[Opposite Plot] Pre-Play

[forhawkeye]

Everywhere I went, people stared; I could feel their eyes trailing me all day long, as though they were paparazzi for the utterly unimportant. Much to my chagrin, changing into an unassuming outfit of a purple plaid shirt and a pair of ratty jeans hadn't convinced a single person to look elsewhere. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin and, as the day dragged slowly on, I wondered how I ever could have gone around in head-to-toe purple Kevlar. I was a freak among freaks.

I left Geometry in a hurry, my notes and things hugged tightly to my chest. My cheeks flushed a light pink as I walked past Ryan Atwood, and I gladly hid behind my curtain of dull black hair as to avoid making eye contact. I'd sat in stony silence for the duration of the lecture, replaying the stupid fight I'd picked with him only a few weeks prior. Luckily it was the only class I shared with him, which meant I wouldn't have to see him again until at least Saturday. I had never been more grateful to have class on the weekend.

Though it was well past six o'clock when class ended, I couldn't bear the thought of returning to the Compound for supper. The kitchen was always crowded at this hour and I'd had enough of being the center of attention for one day. Instead I trudged back to my hut, eyes downcast, trying to avoid the gaze of any potential onlookers. Unfortunately, in the act of trying so desperately to be ignored, I ended up walking right into someone.

"S-sorry," I apologized quickly, and I looked up with an expression of mild horror, a hand coming up to cover my gaping mouth.

Comments

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"What do they even have around here?" Mikal asked, her eyes widening a little, breaths coming more rapidly. "I mean, with the way this place is, there could be things we don't even know about, right? Some... weird island creatures, or something. They could even be indestructible!"

Suddenly, she wondered why she'd thought the hut would be safer. For all she knew, that was more likely to get plowed down by some strange monster or whatever than they were standing in the middle of the path. She sure as hell felt a lot more vulnerable where they were standing, though.

[forhawkeye]

"Wild boar, if the kitchen is anything to go by," I said, crouching down slightly in preparation of the unknown. "We might have to run, Mikal. I'm not sure I can take it on."

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"No, no, you can't," Mikal insisted, shaking her head fervently. "Not that - not that you couldn't, but I can't risk it, you know..." Her voice lowered before she continued speaking, eyes moving from side to side to scan the path in front of them, as if looking for a sign of movement from what was undoubtedly there. "Hurting you."

[forhawkeye]

"Let's run, then," I agreed, catching her hand in my own. It was very forward of me, but I couldn't risk whatever was out there hurting Mikal, either. "On the count of three. One. Two --"

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"Three!" Mikal finished, then darted forward, still clutching Kate's hand. God, she didn't know what she would've done without someone else there with her. She'd probably be dead again by now, if Kate weren't there to save them both.

[forhawkeye]

"My hut's not too far!" I said in a rush. I couldn't bring myself to look behind us, just in case we were being chased by a very angry wild boar -- or worse.

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"Thank god!" Mikal called back, just as quickly, obviously breathless. She paused a moment then, though, even while still hurrying alongside Kate. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

[forhawkeye]

"Of course not!" I admonished, unable to conceive a reason where I could possibly mind Mikal staying in my hut. "You're my friend! I can't just leave you out here for the monster to get you!"

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Mikal said, as if this were an incredible revelation that hadn't yet occurred to her. "You really do like me? You mean it?" Running from the monster might've been her top priority, but this was startling, too much so to ignore. It meant a lot, if someone like Kate could actually consider someone like her a friend.

[forhawkeye]

"Yes!" I assured her, though it was more of a grunt due to our continued exertion. We turned a corner and my hut finally came into view. "We're almost there!"

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"Thank goodness!" Mikal cried, and though winded, hurried forward with a fresh burst of speed, absolutely certain that the monster was right at their heels and too afraid to turn and look. "Come on, get us inside, quick!"

[forhawkeye]

I flung the door open, allowing Mikal to get in before I slammed the door shut behind us. Doubled over, I rested my hands on my knees, panting heavily.

"That...was...close."

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"Oh, my gosh," Mikal managed, her own breathing just as heavy, though she remained standing several feet from the door. It wouldn't have been right to take a seat anywhere without Kate's permission first, even on the floor, and she couldn't ask and risk being denied. Biting her lower lip, she turned to look back at the closed door, as if expecting the monster to start pounding against it at any moment. "I can't believe we made it. Thank you so much, you must have saved my life."

[forhawkeye]

"Don't worry about it," I assured her, gesturing towards the bed so she could sit down and catch her breath. It didn't feel right to be thanked for something that any decent person would have done, after all.

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

Hesitantly, even after Kate had made the offer fairly clear, Mikal took a seat on the edge of the bed, leaning forward as she tried to catch her breath. "Here," she said, still a little winded, one hand resting beside her. "Why don't you come sit down, too?"

[forhawkeye]

Swallowing thickly, I nodded and made my way over towards what passed as a bed, collapsing back onto it with no grace whatsoever.

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

Mikal shifted a little when Kate flopped down, not wanting to risk getting in the way or invading Kate's personal space. "We - we should probably stay here a while longer," she said after a moment, hesitant, in case Kate would want her to leave sooner than that, in which case she would have no choice but to oblige. "You know, in case that thing is still out there."

[forhawkeye]

"Good idea," I agreed, nodding as much as I could, given my position. "Who knows what that thing was. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

[sink-nor-swim.livejournal.com]

"You're so sweet," Mikal said, shaking her head a little, incredulous. She hadn't done anything to deserve that kind of behavior from Kate. "It's good we ran into each other. I don't know what I would have done if anything had happened to you, either."