17:33

Her eyes finally lifted from the cracked and worn concrete, rising to see him standing at the gate, still as a statue. Her lips parted, eyes widening more than they'd ever have for so long. Her hands gripped the armrests of the chair, the stupid chair. She didn't need it, no matter what anyone else said. She saw his brows furrowing as he only barely moved his hand in a way that gestured for her to stay back.

She flung herself up and off the chair, falling to the ground. He watched through confused, blurring eyes, resisting his hands from clenching at his sides, knowing that he was being watched. He couldn't move...no matter how much he wanted to...the little gesture he made was already a risk too dangerous.

She didn't care that her legs were being scraped, nor the blood that dropped onto the ground. She pushed herself to him, her fists hitting the pedestal he stood on like a trophy.

In a flurry of rage and hurt, she shot up from the ground and held onto him for life not so dear.

She couldn't feel her legs buckling or her toes shuffling unstable on the ground, but she knew she'd collapse at any moment.

She needed to know, if he meant it.

"Is this not what you wanted...?"