A good soldier never gives up

A new beginning?

Grandfather sighed before smiling back at her. "You children have no idea what you are getting yourselves into. The United States military is not supposed to permit children under the age of eighteen to enlist."

"Actually sir, we do know what we're getting into. How much different can it be if we have already fought in so many wars and know all of your tactics? We were trained to know those kinds of things, and therefore you have nothing new for us to learn."

He nodded, "alright, I will permit this, only if you children are willing to risk your lives for the United States."

She nodded, "yes, I am. I'm positive the others are too."

"We are through here. Report to training in fifteen hundred hours."

When we left, I couldn't help but feel glad. My body was in a compromised state, not critically injured, but not well enough for intense training. My skin was still covered in smoke as I realized I haven't been able to clean up since we landed.

"Janet, I need to report to my room for a bit. Would you like to come or would you rather wait out here?" I asked her, unsure if it was a good idea to leave her wandering around or not.

"Are you finally going to shower? I wasn't going to say anything, but you really seem to need one at the moment." I noticed she smiled as she said that before she grabbed a hold of my hand again. "Show me your room then. It's not like I have any other thing to do here. I'd probably get lost."

I led her back into my room where she decided to sit down on my bed. She watched as I began to pull clothes out from a dresser before shaking her head no. "Your not going to be able to change out of that alone. Looks like you were hit a few times anyways. Let me help you take off your clothes, and I'll have some ready when you get out."

It doesn't surprise me that she would say something like this. All the girls back at the camp bathed with the boys. There were no separate areas for that, but there were separate restrooms. I have already seen her naked countless times, as did she when I had to shower, only now it's different. We had to get used to the idea that it wasn't appropriate for children like us to see contents like that.

Before I could tell her it's not a problem, she had already begun with my shirt. My arms went up automatically as she raised it over my head, dropping it on the floor beside me. Her hands went on my chest before being lowered to my belt. Once the belt came off, she pushed me into the restroom so I could finish the rest.

The hot water was a relief to the muscles as the dark smoke that had stained my skin went down the drain. I stayed under the water for what felt like an hour before deciding to come out. I wrapped the towel around my waist before walking out of the room to find Janet holding out clean clothes to me.

"Go back in there and change, big boy. I'm sure you can dress yourself," she said as I took the clothes from her.

When I was fully dressed, I walked out of the bathroom and took a seat on the bed. "Hey Janet, do you ever wonder what the future has in store for people like us?"

"Yeah, all the time." She smiled before scooting closer to me. "We don't have to live it alone, but it's hard to find someone to accept us."

"That will be difficult. I still have to adjust to a normal life." I sighed before saying, "she kissed me inside the helicopter before pulling a knife out."

She looked over at me with her big, brown eyes. "She tried to kill you after kissing you? Who does something like that?"

I shrugged. "It makes me wonder if I'll ever be able to meet people without them wanting to kill me."

"You can't get it out of your mind, can you?" she asked. When I didn't answer, she made me look at her. "Let me help you with that. You need someone who understands what you've been through."

"How do you plan to help me?"

She leaned closer to me and whispered "like this" before kissing me slowly.

Her kiss was slow and passionate. It felt strange to kiss her. It was as if there was a spark between us. It felt like all the wrong I have committed was suddenly right.

As my heart began to speed, I began to wonder what was happening to me.It was as if there was a spark between us. It felt like all the wrong I have committed was suddenly gone.

As my heart began to speed, I began to wonder what was happening to me. Two girls were able to make my heart race this way, but what's going on?

When she pulled away from me, I couldn't hide the blood that was surely rushing to my face at that moment. I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words. Instead, I pulled her into me and kissed her back.

Her hands were getting tangled in my hair, but it didn't matter to me. Somehow, we ended up laying down on the bed, her above me, still kissing each other. We didn't pull away from each other until there was a knock at the door.

Grandfather was standing by the door with Juliet beside him. I moved away from her, unsure of what to say. Juliet wouldn't even look at me.

"Well, I can see you two are very friendly and all, but you are both still in a military base. Please, do not let me catch you doing this again." Janet nodded as she sat up as well. "Anyways, William, we are releasing Juliet to the public. She was not planning on killing you. That knife was left on her."

I nodded. "Sir, would you like me to escort her to her family, sir?"

"Yes, take her to her father where they will soon be taken to a safe house."

I saluted him before walking out of the room, Juliet and Janet following close behind.

"My apologies to you both. It is my duty to protect you, Juliet Peterson, and I have failed you. Janet, as a new recruit, we are to focus on our objectives without distractions."

Juliet looked at the two of us before saying "you didn't fail. I'm safe with the military."

"Was I just a distraction to you, William?" Janet asked, avoiding my line of sight.

I stayed silent as I tried to think of a way for her to be less angry with me. Instead, I shook my head no.

"You will never be considered a distraction to me. We have fought side by side together for you to ever become a distraction to me."

"That's not what you said. You said to focus on the objective without distractions," she said.

I stopped to look at her. "Janet, I do not consider you a distraction. I just have to keep my mind focused on completing my assignment. I have never failed a mission before, and I will not start today. After all, I am a professional, and as one, I have to meet high expectations."

She shook her head with disgust on her face. "You really are an idiot. You don't understand that you're still a kid. Will, our lives were taken away. For years, we had to fight for survival or be executed. There was no time for young love, but now there is." She looked away from me before saying "sometimes, I wonder if you are even capable of loving someone else."

I became frustrated rather quickly with her. How can I understand an emotion I had no experience in? Everything in my body tells me to fight, to survive. Love is not important in survival, due to the fact that it would only make situations complicated.

"Maybe you're right. I wasn't meant to love or be loved by anyone. After all, I am just one guy with no real purpose to live in this world." I looked away from her now before beginning to walk once again. "You wish for me to love, but that is the one task I am not capable of handling. I will live out the remainder of my life alone because of that simple flaw."