The stranger under the willow tree

You're just the new soldier.

24.. breathe...25...breathe...26...breathe...27...28...29...30.

she smiled to herself. "New record, I'm try for 40 next time." Merida was excited for her first drill tomorrow, ready to meet her platoon and squad; her phone dinged from afar. She picked it up and it was her husband.

~ message ~
Husband - you are going to stay at the hotel after your shift.

Mérida - I'm not going back and forth every day, that's a waste of gas.

Husband - that's not what I meant, I meant was, people might ask you to go out and junk.

Mérida - what if they are female?

Husband- they might be with male's babe. Just stay at the hotel, yeah?

Mérida - I don't want to be a social outcast or anti-social anymore. I want to get to know my squad and my platoon, make friends. My drill sergeant told me the friends you make in this career will become your family. They are my brothers and sisters in arms.

Husband- They aren't your brothers and sisters in arms. They won't even care.

Mérida- Just because you get picked on and your unit doesn't respect you. Doesn't mean mine will. Yeah, I got picked on and didn't get respect in basic, but I proved myself. Our drill sergeant literally made the girls do push-ups or correct of actions because we were horrible to each other. They told us we are brothers and sisters; we are a family, and we should respect each other. We got smoked even the whole platoon did because we sucked. We had platoon meetings and got to know each other better. I connect with my platoon. I hated them, but I loved them because they were my family. I am going to live up to the army values.

Husband- You're just a new soldier. You don't understand that the real army isn't like basic training. Especially army reserves. You will learn quickly.

Mérida- you have little faith.

God. He's so fucking annoying. Doesn't understand me and what I went through. We have two different options and two different sides of the story. The Army is one big family and I know it is. He's wrong and I'm going to prove him wrong cause that's what I do.