The Soldier

CHAPTER EIGHT

  After lunch the lot of us go back to our rooms. Either to watch movies, games, or whatever we choose. I decide to put away my clothes and other stuff. When I finish, I notice that there is another bed in my room. I guess that one of my dorm mates has finally gotten here, and right on cue, the door opens.

A girl, tall with straight dirty blonde hair, and a slender, willowy figure. Her eyes are a warm chestnut, contrasting her olive green shirt against her tan skin. She catches me looking at her, and grins.

"Hi." I say, crossing my legs crisscross-apple-sauce on my bunk. "I guess you're my roommate."

The girl closes the door behind her and nods. "Yeah, I guess I am." she laughs a little. Not a bubbly laugh like Lindy and her sister when they were flirting with Officer Aura.

This girl's laughter is deep and strong. I like her.

"My name's Leslie." she tells me.

I grin back at her. "My name's June."

She holds a hand up. "Oh, I know who you are. You're President Castor's oldest child." She starts breathing hard, as if she just came from running a mile.

I shoot a nervous glance at her.

The girl catches the stare, and grins again. "Sorry, I just came back from playing basketball." she apologizes, placing her hands on her knees. "We'll talk after I'm done taking a shower, 'kay?"

She makes a pose, with her back straight, one hand on her hip, and the other in the air.

It's so ridiculous that I laugh. "Okay." I say slowly.

With that, she closes the bathroom door, and I am allowed time to get a hold of myself.

That boy, the one who chocked me, leaves me wondering. When I was at the registration, he touched me. Touched me like... like he knew me before. It leaves me wondering. Like times when there's a memory in the back of your mind that you can't put your hand on it, and it bothers you so much that it clouds your mind.

I lie down on my bed, and run my hand through my hair. I feel like the world is coming down with its massive weight of earth. Like any minute, it's going to come crashing down on me like a bomb would do a soldier.

Oh well, suck it up, June! A voice in my head yells at me, giving me a sudden migraine. Not everything goes your way, sometimes. Just survive enough to become a Soldier. That's all you're here for.

I find myself falling asleep.

The boy is beside me again. He's holding my hand, his other around my waist.

Oh.

My heart flutters.

There's... something different about this dream.

I can see the boy's face clearly now. When I recognize him, I try to scream. I try to force my eyelids to open, to get me away from him as fast as I can. But, my eyelids won't budge. They feel like lead. Panic rises through me, but then I see for myself, the boy's stormy gray eyes, staring at me.

There's something else different about this dream too. The boy is much older. About eighteen. I don't even have to say his name before he grasps my waist.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" I plea, snatching my hand out of his.

It's Officer Aura.

If he's surprised me before, now, he surprises me again. His straight eyebrows clench together... almost as if he's hurt.

"June..." Officer Aura says loud and clear.

That's when I do remember. I have met him before. I was in love with Jacob Aura before.

+ + +

The memories come rushing back right when my eyes open.

Of course.

I left him when I was four. That's when I was molested, and I was moved to a new school sixty miles away. The memories come rushing back like a giant wave come rushing down on a rocky cliff.

His name was Jacob. The boy in my dreams. He didn't molest me, but someone did. Jacob and I were in love, that's all I know.

I wonder if he remembers me. Is that why he didn't go ahead and kill me when I called him his twin.-Commander Blue? He could've punished me with three penalties, or even worse, death. He could've done it. He's allowed to. He's high authority after all. Even being the NONR'S First Daughter wouldn't save me.

I guess I'll have to find out.

When Leslie comes out of the bathroom, I am stretching my arms, watching the tree branches flow in the wind outside our window.

"Sorry you had to wait." Leslie says. "Though, I don't think you would've minded, especially since I was sweaty."

Leslie has changed into her Cadet's uniform. - Royal blue pants, crimson red military jacket and hat. Her boots are gray and made of leather.

There's an awkward silence and she grins and shrugs. "So, Officer Aura said to head to the Training Building when we're done."

I bite my lip until my tongue tastes the metallic taste of blood. Even the mention of his name has me on edge. I hide it by a slight grin. "Right, let's go then."

When the door shuts behind us, my stomach drops down to my feet, and a hot knife comes searing through it.