BLOOD AND BONE | rewritten

36

Gigi said nothing as they drove. She was more grounded than she'd ever been; it was still a wonder coming to terms with how real everything felt. It wasn't like she was living in someone else's dream anymore. Her body was her own to move in, to breathe in, to think in. Did normal people marvel at that fact too-that despite their hardships, they were always the master of their own will?

Just before they stopped, her gaze accidentally met Rainey's, who sat on the bench opposite Gigi. Her already-hard gaze sharpened to steel when she laid eyes on Gigi. It was no secret Rainey didn't take to Gigi. Or anyone, for that matter. Gigi didn't know how she felt about someone disliking her, but she knew what Rainey automatically assumed of her was worse.

You're weird, Rainey had said. Everything about you is off.

Was it any coincidence her words mirrored Gigi's own insecurities? She could have called Gigi a thousand cruel adjectives: stupid, worthless, pitiful. But instead she chose the one thing that would alienate Gigi even more. Weird. It was a childish insult. Still, it cut deep.

I'm not really like this, Gigi longed to tell her. I can be interesting. I can be funny and memorable and maybe even cool. But she was just a dull person in a boisterous crowd. It was safe. And Gigi hated it all the same.

Did she truly not know how to act like...like she had an identity anymore? Perhaps she had been clouded for too long to return to how she was, but Gigi thought she could move past this, become who she was meant to be. Childhood years were integral to a person's development, weren't they? At least she thought that was true. What if one couldn't remember those years?

Gigi would have to do better. She would die before being called weird or off again.

From the cab, Delphinium's voice broke through Gigi's thoughts. "You've dripped blood all over the seat."

"I'll be fine," Jake replied. Flatly enough to rival Gigi.

"I'll quote you on that when you collapse from blood loss and kill us all in a wreck."

"Don't be ridiculous. I am not the kind of man who dies."

Gigi stared at the sliver of Delphinium's long white braid visible through the center divider. She'd really thought they were alone for good. Then Delphinium and Jake returned. Not only was it shocking to see their lost teammates, but she was put off by the presence of those two in particular. Jake fit the image of crazy Gigi so desperately tried to avoid. But Delphinium was different. Gigi noticed her knack for hiding everything about herself.

Gigi knew their purpose for saving them did not stem from the goodness of their hearts. From the looks Finn and Rainey were throwing Jake's turned back, they knew it too.

When Jake turned the vehicle to the side of the road for a break, he and Delphinium entered the rear. It took all Gigi's strength not to shrink to the corner. Delphinium's fear response was nearly always activated-she ran almost exclusively on adrenaline and cortisol-and still never did that. So Gigi would not either. She wanted to be normal, but not unimpressive.