Project Seventeen

Weak

10

I felt lost. Ethan had left me after I was given my new phone and my uniforms. After that he took the elevator underground, since that's where the elites train, and he's supposed to be an elite.

- The practice rooms are on floor 12 and 13, was the last thing he told me. 

After many complications in finding the right room and floor, I stood in front of my trainer Mr. Bennett, along with many others. 

- So, now I would like you to warm up before we move on to the first test, his deep voice told us.

His words echoed through the big room. What did he mean by a test? How ca we do a test the first day?

I started to do warm up my body. I jogged and did some quick runner exercises before gently stretching my body.

- Okay, everyone! Mr. Bennett called out.

Everyone gathered in a circle around him. He started to walk around with his hands on his back, looking everyone in the eye.

- I have seen how you warm up. Some people I am pretty impressed with, he began and looked right at me.

- And some people I am certainly not, he finished and looked a young boy with curly hair right in the eye.

Everyone was completely silent and avoided his intense gaze, scared of being the next victim to his accuses.

- We will start off with testing your strength, he said loudly.

The door suddenly opened and everyone's eyes turned at the person walking in. It was that rude guy from before.

- Riley, what brings you here? Mr. Bennett asked.

- Nate was supposed to help your first class, but something came up, so I took his place, he explained.

- Young Nathaniel is a very hard working man, so I am understanding towards that, Mr. Bennett said.

- He certainly is, Riley nodded.

- Where was I? Mr. Bennett asked us.

- You were talking about a strength test if I understood right, Mister, a multi-color haired girl said with a stuck-up tone.

Her eyes were honey brown and she had a side cut. She was very small and petite and had very pierced ears.

- Right, thank you. We will want to see you do some weight lifting to see how strong this group is. I must see your capability to be able to train you, do you understand me? He asked us.

- Yes! Everyone answered in chorus.

- Alright, good. Riley here will demonstrate how to use the equipment we will work with today.

Riley did everything from simple weight lifting, to difficult machine exercises and body lifting.

- You will also be working together in groups to show how good your teamwork skills are, Mr. Bennett said.

Everyone started off at different stations and Mr. Bennett and Riley stood in the middle, watching us.

I began at a station where you were supposed to pull up your body with own physical strength with the help of holding onto a vertical metal pole.

I tried my hardest to pull myself up but didn't manage to do it. I struggled for a long time and heard the others who were at the same station as I giggle behind me. My face became hot and I wished to sink through the ground and disappear.

My body suddenly pulled up in a quick movement.

- Your height is 166 cm and your weight is 46 kg, shouldn't you be able to pull this off?

I looked down and saw Riley holding up my body with ease. How could he remember that so exact? It was a few hours since the robot called that out in the cafeteria.

I didn't know what to answer so I just stared at him blankly.

- Get down from there, you're just wasting everyone else's time, he told me.

It was so far down to the ground, I didn't dare to let go.

- Don't worry, I'll catch you, he sighed.

I hesitated.

- Come on! He called out and looked at me with an intense frown, clearly annoyed.

That reminded me of when he yelled at me earlier this morning. I let go of the pole and landed in his arms. I quickly got out of his grip and on my feet.

- I want you to do push-ups until you manage to make pull ups on that pole, understood?

- But how am I supposed to do that?

- That's an order!

I got down on the ground and did push-ups as the others were able to pull themselves up on the pole. They may have been doing it clumsy and slowly, but at least they succeeded. I was very weak and I knew that. My arms were shaking as I pulled down for the tenth time. I wouldn't be able to do this much longer. My arms bent and I collapsed onto the ground.

- You're pretty hopeless, I heard Riley say.

I stood up and looked at him.

- I'm aware of that, I answered confidently.

He looked pretty unsure of what to say.

- Do ten more push-ups, he ordered me coldly.

I really didn't like this guy at all.

I don't know how I managed to get through all the other stations with my big strength lacking, but I did.

- Alright, everyone! Mr. Bennett voice echoed through the room.

In only a few seconds, everyone stood around him.

- Now we will move on to the teamwork. I will divide you into two teams who will compete against each other.

I got into the first team together with that stuck-up girl and that curly haired boy and, of course, many others.

We lost on the first two group missions, because of me. I felt really embarrassed and felt bad for everyone in my team. That rainbow haired girl gave me irritated looks all the time, and she wasn't the only one.

- Now we move on to the last mission. It's very simple, you should make a human pyramid out of your team, and the first one to complete a steady one will win, Mr. Bennett said.

We had no time to spare as the mission began right away. The strongest ones started curling up on the ground to create a base and then the average strong ones got on top of them.

- You'll be our top, the multi-colored girl told me as she climbed up on top of the average strong ones together with the boy with curly hair.

I was very nervous when it was my turn. I didn't want to screw up everything again. Everyone was waiting for me as I was the only one left. I saw how the other team were about to finish.

- Climb! Just climb!

I bit my lip and started to climb over all my team members. Some of them groaned as I stepped on them. I knew it was too late when I saw that the other team was done already. I managed to get on top of the rainbow girl and curly hair boy just to at least succeed in making the pyramid, even if we didn't win.

- The first team wins! Mr. Bennett yelled.

What did he mean? I looked to my right and saw the second team. Their whole pyramid was very shaky and unstable. I looked down on my team members underneath me and they looked rather stable.

I got off their backs.

- You did well, the curly haired boy told me.

- Thanks, I mumbled back.

At least something went my way that day.