The Soldier

Simulations

I regretted everything. I regretted giving into Jenna's taunts, I regretted the pounding in my head, and I regretted the red bruise that stood out on Skylar's neck from where he sat across the table. My hands felt and smelled like chemicals as I picked at my food, not interested and not hungry. What was supposed to be a day off from training was instead spent picking up trash from the roof and mopping vomit off the stairs. After a long day of cleaning punishments, it felt good to relax.

Frustrated, I pushed my tray away and leaned forward so the side of my face was pressed against the table. Calvin followed my example and hummed in approval, the cold metal table felt nice on our foreheads. We were hungover and sluggish all day, while Jenna and Skylar suffered minimal effects.

Jenna was unsympathetic; she smacked away at her food and the noise annoyed me. I made an incoherent noise at her and she stopped chewing. "What? Am I not allowed to eat?"

"-- quietly." I finished my mumbling and smashed my face further into the table. She said something under her breath and my head popped up again.

"What was that?" I asked, agitated and daring her to repeat her words. I'm fired up and in the right mood if she wanted to start something.

Jenna took a smaller, quieter bite of her apple and shared a look with Skylar. "Nothing. Calm down, Olivia." She reprimanded me and Skylar joined in when she laughed.

I turned to Skylar. "What are you doing here? Are you lost?"  My voice grew louder as I pointed to where the other initiates sat. "Your friends are over there. You are not welcome here."

He's taken aback and Jenna shushed me. "Geez, Olivia. Be nice. Where is this coming from?" She shook her head at me while I took a drink, but she was smiling; she was enjoying this. "You were a lot more fun last night. Didn't you think so, Skylar?" She winked at him and I frowned at her.

My scowl moved to Skylar and he was uncomfortable as I stared him down. My grip tightened on my cup while my other hand found my fork. What I threw depended on how he answered. His eyes moved between Jenna and me, lost for words.

"I, uhh--"

He's interrupted by Calvin. "Quit it, Jenna."  Calvin's voice is muffled from where his head rested on his arms. "Or she's going to stab someone."

That diffused the tension and we ate in silence for a few minutes. I still held the fork and cup though, ready to use them at a moment's notice. It wasn't long before Jenna grew restless again. "There was a lot going on yesterday," she reflected.

I shot her a warning look but her attention was on the other side of the dining hall. A smile played on her lips right before she gasped suddenly, leaning forward and whispering to us, "Speak of the devil, he's coming over here now."

The way Skylar stiffened up was almost comical and everyone quickly looked over to where she was referring to. I didn't see anyone and Jenna, who was watching for my reaction, laughed. Skylar scanned the room and then relaxed, rubbing his neck where the hickey was.

"You're real funny." I told her, standing up and gathering my tray, ready to leave.

"It was just a joke," Calvin said, reaching out and holding onto my wrist to keep me from leaving. I easily broke from his grip and stepped over the bench, I could feel my face beginning to flush. Before I left, I scowled at Skylar one last time. He realized what is going to happen about a second before it did and flinched. My cup hit him on the right side of his forehead and what was left in the cup spilled on his shirt. My aim was off from center, which annoyed me more than anything and I left the dining hall in a huff.