Let's Pretend

Chapter one - The Primary Group

'Beep beep beep!' Oh god no, not that stupid sound. I lay there on the terribly uncomfortable bed, my face in the pillow. 'Beep beep beep!' I threw out my hand and whacked the bloody alarm. It finally shut up. I buried my face deeper into the pillow, my hands underneath it.

"You better get up before Amon comes charging through the door." said a blunt female voice.

"Just two more minutes....." I mumbled through the pillow. A sudden pain came from my back. "Ow dam it Nicky that hurt" I yelled. I got up reluctantly to see what heavy object Nicky through at me today. It was a book. I heaved myself into a sitting position and grabbed the centuries old book and threw it on the ground, next to Nicky's bed. The room was dully lit by a side lamp. I looked over at the alarm clock it was barely five O' clock in the morning. I pulled the sheets over my face and groaned into them.

"You're welcome to stay there and see if Amon will give you any sympathy" said Nicky. I removed the sheets from my face and glared over at her. She stood there causally, leaning against the wall, with her black gear on which shaped her well, unlike mine. Her arms were folded. Her perfectly straight jet black hair was down which emphasised her oval face and high cheek bones.

"Look I'm getting up" I mumbled. I threw the sheets off me, stood up and stretched. The room consisted of two metal framed beds, two small lockers beside them and one wooden wardrobe in the right corner of the room. Like most of the rooms here there is a small ensuite facing the door, entering the corridor. I walked around the bed, my bear feet on the cold uneven wooden floor. I opened the door of the ensuite and locked it behind me. I walked over to the mirror and looked at myself in it. My blonde hair was all over the place and my deep green eyes were bright, glowing and alert. Well they had to be. Tired and grumpy as I am we are trained to keep alert otherwise you have no chance of staying here....or anywhere else really.

I turned on the cold tap and splashed my face, with both hands. I looked up again with the water running down my face and sighed. My eyes now dull and have stopped glowing. I have a way of stopping them glowing, some can't do it but most simply choose not to learn. They say better to embrace what you have but really I think, they think they look more intimidating. I grabbed a towel and wiped my face. I walked over to the built in locker and opened it, my gear lay there folded neatly. I grabbed it and put it on. I then placed my small shorts and a big t-shirt I call pyjamas into the empty locker and closed it. Beside the two lockers was a small shower in the comer and the toilet facing the sink.

The training houses are always so depressing but I guess there built to look that way, with their dull grey look. Were not allowed to bring much personal things with us because gods forbid we might make these places bearable to come back to. I opened the door and walked over to my pretty much bare foot locker, with only an alarm and a hair tie. I turned to face Nicky while I tied up my hair. She was in the same position as when I left her. Her stare fixed on the floor with a face blank.

"Are....." the door flew open and I was cut off. A well built guy came barging through the door with blood red hair and a strained smile on his face. He looked from me to Nicky to me again. He was also wearing his gear but he wasn't wearing his jacket, just a black t-shirt that stuck to him. His eyes were dark almost black as most of his kind are.

"Ah good.....you're up" he said in a low mocking voice. Amon isn't my favourite, but I know way worse so I guess I better be happy. Nicky sniggered.

"Well just about" removed her stare from the floor and glanced over at me. I shrugged and smiled over at Amon.

"You do know it is rude not to knock" I lowered my hands from my hair and walked over to him and stood a bit away from him. His eyes followed me as I did. Once I stopped he grinned.