Trained To Kill

three: hayden.

 After what feels like hours of torcher, Jacob releases us for dinner. One guy asks how we were supposed to keep track of time and Jacob tells him that there are digital watches located in each of our dressers. I make a mental note to put mine on A.S.A.P. As everyone lines up to get whatever food is being served, I walk back to my dorm to get it.

When I return, everyone has sat down across the café. There’s not much sound, like in high school, except for a little bit of chatter. It’s mostly because no one knows anyone. Once I grab my tray, I see Imani standing up and waving me over. She’s sitting with two other people. They both have caramel skin and matching colored eyes. One is a guy and one is a girl, but they look alike.

“Hey.” She says as I sit. “This is Hayden and Jaden. They’re twins.” She beams as if she’s never seen twins before. I offer them a meek hello and take my seat. “This is my roommate Karma.” Imani introduces me.

“Karma?” Hayden asks. She’s pretty. She’s got long, straight black hair and a slim figure. “Like.. whatever you do comes back to you?”

Everyone always has the same reaction to my name. I guess because it’s not that common. “Yea.” I nod and smile.

“They came and sat next to me cause Jaden thought I was cute.” Imani laughs. The twins laugh. So I laugh. While laughing, I catch a glimpse of him walking across the cafeteria with a roll in his mouth and a tray in his hand. He sits at the only empty table. Imani nudges me with her elbow. “I see you staring at the instructor guy.” She teases.

“I don’t blame her… he is so fine.” Hayden says. Imani agrees and they laugh together. I wish so badly that I was like that- able to make friends easily. Unfortunately, I’ve always been the shy type.

“I wasn’t staring.” I lie and bite into my steak- which is surprisingly wonderful.

“Right… you were just checking him out.” Imani says smartly.

“No.” I reply.

“How was being his partner by the way? Lawwd I would have passed out. Especially when we had to stretch each other out?” Hayden says with a mouthful of mashed potatoes. “Lawwwwwwd!”

While she and Imani go on and on about whatever they’re talking about, Jaden looks at me and gives me an apologetic smile. “Sorry about my sister.” He says quietly and shakes his head. I smile a little and continue to eat my food.

When dinner is over, I quickly grab a large tee and pajama pants (all black clothes, by the way) and take a shower. I didn’t like showering in the same space as a bunch of other girls, but it was an experience I was quickly going to have to get used to. I sit on my bed and run my fingers through my wet hair. Guess it’d have to be wavy for the time I’m here, because I don’t have a flat iron obviously.  Imani sets the alarm clock on her nightstand to wake her up at 7 AM. I set mine for 6. We talk a little and then finally at around 10 o clock at night she falls asleep. I slip out of bed and stalk through the now dimly lit cafeteria to the gym. After I’m through those doors, I walk to the one Jacob said was an “outdoor simlulation”. I wonder if since it’s night time it’d be night in there. I push the door open and I’m actually amazed.

It’s a big green stretched field about the size of a football field. It has a dirt path around it, I guess for running. There are a few benches here and there, and near the entrance there’s a little pond with a little waterfall. Sure enough though, it is night time. I look up and the ceiling looks exactly like the sky, with stars and a moon and everything. When I look back down, I see a figure lying in the grass in the center. I can immediately tell who it is, judging by the curly afro.