Don't Piss Off the Redhead

And So It Begins...

I went up to the training room to burn off the anger. Anger caused by the dumbass Alec had turned into during the interview that would literally determine his fate here, and whether or not he was deemed a hopeless cause. I had told him he needed to bring his A-game, and instead what I got were a bunch of terrible one-liners and a brain-to-mouth filter that would let whole coffee beans slip through.

To add on to everything else, Mum probably thought he was a complete smart-ass, now. He was, but I had thought he'd keep his head on straighter in that particular situation. There was a time and a place, and faced with your future was not the time nor the place. My mother didn't take very kindly to smart-asses, unless they were me specifically, but she'd raised me so I wasn't sure if that counted.

The point was, I was going to beat the smart-ass right out of Alec during his first session. And second. And third. And all of them until he actually learned to fight. Hopefully, it would take him longer than it had taken me.

I continued to punch, kick, and maim all the largest dummies I could find until I felt satisfied I was too exhausted to do anything else to anyone else that evening. I decided to seek out Niev, my best friend. She was my counter, my equal. She enabled me as much as she kept me from doing stupid things myself, and I did the same for her. Niev had been the first girl my age that I had met here. Really, she was the second, but I didn't count the first one because she was stuck up, and I hadn't stuck around long enough to hear her life story in that nasal voice she had. That she still has.

Niev and I had first bonded laughing about that voice.

I waltzed into her room without knocking. She was in the shower, so I sat on her bed and read the magazine by it. There were some interesting articles about different tree frogs.

She came out five minutes later, ruffling her chin-length hair in a towel, her gold skin shining. "Hey, stranger, what're you doing in my room?" she asked.

"Oh, you know, stalking you, sniffing your sheets," I replied. We both grinned. "So, you had dinner yet?"

She shot me a look. "You wouldn't even be in here if I had. Let me put some actual clothes on, and you can tell me how your long-term assignment's going," she threw a devilish grin over her shoulder as she went to her closet.

I followed her in, leaning against the door frame. "I was in the training room most of the afternoon because of him," I told her crossly.

"Already? Dang girl, I thought you'd at least have him properly trained before you started needing extra training sessions to work off the heat." She fanned her face in emphasis, and I smacked it out of the air.

"Ach, no, Niev. Mentor-trainee relationship is not my thing. We can revisit that after he's not my official problem anymore. He was annoying, a smart-mouth, and totally a greenie, even if he is mildly cute."

"Ha! I knew it! But, I must correct you in one thing. He is not 'cute'," she quoted with her fingers, "He is hot, like, spicier than my Indian food hot," she said. This said a lot, as she made freakishly spicy Indian food. It felt always felt a little like willingly eating lava, but that didn't stop us.

"You're allowed to have that opinon," I quipped. "Besides, you didn't seriously think I would pick an unattractive guy? You should know me better," I pouted my lips and did my puppy face. "Oh, by the way, you should wear the white shorts."

"Mmm, you're right. They look fabulous."

Once we were ready, we walked through T.I.A. to the mess hall, where all the food was served. Tonight there were sweet potato fries and sausage with roasted potatoes. The sweet potato fries were one of my favourite things on the menu. Something about them brought me more joy than almost anything else they served here. Occasionally they spiked the food, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the sweet potato fried might sometimes be 'ecstatically delicious'.

Niev and I sat at a table with the rest of a core group of my friends. Lacey, Fayth, Sari, and Ashlyn.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" I asked.

"Beautifully."

"Great."

"Lovely."

"Smashing," Lacey replied.

"Haven't heard that one in a while," I said around a mouthful of fries.

"Where's your protégé?" Ashlyn asked.

"I'm his mentor, not his babysitter," I reminded her.

"But babysitting is included in mentorship, right Fayth?" Niev added helpfully.

Fayth nodded sagely. "Yes, it is," She should know, as she was the one that had brought Rich in.

"Hey, where is Rich?" Niev asked, as though reading my mind.

"You don't know, Niev?" Ashlyn cackled, "My, the bastard must've been really sneaky to get past all your monitors!"

Niev blushed a deep red that showed even through her Indian heritage. "I don't stalk him, guys! I'm just... overly observant!"

"Yeah, sure," replied Ashlyn.

At that moment, Rich walked up, and plopped beside Fayth, followed by Aiden.

"You," I narrowed my eyes at Aiden. "I need to talk to you after dinner,"

"Oooh, trouble in paradise already, Kalin?" mocked Niev.

Aiden blushed, poor thing, but I only rolled my eyes, having expected the comment from her. "Please. Like I'd have a paradise in the first place,"

Niev looked me up and down. "You will. And it will be fabulous,"

"Ah, hush you," I replied, looking down at my dinner. It wasn't a conversation we needed to have, again, in front of everyone else.

Rich chose that moment to intervene. "How's about we introduce the new lad, eh?"

"You can do that, Rich, seeing as how you've adopted him already," I said sweetly.

He only smiled pleasantly at me. Then he turned to Aiden, "Well, you already know the fiery dragon across the table." I stabbed my fork at Rich with a frown. He went on before I could berate him. "The divine lady next to her is Niev," Her blush renewed furiously, "Lacey is the British brunette, the tall Amazonian goddess is Fayth," Fayth rolled her eyes and muttered 'suckup,' "Sari is the shy genius, and Ashlyn is the smart-ass blonde, with the pixie cut."

"Hi," Aiden said awkwardly.

Dinner continued, everyone partaking in laughing and jokes. Even Aiden said more the three words. Once it was done, everyone started leaving. Rich made to leave, and so did Aiden, but I grabbed his wrist. He looked at it, surprised. "I still need to talk to you," I gave him a pointed look.

I started threading us through the tables toward the exit.

"So, am I in trouble?" he asked warily.

"Yes," I replied immediately. "We're going to the training room," and I grinned in a way I'd been told was quite intimidating.

He gulped. Then bolted.

The fool.

**************

Dun Dun Duuuuun! That just reminds me of minions. Please comment on anything and everything! That's about it. Oh, and that finals suck. Just putting that out there.

So this one didn't need as much editing! I mostly just added a few sentences. Kinda still unsatisfied with it but it's also mostly a filler chapter so *shrugs*

Past me was also v on point about finals sucking.

Anyhitherwho!

~KK