They are Roommates

“Please stop pacing.”, Doctor Conti says to me as I continue walking about the main room of the infirmary. “You’ll ruin the immaculate flooring.”, He adds with a chuckle. I glare at the lanky doctor as I continue my pacing. “They haven’t been gone that long.”, The doctor finally addresses the tank in the room.

“It’s been three hours!”, I exclaim unable to hide my annoyance with an added huff of air and raising my arms up towards the ceiling.

“She’s fine. She’s with the chief of security.”, He counters with a smile meant to calm me down. I sigh in displeasure and resignation as I lower my arms because I know he is right but I just cannot shake this feeling of worry.

Before I could pave a permanent circle in the infirmary floor with my walking the door opens to reveal Ingrid and Chief Benterro.

“How are you feeling!?”, I loudly inquire Ingrid as I rush to her side completely ignoring the chief.

“I’m a little tired.”, The taller girl responds unable to hide her exhaustion.

“Probably just had more excitement than you’ve been getting since you woke up.” The chief says as if that would calm me down. But he was right so I hold my anger in.

“Let’s get you to bed.”, I gently say to Ingrid as I rest her uninjured arm around my shoulders so I can help her.

“Hey Lawson.”, The chief says. Apparently he was still here, I was not aware he still had business with us. “She can’t just stay in this infirmary. We don’t know how long she’s gonna stay.”, He continues as I stop and turn my head back to look at the well built man. “Plus, you have another bed in your house.”, he adds.

“I-I,”, I begin to stammer as I turn my head around and look at the floor in front of me as surprise and embarrassment wash over me as if I dove into a pool of these emotions. “I do.”, I finally finish my response as I feel the heat of emotions filling my face.

“Well good.”, Chief Benterro says, “She can stay with you then.”

“Wait!”, I exclaim as I turn my head back to look at the chief but he has somehow already left as if he was never even there. I look at Ingrid, her face has a look of weariness as if she has been running nonstop all day since she left. Anger begins to fill my body like air.

“Is your house far?”, Ingrid wearily asks me as she begins to rely on me more for balance.

“Not too far.”, I answer as I stumble over to a chair to sit the injured girl in. “But you should sit for a little while first.”, I add as Doctor Conti helps me carefully lower Ingrid into a chair.

-- -- --

Ingrid and I sit in silence as she seems to be doing that strange thing she does every day, I think she said she was focusing. On what exactly I cannot say.

“I’m ready when you are.”, Ingrid energetically says before I can ponder on the mystery of her focusing. “I think.”, she adds as she slowly opens her eyes. I get up to my feet and move myself to help Ingrid to hers.

“We’ll take it slow.”, I tell her as she gets up to her feet. They did not tremble like when she got up from the bed earlier, so that is a good sign.

-- -- --

Ingrid and I slowly move through the busy street, unfortunately most people were getting ready to eat or prep dinner.

“Excuse us.”, I pester every person who nears us. The people in New Yuma are a close and kind lot so when they hear me they are nice enough to make sure we can move through. However, news travels fast in a tight community like ours. This was one of those times, everyone we pass looks at us with varying expressions of surprise. Some even speak, they would probably say whisper loudly, about Ingrid’s appearance or what could possibly be happening between the two of us. I am not much of a nosy gossip myself, even though I know people love it here, I would stop and yell at them but it would just make an unnecessary scene and waste time. Before I can get too lost in thought a tank of a security officer steps off his small stand for directing people and looks down at both of us. Despite his size and demeanor of seriousness, he attempts to give a gentle smile to reassure Ingrid and I. Or at least I hope it is meant to be gentle and reassuring because it looks like a raptor that found its prey. Did he take lessons from Chief Benterro on how to look comforting to people?

Before I can go further down that hole of thought though the security officer asks Ingrid and I, “Need help?” I finally notice that I have nearly fallen over and Ingrid has also almost slipped off of my shoulders.

“That would be appreciated officer.”, I respond as I feel Ingrid beginning to use me more as a walking support and slide herself back onto my shoulders. Apparently her focusing did not give her as much energy as she thought.

“Where are we headed?”, The officer inquires as he moves to give Ingrid a much sturdier base to hold.

“My house.”, I answer with a sigh of relief as I suddenly feel all the weight of Ingrid I have been carrying lifted from me. I need to work out more if I am going to support Ingrid’s weight all the time.

-- -- --

We finally reach the door to my small abode. I proceed to open the door to let the security officer and Ingrid in.

“Put her here.”, I say as I walk over to the larger bed in the single large room of my home.

“Alright.”, The officer responds as he walks over and helps Ingrid into the bed. Despite that she still nearly falls onto the bed. “Sorry about that.”, He says with a frown of genuine concern.

“I didn’t get hurt.”, Ingrid answers my question before I can even ask it. The massive man gives a much more reassuring smile than before as he waves good bye and walks out the door, closing it behind him. Maybe he did not learn how to console people with a smile from Chief Benterro after all.

“Do you need anything?”, I ask my new house mate after a short pause between us.

“Do you have any water?”, She asks as she looks around her new setting.

“A little, we’ve actually been having some water issues lately.”, I respond as I walk over to my fridge.

“Why hasn’t it been fixed?”, Ingrid inquires as I grab a slightly filled bottle of water and close the fridge door.

“We don’t have the parts.”, I answer as I walk over to her and give her the bottle. “At least that’s what Ol’Pete says.”, I add as I sit down on the bed near her. It feels different than when we were in the infirmary, not because of distance but we feel closer somehow.

An awkward wordless silence falls between us for what feels like an eternity as Ingrid slowly sips the water from the bottle. The way she eats and drinks is quite adorable, like a little hamster.

“I’ve been meaning to ask.”, She finally fills the empty suffocating silence with her rough voice. I look at her with a raised brow, she usually did not ask me things. “How old are you?”, Ingrid finally inquires. That is what she wanted to ask? Seriously, she could have asked me this at any time since we first talked.

“I’m seventeen.”, I answer as I shift my sitting position on the bed. Both out of annoyance of finally being asked something so mundane and to get into a more comfortable spot on the lumpy mattress.

“You’re older than me!?”, Her jaw drops and she nearly plops the bottle of water as well onto the bed as she responds. Was it that shocking? Wait, I am older than her!?

“You’re younger!?”, I exclaim matching her shock with my own.

“This whole time I thought you were like thirteen or fourteen.”, The lithe teen sighs with relief, “I thought this place was really struggling making such a young kid work so hard.”

“Hold on!”, I stand up in annoyance and give Ingrid a steely gaze. “You thought I was younger!? What made you think that?”, I yell in at her, feeling my anger beginning to boil my blood.

“I mean…”, She trails off unfazed by my rage and annoyance. “You’re small.”, She finishes after a moment as she looks down at the bottle in her hands.

“You’re just big!”, I retort as I cross my arms and turn up my head making my annoyance at her thoughts more visible.

“I’m sixteen.”, Ingrid meekly says before a long silence can fill the air again. I turn my head to give her a look. The difference between how she normally acts all tough and stoic and the way she is acting now is really making me feel… drawn to her I think. I want to see more of this side of her, I almost feel a need for it. So much so I could feel my anger quickly dissipate and cool just from the sight.