Torn Into Pieces

Chapter 8

I was once again in therapy as I waited for Lieutenant Smith to come in. I still found it strange that a Lieutenant would rather sit through therapy with kids than ordering them around like the other Lieutenants. But whatever.

After what felt like forever the door finally opened and Smith walked in. He gave me a gentle smile, "Sorry. Had to finish with a patient," he apologized as he sat down in the chair in front of me. I grunted in response, not really caring.

I was still in a foul mood from yesterday with Gary. I just wanted to carve his eyes out. "I heard about yesterday," Smith broke the silence. I looked at him confused, "About your step dad I mean. How you snapped at him," he explained in further detail.

"So what?" I asked him and he looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "He should've watched his damn mouth and how he talked about Adrian," I muttered to him.

Smith sighed, "I get why you snapped at him Ace. But was the way you snapped at him the appropriate way of showing him that he was out of line?" He asked me.

I glared at Smith. I sat up straighter in my seat, "Are you saying he gets the act the way he wants because he is my step dad?" I hissed at him. He flinched at my tone, "He isn't my dad. He doesn't dictate of how I act or who I hang out with," I snarled.

"I get that Ace. Sometimes we have to control our emotions and how we handle them to make sure we don't hurt nobody in-"

I interrupted him, "Nobody got hurt. Nobody hit anyone. So what's the big fucking deal?" I scoffed.

"The big deal is that you are here to control that anger and respect others. What you showed yesterday didn't prove anything," he stated firmly.

I got up from the couch and glared down at Smith, "And maybe he should watch his mouth if he wants my fucking respect. And stop using my mom for her fucking money. Then maybe I'd show him respect, but until then he gets no respect from me," I growled at him before storming out.

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I was doing push ups as the Lieutenant yelled at us to do them faster. We had to do 75 push ups before we could move on. I glared at the ground as I watched Wilkerson pace by us multiple times.

I felt my arms start to weaken, I was on 72 as I kept encouraging myself that I only had 3 more left. After I forced myself to do the last 3, I fell face first into the ground and basically cried in relief. But that relief was gone the moment Wilkerson walked over to me.

"Finished already?" He asked me with a growl in his voice. I nodded into the ground, "Words boy," he ordered.

"Yes sir," I muttered. Wilkerson walked away as I turned over on my back, I looked over at Adrian. I sighed, "I'm sorry about what Gary said yesterday," I apologized.

He looked over at me and smiled slightly, "It wasn't your fault Ace. You had no idea he would say that," he assured me gently. I nodded.

I saw Sergeant Morgan walk over and take Wilkerson's place. I felt his eyes find mine and I stared back at him. We both held eye contact as my eyes traveled to his lips. I wondered what they'd feel like against mine. Is he a rough kisser?

Thoughts consumed my mind until someone nudged me, "Come on. Let's do the laps already," I heard Adrian tell me. I saw him helping Brian up carefully.

I pouted, "Not going to help me Adrian?" I asked him pitifully. He laughed and helped me up, "Thank you bestie. I love you," I smiled at him as I followed after Brian. "So Brian, how are you doing?" I asked him as we started a slow jog and Adrian caught up with us.

"Fine. Just happy I saw my family yesterday," he answered while smiling. He was always happy whenever he talked about his parents. Made me wonder what he done to end up in here. What could a innocent and pure kid like him do to end up here.

"I was happy to see mine too," Adrian stated beside me.

Brian turned to look at me, "What about you Ace? Did you enjoy seeing your parents?" He asked me.

I thought for a second. My mom only came out of pity but finally stood up for me and Gary only came to make my life difficult. Was I really happy that I got to see them? I eventually sighed and looked ahead of me, "I liked that I saw my mom yesterday," I answered.

"What about your dad?" Brian asked me.

"He's not my dad. He's my step dad," I hissed at Brian.

He nodded and dropped the topic as we kept running.

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It was just me and Adrian at the dinner table while Brian was at therapy. Me and him were currently bickering with each other, "I am not hungry," I threw back at a frustrated Adrian.

"You need to eat Ace. It has been days since I last saw you eat," he told me sternly as he pushed a fork at my face.

I shoved the food away, "I am not hungry," I said once again.

He groaned loudly, "I will tell Sergeant Morgan that you refuse to eat," he warned me.

What was he going to do? Shove food down my throat?

"You wouldn't," I growled. He raised his eyebrow at me in a way that said he would do it. "You promised you'd never tell anyone," I reminded him of his promise from months ago before we came to this camp.

"I only promised to not tell if you started eating again," he retorted back at me, "which you are not doing. So you're breaking our promise."

I felt guilty rise in me when I realized he was right. I grabbed the fork and ate the food. I forced myself to not gag and eat the food, "Happy now?" I asked him.

He nodded and went back to eating. I saw Brian walk into the cafertia. He got his plate and came and sat beside Adrian.

"I hate therapy," he mumbled under his breath and I laughed. He glared at me as he started up a conversation.

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I was sitting outside my cabin when I saw Sergeant Morgan walking around. I smiled, "Look who it is!" I exclaimed at him.

He looked over at me and sighed before walking over to me, "What you doing out here?" He asked me.

"Ah.. No reason. Got bored and came to sit outside," I told him. He sat beside me and I looked at the sky, "Stars are beautiful aren't they?" I asked him quietly.

"They are," he stated. Whenever I looked over, he wasn't looking at the stars.... He was looking at me.

I stared back at him and I saw his eyes go to my lips. He started to lean in whenever I started to lean in as well.

We heard my cabin door open and we jumped apart. Chad looked down at us, "What is going on?" He asked.

"We're talking," I told him.

He nodded and closed the door. Sergeant Morgan sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, "You better get some sleep," he told me.

I nodded as I stood up and opened the door, "Have a good night," I told him before walking in and closing the door.

I sighed as I climbed into my bed. I buried my face into the pillow.

What the fuck was happening? Am I catching feelings for Sergeant Morgan? Was he catching feelings for me as well?

I didn't know what to think at the point as I fell asleep.