- } ghost { -

3.

Playing: The Pretender
0:50 |————————————| 3:38
" The secrets that you keep are at the ready."
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–} *BEEP BEEP BEEP*

Chloe groggily rolled over, trying to silence the obnoxious noise that had invaded her sleep. But as she attempted to reach for the alarm, her face met the cold floor with a dull thud.

"Ow," Chloe muttered, pushing herself up with a sigh. She turned off the alarm, rolling back into bed with the hope of reclaiming the few precious minutes she had left. She pulled the blankets over her head, trying to block out the harsh light streaming through the window.

First day. Fantastic, she thought with a small frown.

Before she could fully drift back to sleep, the door to her room slammed open with an exaggerated flourish.

"FIRST DAY!" Phoenix's voice echoed through the room like a clap of thunder.

Chloe's eyes shot open in surprise, her heart racing for a moment before she registered the source of the interruption. She rolled over, throwing an arm over her eyes. "Ever heard of knocking?" she grumbled, her voice thick with annoyance but still laced with a hint of affection.

Phoenix grinned down at her, unfazed. "Nope!" She yanked at the blanket that Chloe had wrapped tightly around herself. Chloe's body tumbled off the cot and onto the floor, hitting the ground with another muffled grunt.

"Phoenix," Chloe groaned, lifting herself back onto her elbows. She shot her friend an exasperated look.

Phoenix crouched down, holding out her hand to help Chloe up. "Come on, Ghost! It's the first day! You can't just lie around. Also," she leaned in with a smirk, "you smell like shit."

Chloe rolled her eyes and made a face, sticking out her tongue as if Phoenix had just insulted her very soul.

"Oh, how very mature of you," Phoenix teased, throwing Chloe's blankets back onto her cot.

Chloe gave a long sigh, trying to shake off her sleepiness. "If I get up, will you leave me alone?"

Phoenix stepped back, holding her hands up in mock surrender. "Fine, but you're still going to need to shower." She turned toward the door, tossing a final remark over her shoulder. "By the way, you missed breakfast."

Chloe's eyes fluttered closed again as she laid back down for a moment. "Great. Just perfect," she muttered to herself. But Phoenix wasn't having it.

"Maybe someone has something in their room?" Phoenix offered with a grin.

Chloe waved her off. "Nah, I'm fine," she replied, pulling herself out of bed and grabbing her toiletries bag. "I wouldn't want to bother anyone."

Phoenix tilted her head in confusion. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine, Phoenix," Chloe said, her voice quiet but firm as she brushed past her friend and out into the hallway.

"Well, I don't think anyone would—" Phoenix began, but Chloe was already out of earshot, leaving her standing alone in the doorway.

***

The locker room was quiet, save for the sound of rushing water and the occasional shuffle of feet. Chloe moved quickly, getting herself cleaned up before changing into her flight suit. Her hair went up into a tight, disciplined bun, and she reached into her bag for mascara.

When Chloe couldn't find her contacts, her stomach dropped. "Guess we're going full nerd today," she muttered, reaching for her glasses. She slid them on with a resigned sigh, peering into the locker room mirror. "Oh yeah, definitely the look of a badass... if you count being legally blind as part of the package."