I Should've Kept Everything Secret

~Lieutenant Colonel Knight

I woke up to my alarm, which was beeping and was driving me crazy. I slapped my hand on it and sat up on my bed. My arms screamed as I moved my body. I winced loudly. I wouldn't have had this if it weren't for yesterday. I was still angry at myself for being so easily tricked into giving a demonstration.

I grudgingly got out of bed. I muttered darkly at myself throughout the entire morning. Through brushing my teeth, dressing myself, and eating breakfast. I decided to walk to school today, deciding that the fresh air might clear my head.

I got to school early. Earlier than I usually do, that is. I saw almost nobody around. I was partially glad because I knew I would be getting a few stares and questions from some of my fellow classmates.

I nervously tugged on my braid as I stepped inside the building. Only a few people were hanging by the lockers and I let out the sudden breath I was holding when they didn’t notice me. I walked to my locker and put in the combination. I grabbed some of my textbooks and stuffed them in my bag. I slammed the locker shut and it made an echoing sound throughout the hallway.

I walked aimlessly around the school, just walking into empty classrooms and then leaving them just as quick. I realized, a couple years from now, that I was actually wandering around, looking for the lieutenant colonel from yesterday.

Eventually, I went into a room that was actually not empty, in a sense. The room was covered with trophies that barely hit the ceiling. There was barely enough space for one more. The room also had a desk. And the desk had somebody in it. It was the lieutenant colonel again. He was wearing his uniform again, which was spotless.

“What can I do for you, miss?” He asked as he folded his hands on the desk.

“I’m sorry, sir. It seems that I stumbled in here by accident,” I said, trying to leave the room.

“You owe me an explanation for yesterday, young lady!” He shouted. He had abruptly bolted from his seat.

I looked at him with my narrowed eyes. “And what do you need an explanation for?” I asked, sourly.

He ran a hand through his black and silver hair. “Let’s sit down and re-start this conversation.” He gestured toward the chair in front of his desk.

I sighed loudly and walked over to it. I sat in it and took off my bag. I placed it on the side of the chair and folded my arms in front of my chest.

He sat back down in his own chair and looked at me with those piercing blue eyes. I met them and started to frown at him.

“I’m Lieutenant Colonel Knight. And you are?” He started of.

“Willow. Just Willow,” I said, knowing my last name would be a dead give away to the Lieutenant Colonel.

“Now that we know each other, can you answer some of my questions?” When he saw my frown deepen into a scowl, he took it as a yes. He asked the questions one after another.

“Where did you learn to throw the gun like that?” Was his first question.

I shook my head in response.

He sighed and asked another.

“Who taught you?” Again, I shook my head.

“Would you consider joining?”

“Would you consider teaching our group?”

“Have you ever been in this program?”

“Do you ever plan on joining the program?”

Each was answered with a shake of my head. I looked at the clock on the wall behind the lieutenant colonel and saw that school was about to begin.

“Are you done with this interview?” I asked as I stood up and grabbed my bag.

He sighed heavily and nodded his head. “I’ll see you after school, Willow,” he called through the room as I left.

I was furious when I got to class. What right did he have to question me? I slid into my seat and took out my binder. I opened it and flipped to a clean page.

As the bell rang for first period class, everyone trickled in. People who were a part of the program, which was almost everyone, looked at me and started whispering to their friends. When they looked at me for a second glance, I glared at them, making them avert their eyes somewhere else.

The teacher ordered everybody to get in their seats. People still looked at me when the teacher had his back turned to us. I could hear snatches of their conversations behind my back.

“…did you hear? She went to practice and…”

“…she started doing her own routine…”

“…she yelled at them and everyone heard…”

“…they gave her a demonstration…”

“…I heard they wanted her to join…”

“…people said she told the lieutenant colonel no. Nobody’s refused him before…”

I started scowling at the board. Did people care that much about what happened yesterday? I couldn’t wait for this day to come to an end, so that I could go home.

Every class I had, everyone looked and whispered at me.

When I got to lunch, I decided to skip it and went to the library. The library was deserted. No one was there except the librarian, so I was spared the looks and whispers. I went to a table and started on some of my homework from my earlier classes so I wouldn’t have to do it when I got home.

I took out my textbook and started writing the answers to some question on looseleaf. I was scribbling furiously when I heard somebody clear their throat.