New team

21.Second try

It was midday when they ended their shift. Going back to their rented house, they avoided Eddie as much as they could. They kept their distance, only to turn right to get to the bus stop.

"You're coming with me?" Julia asked her two friends, stopping in the door.

"Bet I am" Chris replied, following her. "Everything would be better that watching the face of that snitch through whole afternoon" he added through clenched teeth. "Jump in Tony!" He encouraged when the bus door was just about to get closed.

Tony managed to sneak through enough hole and get inside to take a seat before his two friends. He smiled involutarily seeing how they both blushed with embarrassment as there was no more seats left than the two-people one at the back of the bus.

The road was long and the silence around didn't quicken it. While Tony was searching through the Pontypandy Planet reading the most interesting articles again, he looked up from his phone to make sure he wouldn't miss a moment that he could tease his two friends about. That way they somehow reached the bus stop next to Newtown Fire Academy.

They got inside without any problems and then climbed to the highest floor to wait throughout the break in the abandoned old bathroom. When the bell rang, they packed up their bags as everytime and they slid down the pole and walked out on the sun on the training ground. Julia took her place at the end of the line of cadets while Tony and Chris sat down on the bench to watch.
Today each one of the students tried to climb down the wall to the last window and then they had to get inside, secure the second rope on dolly and slide down the last meters. Julia was the last one to do the exercise and they thought everything was going to go with their plan, until...

"Julia, can I see you after class?" Penny asked in formal way, turning to their friend after she unbuckled her rope.

"Someone got into trouble" she heard how Chris whispered into her ear, but she just waved him off as she put her harness back in the box and quickly looked up at her instrucktor.

"Of course, Miss" Julia replied politely.

When Penny disappeared in the Academy and the cadets slowly began to gather their equipment, Julia still heard how Chris and Tony made fun of her behind her back, but, in difference to them, she successfully managed to control her tongue not to snap at them. Besides she didn't bother herself to look behind her to make sure they were still following her as they climbed upstairs to the abandoned bathroom where they spent the breaks.

"Are you sure you shouldn't go to her now?" Tony asked Julia as they sat on the floor. "Maybe she has a lesson after break".

"She doesn't, Tony" Julia replied, taking a a sip of water. "Penny has only two lessons a day" she explained, but she quickly had to excuse herself when Tony looked at her confused. "What? I checked. I like to be informed".

When the bell rang, Julia grabbed her bagpack and, assuring herself that both of her friends knew where they meet after, she climbed downstairs and walked to the office wing.
She came to the last door and knocked before she heard familiar 'Come in' from the other side and she gently sqeezed the doorknob before she walked in quietly.

"You wanted to see me, Miss?" Julia asked anxiously when Penny looked up at her.

"Indeed. I wanted to" Penny agreed. "Have a seat" she invitingly gestured at the chair on the opposite side of her desk. "You have a real talent" Penny praised. "Are you sure you don't want to take a classification test?" Penny explained.

"I would like to, but I got into trouble" Julia complained hesitantly, rubbing the back of her neck nervously.

"Why?" Penny asked, sincerly confused.