Clouds

Part 2-20 Training

Part 20

            Colby and I march into the training area with the rest of our friends.  My heart beats quickly, pounding in my chest, eager to escape its enclosure.

            Roy was right.  Lucas was angry, and will most likely take it all out on Colby.  I need to do my best to stay away from him.  That really was a bad idea.  I pause my thoughts.  But totally worth it.

            I wonder who our instructor will be.  Probably a man, since society is totally sexist these days.  And when we enter, I see I was right.

            The B group is already there, sitting on the bleachers.  There must be about twenty of them, so our training group is not too large.  And in the center of it all is a young man, about twenty, waiting for us.

            I follow Dakota to the stands and we all take a seat.  The man looks at us and shakes his head.

            “Dakota, you must get your group here on time,” he growls.  “You’ve been slacking lately, so I want to see extra work from you today.  You’re going to work twice as hard to get me to rethink letting someone else take over your position.  I hear you almost got run over by a girl, and one training outside, at that.”  Yep.  Totally sexist.

            “Well excuse me,” I say, unable to control my anger, “but being a girl doesn’t automatically make me weak.”  My voice grows into a sneer.

            “Victoria…” Colby whispers.  He tugs at my shirt to try and get me to sit down.  But I remain standing, furious.

            “You don’t realize just how strong I am,” I say.  I mean to defend Dakota, but I get distracted easily.  “And you have no right to talk to Dakota or anyone that way!”  I pause, breathing hard.  “You shouldn’t treat your apprentices that way!  You’re supposed to be an instructor, not a dictator!”  He narrows his eyes and I feel a lump grow in my throat.

            That was a bad idea, I think to myself.  But what’s done is done.  I’ll just have to continue from here.

            “What is your name?” He asks, walking closer to me.

            “Victoria Hart,” I announce proudly.  I won’t let him know I feel so nervous inside that I could break in half.

            “Ah,” he says.  “The new girl.”  He laughs.  “You may have been easy off during your assessment because Misty loves you and the blonde so, but I can assure you that staying in the A group will be much harder than simply gaining access to it.”  He meets my challenging gaze.  “Just because you’re in it now doesn’t mean you’ll be in for long.”

            “And why is that?” I ask, angry again.  “Because I’m a girl?”

            “Because you have a large ego,” he says, “and that’s going to cause you difficulty, along with the anger you hold up inside.”

            “How do you know that it won’t help me!  Anger fuels hard punches and quicker moves.  My anger helps me to fight, and it isn’t my fault some people can’t realize that.”

            “Awesome…” Dakota starts.  I can’t keep insulting him like this.  In the long run it’ll get me kicked out of both the A and B groups.

            “You have guts, kid,” he says.  “My name is Tony.  I’ll make a deal with you.”

            “I’m listening,” I reply.