Amber Pov
As we approached the base, it towering walls, the sharp lines of metal and reinforced glass it was a stark contrast to the chaos outside.
As I stepped into the awakened base with Edward and the others, a sense of relief washed over me.
The base felt like a haven amidst the chaos of the outside world.
But my relief was short-lived as my thoughts kept circling back to Sky.
I glance at Edward.
His expression was neutral, as if nothing had happened, but I knew better.
The tension from earlier in the forest still lingered, and I wasn't about to let it slide.
I quickened my pace and caught up to Edward, falling into step beside him.
Moving closer, I called out softly but firmly, "Edward."
He turned his head slightly, acknowledging me with a grunt.
His lack of enthusiasm only irritated me further.
"Are you okay?" I asked, my tone laced with concern despite my frustration.
For all his arrogance, Edward was still part of our group, and his actions earlier had left me uneasy.
He glanced at me, his expression unreadable at first.
He gave a quick nod, his voice casual. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Why? Are you seriously asking me that?" My voice dropped slightly, sharp enough to make him pause.
"Just look at how you are, you dont look good at all. You look like you have seen a ghost." I said.
"I am fine, just leave me alone." he said.
I narrowed my eyes at him again.
"You know exactly why I am talking to you, right?"
"I don't know, do me the good to remind me"
"what you did to sky back, it was out of line, it wasn't right."
Edward sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Here we go..." he said. "Out of line? Amber, you saw how he's been acting. Something's off about him."
"That doesn't justify treating him like dirt!" I shot back, my voice rising. The other two awakened slowed their pace, giving us subtle glances, but I didn't care.
"What you said to Sky was out of line. He's been through just as much as the rest of us, maybe even more, and all you did was... to mock him. Right in front of everyone." I said, "i know he might seem weak, but mocking him doesn't help. It will only make things worst"
Edward looked away, his jaw tightening. "I wasn't mocking him. I was stating facts. The guy's weak, Amber. I just don't like him, He's always been weak."
"That's not an excuse!, that doesn't mean you treat him like an outcast. This world is hard enough for someone like him." I shot back. "We're supposed to support each other, not tear each other down. And besides..."
I hesitated, my thoughts catching on the strange feeling I'd had since earlier.
"Something changed in him."
Edward look at me like he was thinking the same.
"Something seems different about him now. You noticed it too, didn't you?, You even tried to say it earlier, and that's why you've been acting so defensive."
He didn't respond immediately, but I didn't see a single doubt in his eyes.
Edward frowned. "What do you mean?"
You are trying to play dumb, huh.
"I mean... I don't know," I admitted, frustrated by my inability to put it into words. "But he's not the same Sky we knew before. There's something different in the way he carries himself, the way he looks at people, the way he handle things. It has changed."
Edward raised an eyebrow. "Maybe he just finally grew a backbone."
I softened my tone, trying to get through to him.
"Edward, I've known you long enough to know you're not cruel. Sky's not the same person he used to be. I don't know how he changed. You saw how he handled himself back in the forest. That wasn't just normal especially for Sky, it was like he's not afraid anymore. Like he's holding onto some secret we don't know about."
Edward expression conflicted. "So what you are saying? That he magically became stronger and beaver overnight? That he's hiding some secret power or whatever?"
"I don't know!" I admitted, throwing up my hands in exasperation.
"Alright, let's say you're right. What would make him change like that? People don't just wake up one day and become someone else."
"That's what I've been trying to figure out," I said, crossing my arms. "But I can't come up with anything that makes sense. He's still Sky, but at the same time, he's not."
"Maybe he had discovered some hidden ability."
"I doubt that"
"Maybe he had faced something out there in the wild that had forced him to grow."
"Maybe, I think that might be right, but I don't really know"
No matter how many ideas we came up with, none of them seemed to fit perfectly.
It was like trying to piece together a puzzle when half the pieces were missing.
Eventually, we reached the end of the corridor where our rooms were.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I turned to Edward one last time.
"I guess we're not going to figure this out anytime soon."
Edward shrugged. "Probably not. But if he's really changed, we'll see it soon enough."
"Listen," I said, my tone softer now. "Keep an open mind about Sky, okay? If something's really changed, it could be important."
He didn't reply, as he left only saying "Goodbye"
I stood there for a moment, watching him go, before finally making my way to my own quarters.
I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, letting out a slow breath.
The room was quiet, a stark contrast to the noise in my head.
Sky. The boy who had always been a step behind, always on the verge of breaking.
Now there was something almost... unshakable about him.
I couldn't shake the feeling that Sky's sudden change wasn't just a coincidence.
Something about him felt...different.
Not just in strength or confidence, but in the way he carried himself
There was something deeper in it,
something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
Dropping onto the small cot in my room, I stared at the ceiling.
What could have caused it.
I ran through every possibility in my mind, from hidden abilities to some kind of awakening.
But nothing seemed to fit.
I groaned, running a hand through my hair.
"What are you hiding, Sky?" I muttered to the empty room.