The Trainee

Chapter Three

"Well [f/n], mind saying where you were headed?" He looked me over slightly worried.

"The library." You manage to whisper.

"Why?" You look him over. "I'm not trying to pry." He says trying to reassure you. "How do you know the kids that attacked you?"

"I don't." You say.

"That's bullshit and I wasn't even there." Your eyes narrow at the other girl.

"They're just a bunch of bullies from the trainee squad and I'm their unfortunate punching bag." You say after some silence.

"What started it?" Samson asked. He looked like he cared but you knew better then to fall for that twice.

The silence between all of you was broken by a door opening.

"Anyone here?" A man's voice called out. "Who's filthy boots are these? Samson you better not have anyone over." That voice. You had heard it before. It was Lance Corporal Levi. As he enters the room, you stand to salute but gravity had other ideas. Your brain suddenly felt like liquid fire and you find yourself kneeling on the ground with Samson's arms around your shoulders.

Samson looked up and greeted the new comer with a 'Hey Dad.' The corporal noticed you on the ground.

"What the hell is that?" He asked pointing at you.

"Something Samson found on the street today." Leigh said nonchalantly as she picked at the end of her braid.

He gave you a once over and then turned to his son. "Put it back."

He looks at you and tells you not to worry. The corporal doesn't mean it. Before he could say anything else the door flew open again and in walked squad leader Hanji Zoë.

"Mommy!" Samson says in a surprisingly adorable voice.

"Baby!" The squad leader made her way over to her child (!). As she gets closer and sees you on the floor.

"[f/n]?" She began kneeling to your level. "What are you doing here?"

You fumble for an explanation but Samson answers first. "She was in a tight spot and I helped out."

He supplies the answers to his mother's rapid fire questioning for the next few minutes. You slowly stand and look at the time.

"Is everything alright [f/n]?" Hanji asked as you steadied yourself.

"I thank you for your hospitality," you say as you fix your shirt. "But I should get back before dark. I don't want to get locked out of the barracks again."

For the first time Levi speaks to you directly. "Shadis doesn't lock the barracks."

"Forgive me, but I never said he was the one that locked them." The way the Corporal looked at you could cut steel but you weren't afraid. It was only the truth.

"At least let me walk you part way." Samson offered getting up as well. You tell him it won't be safe but he doesn't listen.

"I can hold my own." He says getting a coat. "I meant it won't be safe for me." You confess averting eye contact.

Hanji tries to ask why but you don't elaborate. You try not to look at the concern that was evident on two of the four faces around you.

Levi waves a dismissive hand to his son. "Samson, get her her things."

He does as instructed and you notice that he had cleaned your books and organized your papers for you. You both go back into the living room.

"Thank you Zoë-Ackerman family for your hospitality." You say saluting. "Have a pleasant night."

You turn your attention to Samson who was leading you out.

"Hey," you start. "Thanks. For helping me."

"No problem." He smiles. He drops his voice when he speaks again. "You know, you shouldn't let people pick on you like that."

"Believe me." You whisper. "It is better than what would happen if I didn't."

He looks at you slightly irritated. You respectively salute goodnight and begin to head back

"At least be careful on your way back."

<><><><><>

You manage to get back to the barracks during showers. Taking advantage of the opportunity, you go to your bunk in the upper back corner and get comfortable. You liked your bunk. Sure almost no light reached it, but it usually went undisturbed by the others. There was a small opening above you that when opened let in the moonlight. You open it and begin to look at your books and papers. You see that you'll have to rewrite several of them but Samson did a good job cleaning what he could. Then you thought of Samson. You look at your bandages and run a free hand over the one on your head. Nobody was nice for no reason. Or at least no one you know. Your thoughts are cut short by the door moving. You plug your skylight and sit silently. You couldn't see faces but you could hear voices.

"She's still not back?" One asked the other. "Don't know." It responded. "Lemmie check."

Your breath hitches as a face peers at you from over your rail. Thankfully it was Rachel. Without her glasses she could only see blobs and you blended in well.

"Not a soul Bella." She calls back. "Must have finally hoped the truck back to the fields."

You hear the sound of a hand hitting flesh.

"There you go jinxing it!" Annabella said clearly pissed. "Every time you say that she shows up."

The door opens and more girls file in.

Mia Thompson spoke first. "Jinx or none, we need her gone. I will not train with underground scum."

You feel your cheeks get hot. It's not like you could control where you were from. You silently sigh and burrow down into your bedding. No use letting them know you're here.