Chapter 7
1085 Words
No! I am not going to the clinic.”
“Are you crazy? You hit your head and are clearly in a lot of pain.” He continued “No matter how cute I think you are, I don't think even you would be able to pull off a black eye.”
He thought I was cute.
“I am not going to have a black eye, you grandma.”
“Did you just call me a grandma?”
“ There isn't anyone else I am having a conversation with apart from you now is there?”
He narrowed his eyes.
“Who knew hitting your head on a pole would make you so mouthy.”
“ Just let me go to my room to change, I am sure it is nothing an ice pack would not fix.” I tried reasoning with him.
“I cannot have you leaving me looking like I just hit you, people are already looking at me strangely for walking around with you.” He froze as the words left his mouth. "That was not what I meant."
There it was, I knew that he was just a little bit too perfect.
“Well, I did not ask you to demand that I take you on the tour.” I said as I turned around to start heading to my room.
“ Doyou not want to know why I did it?”
The nerve of this individual.
“No, I do not and frankly I do not care.”
“ I liked you better when you were behaving coy and timid.”
“And I liked you better when I thought you were brooding and mysterious and your mouth was shut.”
Woah, woah where was all this coming from? I did not wait for his reply as I marched to my room to change into my field wear. I had to go all the way back to my room to change because I was not going to subject myself to changing in front of my rankmates. Seeing as I was walking around with hot commodity No. 1 as was already definitely going to be on their hit list and that ultimately would not end well for me. Stupid River, dragging me into his stupid center of attention.
Why did what he said hurt? I barely even knew the guy and I was sure I had heard worse. Stupid hormones.
As I walked to my room, I heard the unmistakable footsteps of combat boots. That was strange, no one was usually down here. I could leave my door open for weeks and everything would be just as I had left it.
I mean, my room was hardly a thief's jackpot; nonetheless, my point has been made.
The footsteps were becoming louder, the person was approaching. I placed my hand in my knapsack, fisting the most weapon-like thing I could find. The owner of the footsteps stood in front of me.
“Stephanie, I was looking for you.”
Major Lucas looked frazzled.
“Gladys said I should look for you and hand this over.”
In his arms was the thickest duvet I had ever seen. It had a gradient of different shades of gray. I was in love.
It was not the first time that Gladys had sent Major Lucas to give me things. She raised him just like she raised Rose.
What I was wondering was what he was doing here, downstairs. Close to my room. We never used to have any physical interactions when I needed to get my things from him. He usually just left them in a box outside under the huge oak tree.
I guess he could see the confusion swimming in my eyes.
“I knew you would be coming to your room and I just wanted to see and ask how you were doing?
I gave him a tight lipped smile. Where was this concern when I was about to be thrown out of the academy. He was watching in the stands as I was being torn to shreds.
“I am perfectly fine, Sir.”
“That is good to know, I know I have probably not been there for you the way I should have been and I want that to change. Rose would have never wanted me to leave you the way I did. You just remind me of her so much,” he spoke like he was in pain.
“I just want to let you know that I know we cannot start over but if you ever need anything, you can come to me. I am sorry for not being there for you and I am going to change that. ”
I felt suffocated. Why now, after all this time? He treated me averagely well. He was not nice to me but he was not cruel either. I always knew it was because of the soft spot he still harbored for Rose. I did not mind his treatment at times I was grateful for it. Why did he want to change now?
Major Lucas had not actively participated in putting me down and I guess he did treat me better than most people did. I decided to give him an inch. A nod at him was all I could afford. It was not much but an inch was all that I was willing to give him and I wanted him to prove that he was ready to walk the mile.
He understood what my nod meant because he gave me one of his own as well. I daresay his eyes even looked a bit moist.
“Right.” He said as he handed me the duvet and walked towards the stairs.
Gosh it was heavy. It was also going to be incredibly warm. Words could not even express how much I loved Gladys. If going above and beyond was a person, it would be Gladys.
As I saw my bed, weariness settled in. I was not even that physically tired, just emotionally spent.
Emotional rollercoaster was a gross understatement on what today had been. I just wanted to lie down and cocoon myself in the duvet, hiding away from the world forever.
My fingers brushed against the sore spot on my forehead, and despite everything that had happened, one thought refused to leave me alone.
He called me Stephanie.
Not Cadet Alexander.
Not traitor or cariot.
Just...
Stephanie.
I hated that remembering it made me smile.
- Writer
