My long runs went so long that people could come at different times which made them happy. Nigel was really stepping up to push himself to run more too, joining me every time. Sergey and Kelton didn’t seem happy about that, but I thought it was more that we had to be super careful now on campus about being involved.
But apparently not. People were making comments about it not being strictly friendly ontheir endand the people who knew we were involved were amused.
Gloria finally spelled it out for me that they were jealous that Nigel was finding a way to get closer to me when he already had the edge of being in most of my classes. I just sighed and told them to run more then and I couldn’t slow down for them.
Apparently, that was a badass, queen, and girl power thing to say?
This socializing thing was difficult. I thought it was bitchy and not understanding of their feelings when they had been of mine, but I’d been tired. Maybe because I hadn’t said it to their faces? So timing was always important?
Could I get an instruction manual like I did schoolbooks?
Please?
Getting into a real routine for running helped a lot and it was immediate. I went four days once over the two weeks without crying and that was big fast. For me—to me at least. I didn’tcare about what others thought, though Emma agreed and even Taylor said he was glad I was doing better.
But the offer for yoga stood.
Awesome. I did want to go. I wanted to add it, but I was proud of myself for saying what I needed and wanted first. Really proud of myself even. Clare said the same and she wanted to learn to do the same.
Jasmine and Tracey said she was doing much better too. Clare wasn’t a runner, but every morning she took a walk around the lake with her familiar. Easy, long stroll with coffee but good for her.
Really, good for her. I wanted her to heal.
Didn’t we all just need that?
14
Taylor’s people were healing too. A lot of them ran with me and sometimes I did therapy for them and their familiars or if I needed it, they were understanding and just let me zone out. The vast majority of the time they weren’t pushy unless there was a problem and that was amazing. They were also grateful for what I’d done and not greedy.
That had made me cry and people hadn’t understood. I felt bad when the three people were freaking out and promising they hadn’t done anything to me. When I’d calmed down and explained how nice it was after how the council and “good guys” had been treating me, I received a lot of teary looks and understanding nods.
Yeah, they’d been beat up too. There was areasonthey had all left our society to join the human military.
Really big reasons for some of them like Emma.
But nothing is perfect. I had to pull Mrs. Reid off to the side because her familiar told me something unsettling and I didn’t want it to linger over us when she was my mentor. I assured her that her mate had never been inappropriate with me and he did not have thoughts of me. She promised she knew and went to give me a brush-off, but I stopped her.
“Your familiar says you still worry, Laura,” I’d said gently, talking to her as a woman, not as a councilman’s wife or mentor.“Listen to me because I know whathisfamiliar knows.” I waited until she nodded. “He is still disturbed he’s seen sexualized underage pictures of me. He is protective of me because I embody the ones he’s failed. That’s all. I would know.”
“That’s good to hear but—”
“Laura, I would know. That’s why it’s been hard giving sessions to other council members,” I told her, my voice cracking.
She did a double take, pity filling her eyes. “He said your name in bed, and he explained it was a nightmare about you running into the burning council estate to save the familiars—wasn’t even sure it was you, but it made sense if he said your name.” She let out a shaky breath. “But things have been so…”
“I’m not an issue, I promise. I would know.”
“Thank you for comforting me. I knew. I never doubt Owen, just things have been too…”
“I know. Me too.” I was glad when she hugged me and I could accept it. But mostly that she wasn’t one of those women who would resentmeor blame me for trying to seduce her mate or something.
Especially when there was nothing there. She was too stressed, and with things so volatile, she was worried about more slipping through her fingers. I completely understood that.
It was what I was struggling with as well.
She also had helped me majorly with my struggles and giving me peace of mind, so I wasn’t going to let her worry about something I could help with. Both of my new rooms were done. Magic was awesome like that.
But Mrs. Reid was instrumental in moving me to a new room in Morrigan. There wasn’t another single room in the freshman dorm, so I was actually in the junior/senior dorm… Where my friends were, and I didn’t think that was an accident.
