"No way! Tomorrow's Saturday. Can we start later? My legs have got tired after walking for a few hours." Claire was beginning to regret agreeing to Louisa's offer. She was in really low spirits.
There's only a few days left. So brush up on your technique so you don't embarrass yourself that day." Feeling trapped, Louisa had to turn to Claire for the modeling gig.
"We've got at least a week, right? Fine. I should go. Goodbye, Louisa." With a wave of her hand, Claire left before Louisa could even say anything. She rushed to catch up with Leena, who was waiting for the elevator.
Louisa gritted her teeth. She had been extremely furious with Claire recently. She couldn't even curse around her now. She swore that she'd teach Claire a lesson as soon as the contest ended.
Leena slowed down and waited, so Claire could easily catch up with her before Leena entered the elevator. Although Claire found herself panting for breath, at least she didn't have to wait for the next elevator.
"Come on in." Leena was about to push the button to close the door. But she saw Claire rushing to her, and hurried to prevent the door from shutting. Claire knew she had to explain what was going on.
"Leena, don't take Louisa too seriously. I think she's hurt and lashing out. It hurts to lose the one you love so much." Claire then bit her lips and looked up at Leena anxiously.
"I'm good. Her bark is worse than her bite. I'll leave her alone," said Leena. She didn't count on Claire to help her. However, she did hope that Claire wouldn't join Louisa to attack her. She didn't need that right now, with the fashion show and everything else.
"Probably a good idea. The less you two see of each other the better. By the way, is that a new phone?" Claire observed that Leena was in a bad mood, so she decided to clam up about Louisa, and change the subject.
"Yeah! I bought a new one today. As you know, the old one broke. You need to get home, take a shower and catch a nap. I'll take you out tonight, and you can meet my friends." Leena glanced at her worriedly. Actually she desperately wanted to know where had Claire been.
Really? Where's Kevin? Isn't he coming?" Claire's spirits were lifted when she heard they were gonna go out and have some fun. Since she got here, she almost never had time to go hang out and relax.
"Oh yeah. Barring serious accidents or urgency." Actually, Leena really didn't know if Kevin would join them or not. She kept going back over their conversation in her head. But she didn't want to cross the line. If she did that there would be no turning back. So she mustered all her self-control, and walled herself off from her emotions, from missing him and calling him every day, from making trouble for both of them. Deep down, she knew she couldn't do that.
Meanwhile, Hank stood in Kevin's office, feeling awkward and reserved. He wanted to say something, but bit it back.
"Hank, you want to say something? Spit it out!" Kevin snapped. Kevin frowned. He just finished the training exercises, and still was all hot and sweaty. He hadn't had the time to clean up, so all Hank was doing was getting on his nerves. Especially just standing there. Kevin just wondered why Hank even came to see him at all, and Hank wasn't saying anything. Why?
"I don't know how to say this, Major General, so I'll just say it. I understand that you're the guy who suggested the commander assign this task to me," said Hank hesitantly and cautiously. Hank couldn't believe Kevin would do that. Everyone wanted a shot at this, and he knew that he shouldn't even be in the running.
So? Anything wrong with that?" asked Kevin. Kevin stared at him intensely, and a flicker of confusion passed across his handsome face. Was Hank turning him down? This was a golden opportunity!
"Nothing wrong with it. I just want to know why. I screwed up, and my career in the army is doomed. So why did you do this?" Hank said suspiciously.
"So you think I have ulterior motives? Or don't you think you can hack it?" Kevin asked, playing with the pen in his hand, twirling it in his fingers. He couldn't hide the amusement in his voice. If Kevin didn't think Hank was good enough, he wouldn't have given him a second chance.
"Don't get me wrong, Major General. I know I'm good, but you should hate me. Normally I wouldn't get tapped for this assignment." After what Hank did, Kevin had been messing with Hank's career, keeping him from getting promoted. He was at the lowest rank and pay grade. So Hank wondered why he was helping him out now.
"Well, that's all you, Hank. Trust me, if you hadn't earned this, you wouldn't be getting it. You didn't even grumble much when I punished you. At least, not within earshot." Kevin smiled. At first, he was doing this for Daisy's sake. However, as time went on, he found that Hank was really a capable soldier. From then on, Kevin came down on him hard, insisting he complete his missions perfectly. He figured that was the way to get Hank to care about what he was doing.
Yeah, I know you're doing this for me. I shouldn't complain," said Hank in a state of panic. He had learned his lesson and kept a low profile for a long time. However, his rep was shot, and people still talked about it in whispers. So he figured that very few people in the army thought much of him, or trusted him to do anything.
"I get it if you hate me, but frankly, I don't care, as long as you have learned something from what I did to you," said Kevin peacefully. And he really didn't care about what everyone thought of him. The only thing that mattered was doing the right thing.