Army Strong

1) Throwback

My name is Ellie. Elisabeth Stewart Jones but you can just call me Ellie. That's how everyone treats me... Or used to.

I always was this joyful kid. No matter where I was or who I was with, I was always smiling. Even though I had a rough time at home, I would always see the positive side and well... I was just the definition of Joy.

My dad was never around. He was though until I was around 5 but then he lost his job and we lost our house and mommy was mad! I think I'll never forget that night. Daddy said he was going away to get us a proper life but I never tasted that life and I never saw him again. I remember telling my classmates he was a secret agent and he was sent away to lock up an evil elf trying to ruin Christmas. But Christmas passed and daddy was still nowhere to be found.

Mommy was a wreck. We were living with grandma but she wasn't a mom like my mom. She was so unsupportive it really felt like she hated us... But mom was working most of the time and she needed some place for me to sleep. So grandma's it was! For 10 long years until she passed away. The house passed on to mom but it didn't get any easier.

Looking back, I realize I wasn't an easy burden to carry. I was reckless and constantly fucking up my mom's already fucked up life. She never, not even for once, took other side besides mine even though most of the times she knew I was the one to blame. Once, she even fought, verbally, a cop! I and the girls were caught doing some graffiti on a wall. I wasn't exactly doing it when they caught us but I had done it before. The girls were complementing my work to be honest. My mom, even though she knew I had probably been the one coming up with the idea, fought with teeth and nails to keep my record clean. And she did it! I can't thank her enough. She saved my white ass so many times, I can't even count! She never gave up on me. Never stopped believing one day all her efforts would be worthy.

Eventually and only god knows how, I graduated from highschool. My mom was in tears most of the day. She was so proud... But eventually all that pride went down the drain. I finishes school and became a hot mess. If before I was trouble, after finishing school a was a damn natural disaster!

I started drinking. And then started drinking more. And more! I was out every night just partying and getting wasted. I couldn't keep a job and boyfriends were just not a priority. All I wanted was to satisfy that wicked vision of fun I had.

One day, my mom woke me up all excited saying she had signed me up for some stupid army thing. All my alarms rang when she said I had to be there by 9am in the day after. I mean... 9 o'clock!

I tried everything, all excuses I could think off but nothing worked and on the day after, there I was. Black jeans, white sneakers, white shirt, leather jacket, ponytail and bags under my eyes darker than a fucking storm cloud. I didn't want to be there but I guess I had no other option. Fighting with mom was suicide so there I stayed, sitting for 3 fucking hours as soldiers went on and on about why we should all join them. Oh hell no! No way I was gonna get my ass off of bed at 6am everyday!

Then they took us to play with the guns. I liked that part. I didn't know their guns were so heavy! It actually surprised me!

As I was trying the famous M16, some soldier walked up to me.

-Is it the first time you're holding one of these guns?-He asked me, with a blank expression. I shook my head affirmatively and handled it back to him as fast as possible. I don't know why I did it though. I just got a bit shy, I guess.

Soon, it was lunch time. It was nice... At least it was for free! And by the time we were done, we headed to the bar to have coffee. As I was waiting for mine, someone spoke to me.

-Are you gonna get one of those for me too?-He asked. I looked back and it was that soldier. He smiled to me.-What's your name?

-Ellie-I answered shyly. I have no idea why all of a sudden I was so shy.

-Hi, Ellie. I'm Steve. Nice to meet you.-He smiled a bit more and I lost it right there. His smile and the army clothes. The bad boy look in his eyes... I was hooked from the first second.

-Nice to meet you too, Steve-I smiled shyly and the bartender handed me my coffee.

-Lil' Steve!!-Some guy put his arm around his neck and made him bend down.-How you doing, man!?-He laughed and then looked at me.-Oh!-He got that busted look and let go of Steve who was now laughing. The boy fixed his clothes.-Are you gonna introduce us, Steve?-He was still staring at me. Man, that boy was handsome!

-Not really!-He laughed even harder.-Fuck off!!

-Oh, c'mon, Steve!-He punched him in the arm. I couldn't help but laugh at the whole situation.

-Fine! Ellie, this is Felix but we all just call him dickhead so feel free to...-Felix punched him again and then both of them laughed.

I was thankful Felix was there. He was a social butterfly. Whenever we were out of subject, he'd come up with the craziest and funniest conversations. I didn't even see that half an hour fly by. I was just having so much fun when I noticed I was as comfortable as I was with people I've known my whole damn life!

-Oh! I gotta go!-Felix said, looking at his wrist clock. He shook my hand and left.

When I looked at Steve, he was already looking at me. I smiled. He smiled back. Oh man...