Secret of a Good Bad Girl

Chapter 10

"Did you hear about the one agent's daughter getting tortured for information?" Carolynn is eager to share this fact with the world.

"Who would torture a little girl?" Laeva's face melts into pity. I have to fight to remember how to fake emotions like concern and sadness.

"She was in her twenties or something," Carolynn explains.

"Did she give any information?" I ask, diverting suspicion that doesn't exist.

"I don't know. I just heard some people talking about it." She shrugs. "But it kinda makes the enemy real, doesn't it?"

"It does. It kind of scares me. There are sadistic people out there who enjoy torturing others." Drakey shudders.

Thank you; I accept your compliment.

"Attention." A loud voice quiets everyone else's. "I welcome you back from your break. From now on, the training will grow more intense. It will focus more on your strengths and enhancing them. For one hour each day, you will work with a partner and an accomplished field agent. Your partners have already been decided. Each pair is expected to work well together. Are there any questions?" She pauses to glance around while everyone stays silent. "Alright. You may go to your rooms or go to the entertainment room, which is now available to you in the hours after dinner, but today is an exception. It closes at nine. It's the other door in the dining room. You are all dismissed." Everyone heads to the dormitory hall. Carolynn, Drakey, Laeva and I find our room again. Our suitcases are in here. Everything else is just how we left it.

"So... you guys want to check out the 'entertainment room'?" Drakey asks.

"Nope," I say commandingly. I plop onto my ugly green bed. "We're going to stay here and act like best friends. Let's talk about the break we just had. I got kissed by a hot guy." This causes them all to gather around me like chicks. We get comfortable on Laeva's and my beds as I create a story of a French boy- who spoke English- that decided we knew each other well enough (we'd talked for thirty minutes) to lean forward and kiss me. I was so surprised that I actually let him for a few seconds until he started trying to French kiss me. "Now I don't know about you guys, but a thirty-minute relationship doesn't call for a French kiss just yet."

"As long as he's hot, who cares?" Carolynn rolls her eyes.

"As long as he's way too forward, you should care. A lot." Laeva gives her a pointed look.

"Anyway, what happened after that?" Drakey prompts.

I continue telling them about this boy, Robert- his parents liked American names. He held my hand under the Eiffel Tower until I pulled it away. He tried to ask for my number so I gave him my grandma's. She doesn't know how to text, so that'll be fun. I never saw him again and hope to keep it that way. The end.

They eat it up like french fries.

Laeva goes next and tells us she had a date with Dimitri. They held hands the whole time during the movie and he bought her soda and popcorn. He snuck sips from her cup when he thought she wasn't looking. We all squeal at how cute they both are and interrogate her about kisses and hugs and arms around the shoulder and the Ultimate Giving of the Jacket. It was really hot, so neither of them had a jacket. He didn't put his arm around her shoulder but they did hug goodbye. They still haven't kissed yet.

Drakey and Carolynn spent the week together. They live down the street from each other so it was easy for them. Apparently Carolynn has a huge house and Drakey has a small one. They stayed up late texting Laeva. I regretfully inform them of my phone confiscation. They nod in understanding and sympathy. They tell us about their adventures until it's time for dinner.