Military Girl

Chapter 8: Workin' out

  *8 Weeks Later*  

  I've been working out ever since Pedi-Officer ----- said I'm not good enough. Or maybe too young. Either way it led him to say "No." I really want to do this, so no isn't going to be the obstacle.

  "Will!" I yell at Will to drive me to the rec-center so I can run. My record so far is 4 miles, non-stop. He laughs at the clothes I'm wearing.

  "What's that?" He points to my dark blue basketball shorts and my neon green tang-top. I shrug and hop in shotgun.

  "Make sure no one touches you." Will says. Last time I went alone and ran around the track, I had a bunch of stalkers. I finally gave up and I picked the fight myself. It was 4 to 1 and I still made it look easy. (Not to brag.) I start running and laps and pretty soon the stalkers fall in step behind me. This one particular guy falls in beside me.

  "Hey, Sean." I say. I know Sean personally. He used to go to elementary school with me. We have been really good friends since. The couple days ago when I picked that fight, Sean just stood by and watched. We hugged before we run off and he made sure I punched him once so it looked like I wasn't picking favorites. I punched him lightly because he's a good kid and I don't want to hurt the innocent. But that'll become my obstacle  when I'm finally accepted in the army. Sean leans down and whispers a warning in my ear.

  "They're pretty mad about losing. Run faster and I'll tell them that you ain't looking for a boyfriend tonight." He says. I turn around to look at the bunch of creeps. One is limping and he has a matching black eye like the others. I pick up my pace and they quickly fall behind. I stop at the entrance and walk to the bench where my water bottle lays on it's side.

  4 and 1/2 miles. Whew! The creeps are halfway around the track. I chug my water and walk to the fountain to refill it. The gang comes up behind me. I finally recognize the stalkers. They are the creeps at school who do drugs and drink for fun. They stalk pretty girls all the time. If they're stalking me, they think I'm pretty, but that's not a compliment for a low-rate group like them.

  What looks like the leader comes up behind me and starts talking to me like a low-rate chick.

"'Eyyyy babe. Wanna..... come ova..... tonight? We got boooooze." His words are slurred  He reaches around my body so he can press the button for the water fountain. I jerk my hips so his limp hands fall away from me.

  "Ain't gonna happen babe. I'm not low-rate like the other girls you stalk." I spit back at him. Sean isn't low-rate. But he has been abused by his parents and he does drugs and drinks to forget those nights.

  "Nah! Let's not.....gettttt thaaaatttt wayyy. We neeeeeddd to booooonnn-d." He says. His breath smells like rotten fish in a tiger. I don't know what that smells like, but I don't wanna know.

  "Bond with a hobo!" I spit at his feet and then walk away. This one dude grabs my arm and whips me around. The creepy drunk guy hugs me, but Sean rips him off and punches him in the face. It turns into a dog pile on Sean and I start punching guys randomly.

  A drunk falls off of the pile and passes out. Another after another fall off after I punch them and it's just the leader, Sean and me. I punch the creepy dude and grab Sean's hand.

  "Run!" I yell. He follows suit after me and I grab my bag and water bottle. I tie the strings around my back as we are running. Black clouds start appearing randomly and then lightning strikes not too far from us. Thunder rumbles and we burst through the grass into an open field. Great. The creep follows not to far behind and we find a sudden random speed and run faster.

  Lightning strikes right behind us and I turn to look. I stop running and clap my hand to my mouth.

The drugee falls to the ground, his body all black and burned.

  "The lightning struck him!" I gasp out and fall into Sean's arms. Sean starts dragging me to my house and we finally reach it. He knocks on the door and Will answers it. His face becomes mad and then shocked. Tears run down my eyes.

  He died! I can't believe he died! I killed him!

"You didn't kill him." Sean says. I must've said that last part aloud.

  "Yes, I did!" I yell. Will picks me up and throws me on the couch.

     That was the worst workout session ever!