They Call Me Keeper

How Much Training? Part One.

Rayne's POV

"Wakey, wakey, probably stale eggs and bacey," Lily shouts, "we have a long day ahead of us, ladies."

"Ugh," I groan, "five more minutes."

I throw my blanket up over my head and take a quick glance at my watch. 5:43 glares back at me in LED high definition. I thought Mrs.Hatley said 6. I want my extra 17 minutes of sleep. The bed starts to shake and I peak my head out from under the covers. A little girl, about six years old, climbs down the ladder.

"Hi, I'm Iris! I'm a super fast runner. What can you do? Other than snore....you snore. Cammy had to plug her years, but Reagan and Cora flipped you over on your stomach so you'd stop....."

Iris continues to ramble on for a few more minutes, but can get over the fact that I snore. I've never been told I snore before. Then again, I've never spent more than two nights in one place. She starts poking at my stomach. I guess I zoned out for a minute.

"Are you dead?" She starts to giggle, "You didn't answer my questions. Do you not like me or something? People tell me I talk too much."

"Oh, right, sorry. Um I'm really good at sleeping...and apparently snoring."

"I think I'm a better sleeper than you," Iris taunts, "but I don't snore. Snoring is for weirdos."

Iris climbs over my legs and gets under the covers next to me. Lily glances over at us, but by the time she turns around fully look at us, Iris and I are already under the covers pretending to sleep.

"Rayne, I expect this from you, but Iris, really? You know how things are run. Come on, you two. Get up before Mrs. Hatley comes in."

"Lily," a little girl cries, "look what I can do!"

"Fae, you better not be shaped like a frog, when I look at you," Lily barks, "and Hayden stop worrying about your hair. You look great....even though you should be dressed by now."

Iris pokes her head out from under the covers and motions for me to look across the room.

Lily's face is red with anger, as she chases a brown and white bunny around the room. Her ponytail bouncing all over the place, a clipboard in one hand and a whistle in the other.

'She resembles a sports coach,' I think to myself

The bunny jumps from bed to bed, being sure not to land on any remaining slumber-ers. Lily catches hold of the rabbit-formed girl, but not without falling to the floor first.

For some reason I can't hold back the snort that escapes my throat.

"Good. Thank you, Cora," Lily gets lifted onto her feet and the rabbit turns to a little girl, "but that really wasn't necessary.....and for the record Rayne, we have lots of training to do today, hence the sports coach look."

My face contorts itself into utter confusion, eyebrow raised and mouth agape.

'She really can't tune me out, can she?'

"No I cannot. So please get out of bed and begin to get ready. We have a very tight schedule and I would appreciate it if you could help the older girls and I get the younger ones ready. Your clothes are in locker 14 in the bathroom."

Lily turns to face the rest of the girls and jots down a few notes on her clipboard. I slide my legs out from under the colorless quilt and as I do, Iris sits up beside me.

"You'll be right back right? I don't like being alone. You're nice and warm. Can you do my hair like you Astrix's?" Her questions rolling out a mile a minute.