying, hiding her face in his chest. “I’m sorry I’m useless. I’m sorry I can’t help you.” Her words were muffled against him and she was grateful; she didn’t want to scare him away– not when she wanted him to need her as much as she needed him.

A large part of him was glad he had caught her off guard. Tyree hadn’t failed to notice the tears that stained her cheeks and the redness of her eyes, telltale signs that she had been crying. Maybe he would have believed that she was suffering from allergies, but the pain in her eyes and the emotion in her voice that she tried and failed to hide from him gave her away. “I’m so sorry.” He whispered in a low voice, his voice laced with pain and grief and guilt as he wrapped her up in his arms. “I’m so sorry I didn’t find you earlier.” He mumbled into her ear, insanely grateful that she couldn’t see the look on his face as she held him a bit too tight, his shoulder screaming in protest. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to stop his body from tensing automatically from the pain, but he forced himself to bear through it as he wrapped his strong arms around the blonde in his arms, holding her close to his chest. 

“You don’t need to help me, Cali.” He had just barely managed to get it out before she began sobbing into his chest, her small frame racking with such emotion that he was sure it would break her. He held her a little bit tighter, it was all he could do to keep her from falling apart in her arms. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay, I’ve got you.” He whispered again, pulling back only slightly, his forehead leaning against hers as  he slowly brought a hand up to her face, his thumb gently brushing the tears off of her cheeks. He wanted so, so badly to smile, or to give her some reassuring words that it would be okay...but how could he? They were in a war zone... and no war story ever had a happy ever after. Maybe some people could still smile and view the brighter side of things, but Ty couldn’t bring himself to do that. All he could do was hold Calista close and hope that was enough.

“Hey, I... I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I got a little lost along the way.” It was true. He’d wanted to visit her, he just... he didn’t know. He didn’t really know anything anymore, it seemed. But after a bit of time he’d come to realize that Calista was one of the brightest lights in his life, and he craved to be back in the sun if even for just a moment. 

@bxbycalista

Not a hair on her head was harmed, yet Whitney felt her entire body aching with the painful realization of what she had done. What E had made her do. The fact that any of them were still alive was frankly a miracle.. leaving a panic white hot searing trough her body, shaking her to the core. How were they supposed to go on after this? Because nothing would ever be the same.. but for a brief moment she was able to lock most of her terror away. Because hugging Tyree close did obliterate a whole lot. Almost everything. Holding him close, her forehead coming to rest against his, Whitney’s eyes searched his. “I’m here.” she whispered. “Ty I’m here.” There were so much going on, so much she couldn’t begin wrap her brain around. But him, them, being tied closer than ever before, that she could hold onto. That made sense. So much sense.

Maybe it was ironic that Whitney hadn’t been hurt amongst all of the chaos. Maybe E was trying to fill her up to the brim with emotional pain, only to save the physical hurt for later. The thought of Whitney being injured worried him, however, to the point he began to physically feel nauseous. Raking a hand through his hair shakily, he let out a soft sigh before bringing that same hand up to cup her cheek. “I know, Whit. I know.” He whispered, brushing a thumb across her cheek. Biting his lip, he finally broke his gaze, only to look up at the doctor who was standing next to him. “Is it, uh… do you have to get it out now? The bullet?” He asked, his voice only slightly panicked as he watched the doctor pull out the pliers. They hadn’t taken him into a room just yet, probably hoping that he could get away without having to be admitted into the hospital wing. The wound itself wasn’t too bad, and he had his fingers crossed mentally that he would get to leave with Whitney soon. But the bullet was still in his shoulder, and according to the doctors they had to pull it out. Which meant pliers. Turning to look at Whitney closer, he studied her face once more, carefully, panic in his eyes at the thought of the doctors poking around at him.

Too long. It had been too long. She should have checked right away. She shouldn’t have let herself be hold up. But the number of people mattering, the number of those she had to check in on, had increased slightly this year. And yet she was desperate to see the one who mattered the most. As much as Eddie did to her. Whitney’s thoughts were scattered and her breath wild as she spun down the corridors, eyes searching desperately for her best friend. For the boy she couldn’t live without. For Ty. As she came stumbling around a corner, her eyes finally found that gangely frame she had been searching for. “Ty!!!” she yelled out, using what little energy was left in her weak knees and legs to stumble over to him, her eyes going wide as she took in the sight. “Oh my god Ty.. what happened? H-How are you even..” She didn’t have the breath to finish a sentence, her heart in her throat with panic at the sight of him. It was one nightmare after another..

@tycoburn

After the whole thing with Claire had panned out, and he had all but begged her to shoot him in hopes of them finding a way out. And then they had, only he’d managed to escape the hell room with a bullet to the shoulder. By the time the medics had come in he’d been close to passing out from loss of blood, but thankfully they’d managed to stabilize him fast. Leaning against the back of the gurney, he reached out his free hand for her. “Whit, hey.” He whispered softly, his big eyes taking in her appearance. “C’mere?” He asked quietly, lightly tugging on her hand to pull her closer to him. He didn’t want to have to explain the fact that he was drenched in blood on the right side of his chest and arm. Seeing her face, no matter how distraught, brought an odd sense of comfort amidst all of the panic and fear and pain. She was his anchor, she always had been, but now it was more evident than it ever had been in the past.