Off the Path {Jack ~ Matt/Gala}

Something about not being in control tends to be the worst feeling. Sliding down a short slope may be nothing like what she went through but it brings up the memory all the same. Feeling helpless as Jins scooped her up like she weighed as much as a feather, carrying her over to that threatening depth before tossing her in. This time it's the earth that forces her down and she doesn't reach the actual water. And even the fact that the shores only a foot deep it has her just as terrified. Luckily she doesn't end up in any bit of wetness. Not even wanting to consider her reaction if she did. Only this has her shaken up enough.

Her names follows with more pieces of dirt and tiny rocks sliding down the steep slope to the water. She recognizes the voice of her former trainer without even turning. Still her light eyes go over to meet him just as he reaches her spot. With all the friends, and his girlfriend, she figured no one would bother following her let alone Matthew. A weak welcoming grin finds her face somehow, even if her body's still recovering from the sudden fall. She has to be the sarcastic yet sweet little girl, and some terrors won't take away her role...even if it becomes a little fake at times.

"Yeah..." Gala answers with a hushed voice to hide away any cracks that may occur. She shakes her head slightly as if it could rid of what just happened. No matter what she has to prove that she's okay. "I'm fine." She has to choke back her words a little bit but still gets them out. With no desire to stay anywhere near this location she retrieves to her feet, even if Matthew just sat down. They can talk, she'd love that actually, just not here. "We should get back to the path..." She offers while wiping her dirty hands on her pants. A couple of sturdy roots provide support as she pulls her petite body up the slope that carried her down.

For a second Gala simply sits there, as if to enjoy the distances away from the threat. After a moment she does get back up, just to clean her hands on her jeans once again. Now that they're away from that it's much easier to put up a front. "Think you could teach me to hunt while we're out here?" Anything to get off of the topic of water, which might be lingering on his mind after what just happened. Plus the idea of learning from her old trainer actually puts a little joy into the youngster that's been nothing but sorrows. As long as he doesn't expect to talk about that scary event, something she's unable to converse to Kyanite about. Best to just ignore the pain.

Somehow through everything that happened only moments okay an enthusiastic smile finds it's onto Gala's face. The horrible flashbacks, the uncontrollable fear actually fades a bit at Matthew's undoubting answer. It's as if she's getting her trainer back if only for a an hour or two. They can go back in time for a little, pretend that horrible event never happened just for a second. "Cool." Old Gala almost reappears as she finds the eagerness to train once again. Since the attack it's been nothing but sleep with no consideration of training. But now? She's thrilled to get back into training as her mind goes back in time to her more careless self. They're not even doing this as careers though it's all the same in to her.

The suggestion that Tyren would be a better instructor makes her expression almost appear insulted as she shakes her head in refusal. He's a great guy from the lots she's been told and bits of what she's witnessed. But he's not her old trainer, and even if she could learn more from someone else she only wants Matthew as her instructor again. "But i'd suck at a bow and arrow." From the few months she's already learned her skill falls in close-combat. Something about aiming just doesn't do her any good. Plus she'd nearly say anything to convince Matt that he's the only one capable of training her. After her last attempt to get a new trainer she'll probably never trust anyone ever again to take that job. "Can't we just sneak up on the animal and get them with a knife?" Being taught in hunting never did happen for her.

Staying in the happy mode doesn't last long though, because one glance at the lake she almost just encountered is plenty to bring her back to reality. Matthew must of caught her stare as he comments over the matter. There was no doubt in her mind that he'd come to the rescue if he was able to. At the hospital Kyanite mentioned how the boys went after her lifeless body in the pool. Even before that she knew Matt would though, an instinctual feeling almost. Maybe not so much when they went through that rift, but certainly since the pregames epidemic. "I know." For a second she's unsure if he said he pulled her out, or if he'd pull her out. Either way her response works perfectly. Anything could of happened though; she could of not fallen at all, or landed in the water and Matthew never followed her. Guess she can only be happy it turned out the way it did.

Positivity actually escapes Matthew as he's convinced one day Gala will be able to at least put her feet in the lake. If only she could think that highly herself. "Yeah right." Slips from her mouth without a filter. Honestly she didn't mean to verbalize her feelings but it blurted itself out. It's much easier to pull away from that terrifying yet beautiful view with a gentle push in the right direction, and without hesitation she follows her old trainer's lead.

Being surrounded by trees and nature, with no signs of water, is much more Gala's cup of tea. Certainly she loves being out her as she's always been a little explored, and did experience camping with her family before everyone fell apart. "Love it." Gala enhances it from being just a like as Matthew asks. The sight of jumping squirrels brings back the idea of learning how to hunt. "Bet Kyanite could hit one with a knife." She comments as her eyes stayed glued upon the wildlife happening all around them. With the right motivation it's not difficult to distract herself from the nightmares that even haunt her awaken hours. "What sort of hunting are we gonna do?" It's much easier to stay on that topic.

There's no comparing herself to Kyanite when it came to throwing a knowing. Very time they met Gala witnessed how precise she is with her knife aiming skills. With a few hours of training together the youngster's become decent, though far from the older one's standards. "Yeah, I suck at aim to." Just another thing to add to the last of weaknesses and flaws. Guess there's no tackling animals. Actually once she considers it prey are sensitive to noise and run off before a hunter can get anywhere near them. It's the mutts that'll charge back and fight, and there's none of those around here most likely. Guess she should be paying closer attention to the recap videos of the games.

"I don't want to go near water." Gala states in a monotoned voice. For some reason the conversation refuses to fade as much as she wants it to. Every time the word water is spoken her heart jolts a little. It's rare for Matthew to be sweet, but not even that's enough to convince her to touch the shore or enter a pool room. That possibility is now long gone, and it's doubtful to ever change.

Luckily swimming's not on the activity list of the day though as they're able to return back to the topic of hunting. Information of Kyanite hitting a wolf is even brought up since they both share the knowledge of how good she is with a knife. The short story brings a proud smile to Gala's face, simply because Ky's more of a big sister then the handful of biological ones she has. There was no doubt that she's extremely proud to have someone so amazing adopt her in that way. Sadly she won't be following in her footsteps as hunting down wolfs isn't in their plan either.

For some reason Matthew's determined to get Gala at least around the water. Any sort of hunting is unexperienced for her as she never had a father that had the time to teach his daughters such a thing, and their mother was far too sweet to ever do so either. As long as she didn't have to go in it, and was safe from falling in to, she trusted Matt enough to go with it. "Fine, but I'll kill you if you push me in." She almost becomes herself again as a joke presents itself in her comment. After everything they've been through she knows he'd never do such a thing. And of course there was no way in hell she'd ever harm her old trainer. Plus if he wanted to push her in he could and it'd be pointless for her to retaliate given their body differences.

There's no doubt that Matthew wouldn't shove Gala into the lake as he teaches her how to fish. Maybe when they first met, not after everything they've been through together. After it was him and the other guys to pull her out of that terrifying substances. "I know." She reassures with a faint smile over the fact. If anything he'd hopefully grab the back of her shirt before she had a chance to stumble in. There's simply trust due to the crazy past of the pregames and Jins. And even enough so to get her overlooking her horrors as she attempts to proceed in a normal activity. With this comfort her shoes actually don't kick the dirt with ever step as they travel back to the campsite.

For some reason Gala's unable to stop the unwanted conversation. With every distraction she uses, Matthew's able to find some reason to return to that horrible topic. The fact that it's out of care and concern doesn't cross her mind though as she simply wants to rid of those memories. Talking about them won't stop the horrors, and if anything has them flooding through her mind even more. Seems as if nothing can help, and bringing it up certainly won't. "Someone told them." She gives a shrug about her sisters knowing. Surprisingly this time she didn't receive loads of lectures and yelling from them, they never did visit though. When Gala returned home and refused to talk about it they didn't press either. Their family's big and concern over the trouble-maker's not top priority.

"It is my fault." Gala keeps up her pace in order to stay in front of Matthew. Exchanging eye contact for this sort of topic's just impossible for her. "I invited Kyanite there. None of this would of happened if I didn't do that." Vocalizing these thoughts hasn't occurred since the hospital, and she remembers now why. For some reason no one considered it that way, but it's the truth no matter what they say. Instead of just dropping it again she's stopped in her tracks and it continues on further.

"No...By the time I was allowed to talk to them the case was closed or something." Guess they got enough information from everyone else. "Why do we have to talk about this? Can't we just go fish?" The longer it carries on the more her heart tugs with pain and guilt over thinking about all the mess she's caused. How hurt everyone got over one mistake of hers. Why Matthew's not furious with her and ignoring her all together baffles the youngster.

It's not ridiculous. Actually the complete contrary as it's the only logical explanation for Gala. For some odd reason Matthew, or anyone else for that matter, refuses to even consider it in that way. Most likely they're completely aware but are simply trying to protect her for some odd reason. After all it wasn't as though she intended for everything to happen, was simply stupid enough to allow it to. "I might as well of." Even if she didn't actually put the weapon in Jins's hands, or actually cause the harm on her friends, she put them there. Nothing can change that, even if her friends are mad at her over the fact. If anything their lack of being upset just makes it that much more frustrating.

Could there be a couple of things Gala did right during the event? Possibly. Getting Jins away from Kyanite, the couple of brave swings with the blade she toke on him. And the idea of this happening while Kyanite was alone instead of how it did does sound worse. Who can firmly say that's how the alternative would of played out though. For some reason she's simply stuck on the idea that it's her fault, but arguing over it doesn't make anything better. "Fine, it's Jins's fault!" Her voice doesn't match with the acceptance though. Hopefully it doesn't give away her desire to say anything to get off of this subject.

There is a slight point that Matthew makes on the fact that he'd openly admit she was to blame if it was true. With lack of a filter or need to be nice he would be the one rude enough to speak the truth. After everything they've been through things have changed though. Maybe he'd still yell and have her hanging by her shirt over a mistake, but this is far from the same. "Kay." She turns back around and continues walking before she has a chance to get stopped again. They're clearly not going to be agreeing over this one. Least she could do is put up a front and make him think that his words actually changed her mind.

It's all out of good intentions from Matthew, which only causes more guilt for Gala. The sort of arguing tone that's arrived made her think otherwise, but he's completely right. Not a word he's said deserves a rift back from the youngster, even if she feels he's completely wrong. "Well it's just making me think of it more." Her voice lets down as she finally speaks the honest truth instead of just protest. Feels as though he's only wasting his time trying to prove this, but he's actually trying to be caring.

Dropping the conversation would be best but of course it's not that easy. Less then a yard away Gala's stopped again, her short speedy steps still nothing compared to Matthew. Finally her gaze goes up to meet his eyes after all this time of avoiding them. Something about being called a little girl forces her chin up, unsure it's to prove she's not or because she really is. Before she has a chance to retaliate he's speaking again about the price she's already paid for her supposed fault. Just the mention of it has her healing cut sizzling as a reminder. Speechless she only stares up at him, never considering that before.

What could anyone do with Gala? After everything she's baffled that she was even invited camping, though now it's obvious. Despite it all they still care about her, which for some really only upsets her more. It's undeserving in a way. "Nothing." She answers him even though she's pretty sure it was a rhetorical question that slipped. "I'm not your trainee anymore. I'm not your responsibility." The words are painful to say but simply come blurting out before she has a chance to think about them.