Heart of Sun

3. Punished.

"Payne.. that's a cool name." Rio said, a smile on his face as he prepared to stab my nose with a needle. I kept my face straight, not wanting to mess up whatever they were doing. It was quiet for a moment, until he spoke again. His voice was a little more interesting this time, as if he was trying to start small talk.

"So, Payne," Rio started, trying to make sure they don't mess up on my piercing. He kept the stud close to him so the process would be quicker. "What do you do? You look like you work a hard labor job."

I wasn't expecting the question on my occupation, but I wasn't opposed to answering it. "I own a cafe a few blocks down from here. The one with the huge duck on the sign." I said, not trying to move my face too much so my voice came out low. "I used to be in the military. Might be the reason I'm built like I.. 'work a hard labor job'."

"The military? That's so cool!" He tittered, occasionally looking at my face as I spoke despite it not moving much. "Was that fun for you? I heard it was supposed to be a good experience." Well, there goes that question again.

Was it fun? Did you enjoy it? How many people did you kill? Did you have many friends there?

No matter how I answer or what I answer, the answer will probably be the same either way. "No, it wasn't fun." I hummed, noticing how his smile slightly dropped at my answer. Sadly I had to be real about my answer regardless of how they may feel. "It was hell."

—                            * FLASHBACK *

"Soldier! You're slacking off, give me 250!" I heard my captain yell from across the yard. I've been running, jumping, flipping, and working my ass off for hours while everyone else sits on the sidelines and watches me sweat my melanin off.

I dropped to my hands and the tip of my toes, basically heaving as I knock out yet another 250. This shit has to be illegal. Why the hell am I the only one working so hard? I'm lucky I'm already built for this or I'd probably be talking the nurses' heads off right now. Even this, it wasn't enough.

I slipped on the last one. I fucking slipped. My arms were wobbly and my hair was sticking to my damn forehead. I had one more and I fucking slipped. I should've just knocked out that last one because the look my captain gave me was a look I never want to see again. "Get up, Wilson." He spat, a glowered look on his face. I did as he said, pushing myself off of the ground. I think I went to fast because I could've sworn I nearly threw up as soon as my feet hit the ground.

I watched my caption stride towards me, stopping about a few feet away from where I was standing. He gave me a daring look before turning to my peers, yelling out in that voice he always used with us. "Since your fellow soldier can't do as he's told, all of you are to run until I say stop. If you want to blame anyone, blame him."

Holy fuck. The way everyone immediately looked at me once they heard the Captain's words made me queasy. I don't even know how I got myself in this position, all I did was what everyone else did and yet I still did it wrong. I could hear some of the men curse under their breaths as they stood up, already starting their laps. I was guided to where everyone else had started, but as soon as I started, I stopped. My dumb ass passed out, too exhausted and in pain to even begin my own punishment of many others.

—

Back in the locker room I had recovered a little, at least able to stand and walk on my own with a small limp due to my bones and muscles being completely wrecked. As I was removing my shirt, I felt a sharp pain land on my shoulder. I looked up, seeing one of the other soldiers that had previously watched me struggle in the heat for hours. "To think you people were supposed to be strong, your short ass ain't shit but a bunch of muscles. You take steroids, boy?"

You people? I stood up, my face slightly scrunched up at his words. "The hell is that supposed to mean, Adam? You just watched captain work me 5 hours in the agonizing heat and expect me to be perfectly fine?" I seethed, not able to even speak without taking a few breaths in between.

"I'm just sayin'. Y'all black folks are always winning awards, playing sports, and making yourselves look so big and bad but you're a weak—" Before he could even finish, I decked him in the face, right between his spaced out eyes. He looked like a fucking fish. Right before I was about to land another blow on his face, a name called out to me.

"Aye, P! Captains calling for you." Said another soldier who was peeking into the locker room. Goddamnit.

I think I fucked up.

—                         * END OF FLASHBACK *

"Awh, that's too bad.. I thought it would be a fun thing to do." Rio said, inserting the jewelry into my nose. I wasn't even aware that they had already finished with the piercing. He handed me a mirror to look at my nose, tilting my head to the side.

"Looks good." I said, nodding my head in amusement. I sighed, standing myself up and stretching my back and arms. I feel like I could feel the tall man's eyes on me, but it wasn't anything creepy so I didn't mind.

"Alright, cash or card?" He asked as I followed him back to the front counter. I presented my card and let him swipe it, pushing a few buttons before he handed me my receipt. "Thank you. Also, quick question. Do y'all do tattoos?"

"I don't do the tattoos, but we do do them here if you'd want one done. I could schedule it for you?" He said, and I nodded. I gave him my information and bowed to him before leaving the shop. He was a fun guy, I guess. Now I'm hungry. Might have to stop by the cafe and grab something to eat before actually going back home.

As I'm walking towards my building yet again, my phone dinged. I took it out of my pocket to check my notification. Someone submitted an application for the café?