Chapter 8. Welcome to the group. pt.1

"And you know the rest since we're here," she waved her hand at me and her, "broken down while you were bruised up from my decision." she sounded regretful as she looked at me trying to find any comfortable place on this table we were sitting at together, "..same could be said for you.." dryly laughing at her; as she wasn't that far apart from me in this moment while her tired and terrible look replacement for my injured in my metaphor of similarity between us.

After saying that, the conversation we tried to have only fell into a uncomfortable silence as we only had nothing else to say; or my body refusing to continue as it told me to only rest as It slowly started sliding down to the rest on the sitting spot on the table.

"Grey."

As I heard her again address me, but this time she approached me differently than her last attempt while she had a mental breakdown in the middle of it. But this approach was her grabbing my shoulder to make sure I didn't fall anymore and actually hear her out instead of resting like I should be in this moment.

"I'm truly grateful to you for protecting my friends Grey." she only gave me a warm smile that had only the look of genuine person wanting to give their gratitude, "If-" Hearing enough as I cut her off to voice out my weak laugh at her, "..heh..been awhile since somebody gave me a praise after they were done using me." slightly pushing her away from me lightly because of my lack of strength.

"You think I used you?!" after I said my way seeing it, she only gotten enraged by what I've said while getting up from the table's seat, but quickly she began to stagger as the faint of her breakdown was still effect "I don't-" as Alejandro tried to be the voice of reason here while getting up as well to stop her from doing anything rash while helping her to stand, "No! I didn't have a choice on the person who'll be defending my friends!" as she said that, she only glared at me with eyes of filled with anger.

"You could have given me a heads up, that'll probably lessen my injuries." giving her a solid answered on how she could have done it better, but my lack of knowledge on how this conversation was going; Christa was only more angered about how I poorly place my words as she only took it as disrespect towards her.

"Do you have any idea how hard it was once I seen you walked into my class?! Do you know I was so tempted to just yell at you to leave and get all of my friends out of there before the attack happened!" she only continued to shake in anger at my poor understanding about her point of view on her part. But shaking in anger wasn't enough for her anymore at this point, she only pushed Alejandro away to now be standing on her own ground with her own two feet without the help of Alejandro anymore as her breakdown was completely overtaken by her pure rage at me in this moment.

"I-!"

As she only stopped midway for some reason, as she yelled out in anger throughout our conversation.

Throughout her outburst, I only felt that it was necessary for me to only look her eye to eye while muscling through my pain when moving my head around to met her glare, but only stopping as she made it difficult for me as time went on while I needed to force myself to look upwards as well to match her. But about to force myself to look at her again; to only feel a hand place on top my head to stop my movements, but more importantly to make me stop causing pain to myself while moving.

"Stop," as the hand was place on top of me, the hand only lightly pressed onto me to make sure I wasn't in pain as they told me to stop, "I'm sorry for placing you in even more pain than you needed to be in." as she told that, I've gotten what she meant as I comply with her statement, "I only came here to say that I'm grateful to you for protecting my friends," as she hesitated on her next statement, her hand on head also became much rougher than before, "But unsurprisingly I've ended up having a argument at our hero who can't even verbal defend himself as the pain he went through to protect us are too much for him to even look me in the eyes."

Once she said that, the room that the three of us were staying in once again fell into silence as she explained my entire status in this moment of time, with her only sitting in front of me without making any noise whatsoever while Alejandro only sat back and ready for what's going to happen next if either me or Cristina tries to do anything to each other.

As I finally gotten the strength to lift my head without me having to force myself to make my body do something as painful before, the scene I was gifted to as I finally looked at Cristina was the look of an ashamed person who couldn't bear to look at her actions she done. As everything went uncomfortably quiet as she was done ranting at her actions, the only feeling I had was amusement because of her barrages of mixed emotions she went through in just a short amount of time she spoken to me before I was enjoying somebody else leftovers scrip.

"W...well I was h..hurt by this." as I playfully brought my finger tips together while looking down in fake embarrassment to go with my show, "I was-" as I looked up to see her face as she wasn't buying my bit whatsoever and was genuinely confused by my actions while my sudden shaft in personality only made her concern for my mental health, "It's a joke to lighten the mood." I've deadpan explained why the change in character.

As a audible sound came from the both of them as their sighs that they both had to voice their concerns wasn't needed as I didn't have any mental injuries, "But what I was going to play towards," stretching out my shoulders, "Was it's okay." as my shoulders seemed able to move my arms without giving me so much pain before as I tried. Once I've brought my hand out to show her it was okay, she only smiled at me with a painful look in her eyes as she only looked away from me in shame of herself.

"I don't deserve you're forgiveness Grey." she sounded happy at the beginning, but slowly started sounded hurted as she ended her reasoning, "Then don't be, I've done way much more worser stuff back then for others," as I've shot Alejandro a look to help me up, he only comply as he lifted me up gently, "At least you had the guts to come and apologize to me instead of throwing me away like I was nothing once I finished their task." as I finished my reasoning, I finally made it to her to place my hand on her shoulder to reassure her. But throughout the conversation we've been having, I've finally picked up that she was stubborn as hell as she only flicked my hand off her shoulder.

"I see the problem," scoffing at her now, "It's doesn't feel right to get off scot free right?" asking her directly at the problem, and like a little kids admitting to being caught for stealing something from their parents; she only nodded at my answer, "I guess we all have our differences takes on being forgiven so easily," laughing a bit at her stubbornness at accepting my 'I don't care' speech, "Well I guess you own me one thing and then we'll be even right?"

Finally getting her attention as she pricked up a bit after hearing my offer to her, "I'll forgive you for showing me a good time." giving a wink.

As I said those words, the entire room went silent while both Alejandro and Christina went still as they heard my request. Looking over my side as I felt Alejandro loose his hold on me, confused I turn to look at him for why, but as I've seen his face that had once a looked of pride for me at asking him to give me a hand to stand and move to Christa for comfort, to now his eyes showing no more respect for me as his very look told me he was about to drop me at any second. While Christa only continued to stand without showing her face to us.

"You know," as I said that, Alejandro only gave a look that told me I better choose my words carefully, "I'm going to stop copying my friend's way at breaking the ice to peoples while trying bright the mood in that way." as I pleaded to Alejandro to not drop me for being stupid at this moment. While both of them finally understood why I was acting out of character when telling them how'll me and Christina will get even, Alejandro was the only one who sounded slightly amused by my reasoning as he gave out a sigh.

"Yes, flirting isn't your best trait." Alejandro answered back only a bit amused but mostly saddened by this fact that I have no ability whatsoever in this art, "I'll say." now hearing another sigh coming in front of us, "That's one way of breaking the ice...horribly." she now turned to only laugh at us. After everything was said and done while making a fool of myself in the process, everything settled down and the three of us were calmed by me finally lighten the mood between us.

"Actually the thing I wanted you to do was look after someone-" as I've suddenly shifted to my jokingly self to now my serious look at Cristina, but she instantly cut me off, "I will!" she answered back knowing where I was coming from, "I didn't-" she once again interrupted me as she covered my face with her hand, "That's another reason why I'm here Grey." she answere back, "I almost forgotten but thank you for reminding me on my other reason for coming here," she only looked amused by herself for almost forgetting something important, "I will take responsibility for my choice I've made," as she looked trouble, probably remembering everything that happened once she made that choice of hers, she looked again to crumb at the guilt; but shaked her head to stop her thoughts, "For the deaths of those we-" once again stopping herself, "'I've' done by my decision," as she corrected herself, she only gave a mixed smile about her choice of taking full responsibility, "As well as taking care of Valérie for getting hurt for my decision."

Once she was done, she only looked complete as she finally let everything out to me about her problems; the only thing she gifted me as she was done was a warm smile for me as way of thanking me for listening to her. And as she stole my moment at being cool while total being unselfish here as my request was going to be looking after Valérie from the start, but a last she beat me to the punch.

"..ha."

As reality came crashing onto my body as it remember I was supposed to be in major pain as my body stared feeling heavier than before once it felt the realism of it pain it was going through once the painkillers worn off, as I started losing feelings in my legs and arms, only smiling at how pathetic I was to be this weak.

"Guess I'll take a br..."

Losing complete feeling of my body at this point, as my balance became unstable as it started falling forward without any warning. As I was falling down, instead of seeing the floor that I was heading to; the only thing I seen on the ground that I was about to slam hard into was instead pitch black muk with hands reaching out to me slowly, and as I was about to move my arm in panic over them while trying to do anything to leave this moment. But all of them grabbed me instantly as I tried to move an inch while falling; bring up my arm to prevent the fall from hurting less as I was coming closer to the floor.

Once making contact with the floor, instead of feeling the hard floor as we connected; it only felt like a splash when you jump into the water once you'd made contact with the muk. And as I've sat back into the darkness once again, and taking courage to move my arm away from my eyes to see the mess I gotten myself in; but it's was much more worser than before as I looked at the building this hellscape made for me.

As the darkness cleared a bit to show more of the building I've never wanted to see again in my life, a ghostly amount of black slage started walking into the building like it was normal for them. Terrified at knowing where this was going for me, turning around to escape this nightmare of a dream and never wanted to see this again; but turning only sealed my intonation as I was gifted the sight of a previous dark figure when I first arrived here.

"You'll be late again Grey!"

The thing only came closer as it said that,

"Don't wanna be late for class on our last day here."

Turing around again to probably escape into the building, instead of being around him. But instead of seeing the building that was once here, the only thing here and only here at this moment was him multiple while circling me so I wouldn't leave him.

"W..hy..aban...doned us?"

As they finished speaking, they instantly jumped at me without me knowing.

The only thing I could have done in that moment was close my eyes at the pain they'll inflict on me, but like everything that was happening at this moment; nothing happened to me as I didn't feel any pain whatsoever from them. And confused by this outcome by them, slowly again opening my eyes while preparing myself for any jump scary that'll happen once I opened my eyes, but like again. Opening my eyes to another scene instead of the pitch darkness I was in a moment ago, as this scene was much more brighter than the other one.

Confused while floating around this better place, wondering if I was really that fucked up than most if I'm tripping out this much. But was quickly answered went another dark figure emerge with it being different to the others as it clearly showed it emotions as it started walking in pace with the looks of it wanting to say something to me but unable to do so.

Terrified at first as it appeared, but slowly losing that feelings as the figure didn't do anything mysterious or demonic like the others I seen before as it kept on talking or something as continued to walk in place. And seeing how I was a fool to be terrified of this thing in front of me like it'll do anything to me; as I remembered that non of the others dark figure before never hurted me physically whatsoever as they surround me or became much more bigger than before.

Taking a few minutes to compile all this information I've gathered about these figures that I met with, I only started laughing at that dark figure knowing it couldn't do anything to me in this moment in time. As I started laughing at it, it only looked amused at sudden shaft to it, it only came closer to try and terrify me a bit at this action, but giving it my signature smug look at it to challenge it for not even being a threat to me whatsoever, or even better, not even being nothing at all to me.

As it seen my smug look I gave it, it only grown more angry than it first appeared here in my realm of brightest. As it tried to come closer to me, it looked to be struggling a lot in that moment as it barely moved closer at all with how much it struggled, but feeling pitiful for this dark figure that formed here without the power to do anything at all like those another dark figure who actually scared me before; giving it advance smuger smile at it for it's troubles for reaching me.

It finally grown only angrier once again when reacting to my look for it, as it didn't have anything holding it back anymore as it finally came closer than before with it actually being much more larger than I thought it'd be. With it closer than I'll rather have it to me, the only thing I seen in it eyes were fury that looked to blow any moment in time while waiting for me to respond to it's intimidation; while tempted to give it a response that it probably wanted from it threat like fear, but answering it with the same smug smile at it as I known it's incapable of harming me in this world with a hint of scoff to it.

Not giving it the response it wanted, the darkness finally lost it with my antics as it formed a fist with the intent of ending me here, but like again when it tried to come up to me; it only looked to held back by something as it struggled to make a move on me. Now feeling more sorry for it than rather afraid of it, I only laughed; now feeling much more better as I finally laughed in this apocalyptic world, even if it was a sadistic laugh, it's felt much better than a fake one. But the darkness didn't shared my idealistic view on my laught as it took it as a insult rather then me finally finding some semblance of peace here as it finally fired off it looming fist at me.

Welcoming this darkness's pathetic punch as I gave it more of a smugly smile as it came closer, it's only grown more angry as it came at me like the speed of lightning. Only closing my eyes as I known it was coming and it won't do anything to me, now just waiting for me to wake up at last-

But as the punch connected with me; my entire face was flared with pain, now terrified by this darkness's capable to inflict pain at me in a physical way instead of just only looking at me before without doing anything. Bring up my guard for another attack that it will probably do, but as I opened my eyes; instead of looking at darkness before, it now was once again me looking at a ceiling with the only difference was hearing people arguing in the background while I only continued to look at the ceiling.

"You sadistic bastard!" hearing a familiar voice that I didn't really want to hear at this moment, "So you're that brave for going missing for two days straight and now trying to sleep a day away?!" tempted at looking at the ceiling for probably an entire day instead of having to deal with him while he's angry, but like most of my time here in this apocalypse; wanting to do something is impossible for me.

"He still injured-"

As another voice tried to explain my problem, but cutting them off as I slowly started getting up.

Once I've gotten up and now sitting on this sofa I magical woken up on, everyone who was arguing now stopped as they seen me getting up; once they went quiet I only waved my hand to the person who attacked me to signal him to come over so I can tell him something. As doing so, the person who attacked me only scoffed at my gesture while walking up to me slowly as I heard his steps coming closer; as he finally made it to me in front of me, he only looked down at me.

"Well? You're ex-"

"Bitch!"

Not letting him finish his sentence as I brought my fist to meet his chin with enough force for it to knock him down easily at this sudden attack on my part. And not letting him get off so easily; pushing the blanket off of me that stuck to me as I gotten up so I could look down at my attacker without looking funny so I could look intimidating.

"Bitch..." he spite out that word to me with a hint of simmer anger.

"Bitch." giving the same tone to him while giving him a death glar to match his anger.

"..bitch..." As he only continued to look at me, he slowly began to lose more anger than he started with as we met.

"Bitch.." The same goes for me as well as we only continued to look at each others as my fake anger was showing as we continued.

"Bitch!" Now that his anger as well faded away, the only thing in his tone was a mixture of happiness with sadness into his word.

"..bitch."

Could never be angry with my closest friend, giving Nix a hand so he could get up much faster while also showing him my forgiveness for his actions he done to me till now. And thinking that him punching me would be all he'll do to me, but my first mistake was forgiving a person who literally started our reunion with a punch to the face to now him punching me in the stomach for helping him up.

The punch wasn't that hurtful like the last punch he threw, but still enough to make me curl up from the sudden hit he did; and like a instant as I curled up. He pulled me into a hug with the strength of somebody that didn't want to let go anytime soon.

"No homo. But thank you for coming back Grey." as he finished saying that, he only tighten his grip on me while placing his head onto my shirt so he can cry in peace.

"Welcome back."

Feeling an unfamiliar hand touch my shoulder while me and Nix were having a bromance between us, I instantly moved to look at this unknown person. But like my reunion with Nix wasn't weird enough but a welcoming one, another person who I didn't think would be here.

"Thanks, you too." smiling at this warm welcome back from the two, "It's nice to see you're still alive Greylin." taking advantage of our height differences between us to pat her on the head while using my other hand to wrap my arm around Nix's back to give back the love he's giving me.

"Heh," was enjoying our little hug till, "So is making fun of my sexuality a way of you telling us you're the same like me?" hearing a amused voice coming from behind us while we we're hugging it out together, and knowing who it was as seeing Nix's facial expression suddenly changed to being happy while on the verge of tears coming down to now only looking at a expressions of somebody caught.

"Lizzy if you want-"

As I was going to amused her in her joke for her to join in our hug fest and get some love as well. But Nix had another way of handling that joke as the means to push me away as hard as he can so we can be separated as fast as humanly possible in that short amount of time.

"Are you okay?!" seeing Greylin quickly rush over to me.

"Tis' but a scratch." sarcastically telling her my condition.

As Greylin made it to me, she instantly give out a hand for me in helping me up, but doubting that she can lift me up without needing my help in lifting me up; but my doubts quickly died out as she easily brought me up without me helping whatsoever.

"Sorry Nix." hearing Liz, "I thought at least that'll be enough-" making my way over as quickly as possibles towards Liz for support, "It's alrighty Nix," while cutting her off in the process, but nonetheless supporting her, "Getting over trauma isn't easy." correcting Liz of her lack of understanding about how she'll place her words right when speaking about a sensitive subject; taking the hint I gave her as she elbowed me in the side to get me off of her, "Like Grey say; it's takes time, not force."

As the both of us continue to lean on each while giving Nix a smile to show him there's nothing wrong, he slowly but surely washed his panicked face over as we waited for him to recover. But as me and Liz were leaning on each other, the pain again started flaring up again as Liz was probably a bit heavier than I thought or it's either me as I didn't train my body enough than I'll like.

"You- you're probably right." as we heard that, both me and Liz looked please as we've successfully calmed him down without him freezing up or having a breakdown, "Sorry guys." he only sat himself down to recover a bit more, "It's okay, it's basically my fault here." she said as she stopped leaning on me to go and comfort him, "Yeah Liz, you're such a bad person." amused while saying that.

"Ahm?" feeling a tip on my shoulder, "I don't know what's happened?" Greylin looked to me for some answers at that confusing moment, "It's not my place to talk about," giving her a quick look to only then look at the both of them, "It's up to him and only him to talk about his pain."

"But anyway," stopping my serious act, "I thought you were die not gonna lie." turning around to met somebody who I thought I'll never see again in this apocalyptic world, "So how it's going Greylin? Anything new since we last met?" wanting to leave both Liz and Nix alone to have there own moment; so deciding that Greylin was more important, "Well been living in a apocalyptic world for three days, not knowing if my father alive or not, and been sticking with my new friends I've made thanks to you." she explained everything that happened to her in just a short amount of time, "You?"

"Hmm," looking around to see if anyone was around as we speak, but was more surprised to see that we're in a completely new room that I haven't seen before in the school, "Oh yeah," as Greylin read my mind at looking at this place, "We were told that you were found by students who found you laying down in the cafeteria, so they brought you to the bunk." as she explained it, the room were filled with injured students all a like, "The bunk is basically for students to relax or come here after they healed their wounds, so it's was surprising to hear that you were injured pretty badly." she answered my question right away before I even gotten a word in.

Looking around once again, it's was so surreal to see that the students were actually acting and looking like actually 'students' instead of them looking like people in those apocalyptic movie, and wanting to enjoy this moment of something tranquil in this broken world; closing my eyes to just picture myself going by like a normal student was a far cry to my actually self in time as having my weapon on wrist was anything far from normal in our previous world.

"A lot of thing changed right?" feeling a hand place on me as I continued to picture myself as something I wasn't, "Yup." answering her back, "Well just know I'm here and you're friends." hearing hopefulness in her tone as she said that, and seeing no point in being a dick and being realistic here at the moment with her. Only giving a small grin while nodding my head to her, "Whose said you weren't my friend Greylin?!" suddenly shifting me trying to pretend I was something rather then this, to now me spinning around to caught her into a hug.

"W-whit urr ye daein'!?" she was genuinely confused as to me spinning with her as we hugged, "Welcome to the Goon squad." was my only answer to her question was an invention to join our group, and while both her and my other idoits were surprised at my invention for her. They both only nodded at the idea of adding another member for our small group while they only nodded at my proposal, they didn't know the volumes of how it felt to Greylin as she only hugged back with much more strength than I thought was possible for somebody her size.

"Are we really called 'the order of the goons' now?" hearing mumbling at the back of us as I was being crushed by Greylin, "You gave him control of the group chat." seeing a light as Greylin only continued to crush me like nothing as she continued, "I thought you did?" hearing something familiar as she only continued to kill me with this dealth hug, "Grey?" Were you the one who changed our group's name without permission?" wanting to answer them at how I hilariously change the chat name but quickly afterwards broke my phone thanks to one of those kids trying to impress his friends with it, but as Greylin continued to crush me with her inhuman strength was kinda hard to tell them I did it for the memes.

"Oh well," hearing somebody, "Guess we're team Goon then." now hearing the rest of team goon now laughing at our name.

But the only one who didn't join in with the team's laugh was me as Greylin still didn't let go of me when I kept on tapping her to signal her I give up and don't wanna be in her death grip anymore.