The Outsiders

The Big Day

'Lauren! Get your lazy ass out of bed before I get Ellie on you!' Was the lovely threat I awoke to. Jemma had been banging on my door for ages trying to coax me from my nice, warm bed. She even went as far as to mention cake (which I knew we had none of...I may have eaten it all. Hey! Don't judge it was good cake!).

'Okay! I'm up!' I heard her retreating footsteps heading towards Chloe's room.

I rolled my sleep numb body to face my age worn, dirty grey ceiling with a sigh. Today was the dreaded day. The day my friends and I were learning our fate, our destinies. A life of heroism or a life of slavery. I rolled again and let out a weak squeak, when I greeted my old close friend...the floor. I rested my forehead against the cold, smooth surface contemplating just staying here for the rest of time. Just a fifteen year old girl with no prospects for her life. Just me and my floor. Even that life would be better than the hell hole mine was about to become.

I grunted in a very unladylike fashion as I picked my self off the floor. I strode over to my wardrobe with all the confidence I could only wish I possessed. I once again grabbed my favourite black skinny jeans, a black tank top with a see through bit at the back and my favourite black (I know I wear a lot of black, get over it) jacket. As I dressed I remembered all the insults I'd been the happy receiver of over the years (cough, sarcasm, cough).

After finishing the first mundane task of the morning, I grabbed my silver locket and clasped it in its rightful place (my neck, obviously). I stood there holding it as if it was my last link to my parents, which I guess it was. I was shaken out of my depressing thoughts by a sudden wet substance on my face (minds out of the gutter people, God). I whipped my hand up and found the source. A single, solitary
tear had escaped the confines of my eye. I couldn't really remember the last time I cried. I honestly thought I'd forgotten how to.

I shook those thoughts out of my head and grabbed my babies, my two samurai swords, machete and small dagger. After your first year of hellish training you're given the choice of weapons to learn, I choose to major in samurai's and studied basic blades on the side.

I grabbed my thick soled black combat boots and headed out into the living room and was pleasantly surprised to see it empty of its usual occupants. As I dropped onto our dusty, faded sofa I heard the sound of a door opening followed by tired, dragging footsteps. I glanced over just in time to see Ivy rubbing her eyes as she entered the hobbit sized bathroom. I had just finished tying my shoes when Ellie decided to grace me with her presence.

'Have you seen Demon? I've looked everywhere'

'Under your pillow' I replied rolling my multi shade blue eyes. She shuffled back into her room returning with her large blade, which she'd appropriately named  'Demon', in its brown leather sheath.

'Cheers mate' She uttered as she passed me. She directed herself down into her favourite chair, a small black leather thing that the rest of us weren't to keen on. Her focus was fully on attaching all of her various throwing blades to her belt, forearms, legs and anywhere else she could stash them.

As I began to strap my own weapons onto my person I noticed Ivy's sai's, Jemma's two 45 caliber handguns and Chloe's bow and arrow on the small coffee table that rested by our door. While me and Ellie felt the need to be almost constantly comforted by the presence of our weapons, the others were perfectly fine leaving them where ever. I don't know why but I've never felt safe unless I'm armed. I'm sure I'm just paranoid.

Jemma finally emerged with a groggy, annoyed Chloe trudging along behind her. The first thing she did was go over to their stash of weapons grabbing hers and Chloe's, before practically forcing the bow into Chloe's stomach, causing a grunt to sound from the girl. With a harsh glare Chloe ripped her arrows from Jemma's firm grip, throwing the strap over her head so the holder was resting comfortably on her back, before stomping off into the kitchen for a cup of tea. Jemma tried to contain her sniggers behind her hand but they still remained painfully obvious.

I grabbed Ivy's sai's and took them over to the bathroom so Ivy wouldn't have to worry about getting them later aka I didn't want her to end up forgetting them, meaning we'd have to come all the way back and end up late. I knocked on the door three times before opening it.

'What do you want Lauren! I can barely handle the amount of time I spend with you already and this bathroom is the only escape I have!' My only reply was to pout. She glanced my way and let out a little laugh before saying.

'Aw I'm joking. You know I love you really!'

'No, you love to bully me. There's a difference Ivy' She scoffed before returning to her makeup.

'Getting dolled up for your army man, are we?' Ivy had been fawning over this guy Lewis (not the gay one) for a little over two years now and he was doing the same towards her. Unfortunately, he was the year above us and relationships are forbidden in the army side of life. When a women reaches thirty, or is temporary unable to fight she's impregnated through IVF treatment, then goes back to the field straight after. It's sad really Ivy and Lewis were perfect for one another but could never be. Like that Shakespeare play 'Romeo and Juilet'.

'It's not like anything will come of it Lauren'

'Aw, don't lose hope Ivy!' She smiled at my optimism, before spotting her sai's that I still held in my grip. She gestured towards them in a sort of 'you going to give me those or not?' kind of way. I laid them on top of the closed toilet lid before giving her a brief hug and leaving.

Half an hour later we were ready. Our hearts were racing in our chests and the air was somber. We all exchanged hugs (even Ellie, which means that this is really serious) all hoping we'll stay together as the big crazy family we were.

And with that wish in our heads and hearts, we took one more glance around our fifteen year home reliving our ups and downs before exiting the room.