The Army Girl

7. Carmen's Point Of View

I slowly opened my eyes, glancing at my phone and switching the alarm off, taking note of the time, four-thirty in the morning. I had slept on a sofa in our double garage that had been converted, half into a gym and half into a band practice area.

I stretched out my achy, stiff limbs as I left the garage and made my way back inside the pub apartment. I snuck quietly into my room so I didn't wake Sammantha up and I pulled some clothes out of my dresser. I put my black sports bra on, followed by my boxers and socks. I then dug out a pair of black track suit pants and put them on. I quietly opened my wardrobe pulling out a pair of black and yellow Etnie high top trainers as they were the only shoes that felt comfortable to jog in.

Placing them on my feet I picked up my iPhone and headphones and threw a black hoodie on before leaving the pub and jogging down to the beach. Once there I did some stretches and blasted music through my headphones as I set off jogging down the beach.

The cool morning sun was peaking up from the horizon and waves gently caressed the sand as they rolled in. Everything from the night before and my worries about going back on duty disappeared as I cleared my head and basked in my surroundings. At that moment I felt in complete peace.

I was no longer in the war zone. I was at home, safe, with my family. Even if it was only for a month. There was no fear in me while I was here. This was my safe haven.

After finishing my beach run, I jogged slowly back to the pub. I woke Lucas up quietly so we could leave before everyone else woke. I jumped in the shower and got redressed in a dark green sports bra and a dark green hoodie, finishing it off with a pair of dark green and black basketball shorts and some dark green DC high tops.

I walked into the kitchen and saw Lucas making coffee so I started cooking everyone a fry up. Once it was cooked I placed everyone's food in the oven to keep warm and sat down to eat with Lucas. Once we finished Lucas strapped his surfboard to the top of my car and we headed out to meet with our lawyer.

Everything went without a hitch at the lawyers, we left mostly everything to our mum for her to do with as she wished. I had left my collectable guitars to Jay, my car to Antonio and my customised surfboard to Lucas. Lucas and I had bought an old, run down beach house together six months ago because I couldn't afford it on my own and while we were with the lawyer Lucas signed over the deeds to me so I could leave it for Sammantha if I died.

We had finished all the arrangements and paperwork after a couple of hours and I dropped Lucas off at the beach to surf while I decided on going straight back home. I pulled into my parking space, got out and went to our double garage. I opened up the gym side, leaving the garage door open and hanging my hoodie up inside.

Normally, I would have gone to the beach and joined everyone surfing, but, after mine and Sammantha's blow up last night and all the serious paperwork today, I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts for a while.

I decided I was going to workout to keep my fitness up for when I return to Afghanistan. I started off warming myself up by jogging on the treadmill for thirty minutes, while I was running I saw my mum come into the garage and place down a jug of water with a glass and a sandwich. She took a seat on the weight bench and stayed waiting for me to finish my run.

"Sit." Mum commanded me as I got off the treadmill. I obeyed, picking up a small towel and drying the sweat off my face. "Eat." She demanded and again I obeyed her.

"Thank you." I replied quietly as I picked up the sandwich.

"Are you hiding away?" She asked taking a seat next to me, I nodded. "Scared of seeing Sammantha or is something else bothering you?" She asked studying me.

Now, in all my life I could never lie to my mum as she can read me like a book, so, I looked down at the floor and scuffed my feet against it as I chewed slowly on the bite I had taken, trying to organise my thoughts. Once I had gathered my thoughts and swallowed my food, I looked up to meet my mums searching gaze.

"I'm avoiding Sammantha, but, I've also got a lot on my mind." I replied honestly without having to tell her everything.

"Are you going to talk to Sammantha today? Or are you planning on camping out in here again?"

"I haven't decided yet." I replied as I handed my mum the empty plate and helped myself to some water.

"You're not usually so indecisive, little one." My mum chuckled, "Oh, and don't think I don't know that there are things your aren't telling me, just talk to me when you're ready but please, don't wait until it's too late. Okay honey?" Mum requested as she left the garage.

Once she had gone I got straight back to my training, I was aware I was being watched by a couple of girls roughly my age and I put my head phones on to ignore their comments and catcalling. I went on to do the rest of the exercises I had planned out.

I did some skipping, doing intervals of a slow pace and a fast pace. A hundred press ups and a hundred sit ups. I worked on the punching bag for a while, practising the moves from when I trained in Muay Thai before doing some weighted squats. I hit the treadmill again doing a steep uphill, weighted run for two miles before I took a quick drink break.

All the while the girls continued watching me and I continued to ignore them. I glanced at my phone noticing that it was five in the evening, Antonio, Jay and Sammantha would have finished work by now and everyone would be home soon.

I moved across to the pull up bar and did a hundred pull ups then moved over to our weight bench. I set the weights onto the bar and lay down on the bench. Just as I went to start my bench presses, Sammantha appeared above me, looking nervous.

"Hey." I said quietly as I took my headphones off.

"Hey." She replied, shyly, offering me a small smile, "Need a spotter?"