Lesbian Academy (Girlxgirl, Lesbian)

Chapter 60. Agenda

Chapter60. Agenda

Five girls stood on an empty room the size of a basketball court. The fluorescent lights overhead were neither too overbearing nor hot, and though they were wearing fitted shorts and black tank tops, sweat was still trickling on their backs and faces, wetting the cement floor. One girl looked as if she was going to pass out from the ordeal, gasping and wheezing, hands on her knees. Another was squinting, for the sweat was getting in the way of her vision. Two other girls were catching their breaths while fixing their ponytails. There might not be another time to do so. And last. . . The last girl was smiling. Only Red would find this amusing.

"You're all weak," she said, looking from face to face. "When the time comes we may need to fight, and this is all you can give? You're not only a disappointment to the Academy and your houses but the whole clan who enrolled you here. Can't even run a mile without complaining? This is war, not a pottery class."

"To be fair," Candice said, sounding out of breath. When the practice started, she'd been the first to whine and cough, irritating Red. "We were put here to be educated, not fight crazy people or train with one. If you find offense on that, maybe we can settle it later in private."

"Silence!" Red put one foot forward, quickly following it with another so she could walk to us and stare us down. "Training is part of education. Ever heard of P.E?" Candice rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Red had a very different idea of what that was supposed to mean. "My father said that peace is nonexistent. From the moment we open our eyes for the day till the instant we fall asleep, we're all fighting a war." She turned to Lilith. "What do you want most in this world, Miss Hart?"

I felt Lilith's gaze dart my way before she tightened her ponytail and shrugged. "You know what I want," she said. I bit my lips and glanced at the ground. "Power." Candice snorted. Lilith and her family always had power. That wasn't new. "Not just any power," she continued. "My reasons for acquiring it aren't the same as when I started here. I need to protect. . ." She inhaled sharply. "I'm a changed person."

Red nodded, satisfied with the answer. She stopped walking front and center, allowing us to look at her without missing anything. She had made us line up on the end of the room earlier and it was in this position that we ran to and fro without breaking the formation. "That's war for you," she said to Lilith. "It's not always bloodshed or a battle of words. Sometimes war is an inner conflict. A desire to get to your goal. It never stops. It never rests. And so should we until we overcome it. If you want to be strong, you have to train, and to do that you have to listen to me. Run back and forth fifty times. I want to see you sweat!" She blew a whistle.

Where did she get that whistle, I thought as I moved forward, arms swinging, knees bending. Who did we have to fight? Daniel? I understood her concerns but was exhausted with her methods. The more I should do it. By lunch time, my legs were about to fall off from running. Candice made it no secret that she was going to sleep, and no one, not even Red could take that from her. "Can I talk to you lot?" Red asked, sitting with us on the side.

"That depends on whether you're going to slap our faces while doing so," Lilith said. "Then there's no talk." Sarcastic but possible with Red. She'd think it was a good training, probably. I put the cap on my water bottle and rested my head against the wall.

"Don't be ridiculous," Red said. "I respect your families and you guys as people. I don't need to slap you to obey my commands. You'll do that because you know what we're doing is for a good reason." She crossed her legs. I hated that she didn't even break a sweat or had a hair out of place. She wasn't all talks. She ran with us to inspire motivation. Only she was better at it. "Has any of you thought about the answer to the clue yet? Blue?"