The Academy: Ashland

Miranda

            The next morning, Taven and Jack woke me up by tugging me off my bed. As soon as I hit the floor, I instinctively reached under my bed for my gun. I swept my arm under the bed for a moment before I realized it wasn't there.

            “Where's my gun?” I asked as I pulled myself back up onto the bed.

            “The closet,” Taven said. “I took it out from under your bed after you attacked Seth.”

            “I didn't “attack” Seth. He was creeping around my room,” I protested.

            Jack laughed, “Whatever you say, little girl. Now get dressed.”

            I rolled my eyes and smiled, “Get out.”

            Taven chuckled and led Jack out of the room, “Hurry. Markus and Laura showed up and are making breakfast,” Jack said over his shoulder as Taven shut the door.

            I laughed and grabbed some clothes before walking into the bathroom that was connected to my room. I tossed my clothes down on the shelf in the bathroom and stripped before jumping into the shower.

            After my shower, I pulled on my black jeans, black and gray striped shirt, black hoodie and black converse before walking out of the room, holding a black beanie.

            “Do you ever run out of hoodies?” Justin asked when I walked into the kitchen.

            I shook my head, spun a chair around, straddled the back before sitting down next to Seth, who looked at me and grinned. “It worked,” he said.

            “Told you so,” I said.

            Seth twisted the bottom of his t-shirt in his hands and looked down into his lap as he asked, “Can we maybe... do that again?”

            I smiled, “Sure,” I said. “It gets boring when I do it by myself.”

            Seth grinned at me and said, “Promise?”

            I nodded and said, “Every night. Promise.”

            As Markus put a plate with pancakes and a cup of orange juice in front of me, he smiled and whispered, “Thank you.”

            I shrugged, “No problem,” I breathed and he squeezed my shoulder.

            “The two of you are training today,” Taven said to Seth and I.

            I sighed, “We trained last night.”

            Jack laughed, “Tave has this rule that says he has to actually see you train at least once a week,” Trip said.

            “Check the video,” I said. “You've got at least five cameras down there.”

            Jack tossed his head back and laughed loudly, “See, my best friend,” he said to Taven.

            I grinned and started to eat, “I feel special.”

            Jack started to pout and we all laughed at him, “I don't think I can let you be my future wife's best friend,” Trip said seriously, making us laugh even harder. “You might steal her away from me.”

            Suddenly, someone, a woman (Miranda Franklins, but I didn't know that at the time), cleared her throat and we all turned around to look at the door.