The morning lessons were over, and now I am back at the canteen for lunch. I can barely walk, and I don't know how many times I've stumbled down on my way there.
I learned that the 500 students were grouped into five and was assigned to different Flexibility trainer. And only half of our class managed to get to the flexibility class right after the five-lap run.
I was about to grab my tray when I saw Ace bullying another kid again. He pushed the kid down on the floor and kicked him on a leg.
"I said get out of the way, didn't I?" he yelled. Some boys approached him.
At least there are still some kids who know how to defend the weak.
But I was wrong.
They pulled the kid up to his feet and threw him aside.
"You are free to pass now, Ace," one of them said. Ace snorted, and he coolly went off to get himself some food.
Ace is attracting some followers now instead of haters. I don't get it.
"He's like a flame attracting foolish moths," said Sergeant Paris beside me. I looked up and saw him watching Ace. "You know how the weak hide behind the strong, right?"
"Why are you talking to me?" I asked.
The sergeant looked down at me and frowned. "Since when are you incapable of a simple conversation?" he asked and walked out.
That guy is mental. Or is it me?
I shrugged and took food from the counter. I was looking forward to the chocolate cake, but the dessert was replaced by some ordinary-looking cheesecake.
One and a half cups of rice, fish, and vegetables. I don't like fish.
"Hey," someone called, and I looked up. "May I sit here?" she asked.
She's Minnie Mouse. I am taller than her, but she's very flexible. I learned it when it was my turn to aid her flexibility training. She's like an elastic band. Flexibility is natural to her.
"Yeah, sure. Have a seat," I told her and shoved a mouthful of rice into my mouth.
Have I mentioned I hate fish?
She took a bite of the cheesecake first, and her eyes widened. She smiled. "Wow."
Grinning excitedly, I finished my plate and grabbed the cheesecake. I looked at her, and when she gave me the nod, I took a bite.
It's like a heavenly light cast its healing powers on me. It felt divine.
The pain came back when I finished eating the little muffin. "Whoever's baking these treats is a god."
"Yes, I know," we sighed in chorus.
Minnie and I left the canteen together. Smiling, I know deep inside that I got my very first friend in forever.
In the afternoon, MinnieMouse and I went to our next class. Muscular Fitness Training. And we have a Private Growler as the trainer.
We entered a place full of weights and other exercising machines. A boat rowing machine caught my attention and then the Skiing machine for us to practice on.
We met Private Growler after a few minutes of waiting. He stormed in inside the gym-like classroom, looking very angry at something.
"...stupid sergeant," I heard him mumble.
He raised his hand and whisked it. Then he faced us.
"I only have..." he counted his students then continued. "Twelve students?"
No one spoke.
"Where are the others?" he asked and turned to Minnie. "You."
"Yes, sir!" Minnie quickly stood up and saluted.
"Where are your classmates? I am missing eighty-eight brats!" he yelled.
"Uh," Minnie cleared her throat. "Mending?"
"What do you mean? What mending?" he asked, then he paused. "Oh."
"Cracked pot, old fool," someone whispered, and I didn't have to turn and find out who it was behind me who spoke. It's Ace.
"Congratulations to the twelve of you then," he nodded and turned his back on us. Minnie mouse sat down and smiled at me nervously.
"Fall in line. Girls left. Boys, right. Quick."
And we stood up and did what he said.
"Now who knows what RM is?" he asked, and Loki raised a hand. I didn't notice him sitting beside Minnie.
"Repetition maximum, sir!" he said, and Private Growler nodded.
"Right, what's your name?" he asked.
"I'm Loki," he answered with a peace sign, flashing sparkly white teeth.
"And you know this because?" he asked.
"My father's a martial artist, and my family owned a fitness gym," he answered and shrugged.
"Bless your family," Growler said, and Loki's grin vanished.
"Actually, they're all dead. I'm the only one left now soooo..." his grin came back. "Bless me!"
Silence.
Loki sat down, and Private Growler continued like he did not hear a thing.
Another one of the unlucky kids. Welcome to the club.
The lesson continued, and everyone listened intently. He taught us about all the basics of Muscular fitness and how our first month here will be about strength development.
The guys were asked to do bench presses while the girls were asked to do dumbbell flys.
"Damn," said a girl who took the dumbbell I was about to pick up. "Why do the boys get to do heavy bench presses while girls get to play with small dumbbells?"
I didn't speak since I observed that the girl was obviously talking to herself. Instead, I took the dumbbell beside her and stood next to Minnie. I then lay down on the bench and started doing the dumbbell flys.
After that, external rotators, wrist curls, and reverse wrist curls. Alas, the barbell. I lifted it up and cursed. It's heavier than I thought. I lifted it a couple of times, and just when I reached my RM, I gasped.
I was lifting the barbell up and behind my neck when my grip faltered. A sharp stabbing pain erupted from my shoulders, and I fell down from the chair.
It's like my left shoulder was being burnt.
"Aah," I murmured, summoning all the strength I have left, not to scream. I knelt down and closed my eyes.
Minnie quickly went to my side.
"Meow, are you okay?!" she asked. "Can you stand?"
I focused on her voice and suppressed the searing pain. I closed my eyes, gaining control. I opened it, and I saw Ace's face. He looked like he had just swallowed a toad.
"What are you looking at, jerk? I asked. I tried my best to sound okay.
"Shut up, Selena," he said and frowned. "You look awful."
"Don't call me that," I told him.
Private Growler shoved him away and leaned down to examine my shoulder, and he shook his head. "You," he turned to Ace. "Take care of your friend and make sure she gets to the infirmary."
I was about to complain and ask for Minnie instead-but Ace already took my other arm and slowly lifted me up.
"Hey, Ace!" Loki called. "Do you need some help?"
"Get lost," he answered, and as gentle as he can he put my arm around his shoulders and casually helped me walk out of the room.
"Meow, I'd go there as soon as the class ends," Minnie said after us.
On our way to the infirmary, I tried my best to suppress the urge to whine. I don't know what happened, and I thought I was doing fine until my body reacted.
"You named yourself, Meow?" Clive or Ace, whatever, started. "What kind of name is that?"
"What is it with you anyway?" I asked. "It's better than being the biggest jerk around."
"No, I'm not," he said. "Why would you think that?"
"Oh, come on. You're bullying everyone, including me!"
"It's not my fault all of you are getting on my nerves," he said.
"What did I do to you?" I asked. "You're the one who suddenly removed me from your list of friends."
"It was you who trusted that Paris guy the moment he appeared out of the trees," he told me. "You are so naive. And weak."
We turned to the last hallway and are now a couple of steps away from the infirmary. "Did you fail to notice? It was just a prank?"
He growled. "I don't trust him."
Ignored.
"So why are you helping me now?" I asked. "You suddenly decided to be the nice guy?"
He snorted but didn't speak. The moment we arrived at the infirmary, he kicked the door open. Every single medic inside turned to face the door.
One of them quickly went to my aid.
"I'm leaving," he said and sneered at me.
He turned around to leave, and I gave him my thanks.
"Thanks, Clive."
He paused and then took a glance at me. A grin swept his face.
"Anytime."
---
"Meow! Over here!" it was Minnie's voice that called me. It is five o'clock in the morning, and like yesterday, we were asked to meet Private Diaz.
"I can barely walk, and the pain killer is making my upper body numb," I told her and sighed.
She patted my shoulder to console me, but I gasped. She gasped too when she realized what she had done.
"It's still a little sore," I said, and she shrugged apologetically.
"Good morning, everyone," said Diaz. We chorused a drowsy good morning. Even the voices of the kids sound painful.
"Let's do a little stretching and warming up before we start your morning jog," he signaled us to follow him.
"A lap runs, and we're done for today."
"One? Just one?" asked a girl nearby.
"Yes," he answered and looked around to meet our gazes. "I know your bodies are still quite sore. Please start."
And we did. Minnie ran beside me, and I observed the way she was being careful with me. She frequently glances at my shoulder and my face, checking if I'm alright.
"I'm fine, Minnie," I told her. "The nurse said it was just a bad sprain, that's all."
"Well," she started. "Private Growler said you are an idiot for not checking the weight of the barbell. We're supposed to be lifting 12 kilos, not 20."
"I didn't know. I thought ---"
"That's why you're an idiot all over again," she said. "You didn't use the elevator and climbed the stairs instead. Then there's the barbell in Growler's class."
She's right. I may not look anything near clumsy, but I definitely fall under the idiot category.
I made a mental note to focus more.
The one-lap jog, we finished in a jiffy. We don't have Flexibility training today. Our 9 o'clock class was Languages. By the time our class was over, my head was in turmoil. We were learning Chinese in a very fast-paced discussion. All I can think of after is the smiling face of Buddha, stationed in the corner of the classroom. Minnie, on the other hand, wasn't as hassled as I.
Our next class was psychology. I knew the moment I heard that my brain would experience a lot of pressure from this class. I am not a fatalist, really, but I knew my strengths and weaknesses.
We entered inside a room that is by far the most normal. Minnie and I took a seat in front. The truth is I want to sit at the back, but Minnie, my only friend, is probably the studious type of girl, so why not. I'd choose the front row rather than the back just to sit next to some stranger. I reminded myself about the badge.
"Hey!" Loki poked my injured shoulder, and I bit my lip in pain. "Oops, wrong shoulder."
A sadist.
We ignored him.
I thought we would meet another uniformed soldier, but we found ourselves looking at a guy wearing a lab gown.
He smiled. "Good morning."
I frowned. He's too good-looking to be mixed up with barbaric soldiers like the rest around here. Is he capable? We gave him our greetings.
"Wow," Loki snickered. "Isn't he cute?" He blinked a lot, flashing his lashes, and even tucked an invisible strand of hair behind his ear. I suppressed a grin.
"There would be no running, stretching, lifting, or fist-raising in this class," he started. "I am also not going to waste our time talking about the history of psychology to you. The whole course is all about solving the People Puzzle."
"What's that?" asked a girl beside Minnie. It's the same girl who'd been courageously asking questions since their arrival.
"In my class, I'll teach how to read minds and control people."
Some of us laughed. I chuckled, and he just smiled like the idea of being laughed at by his students is as amusing as him joking about reading minds.
"Let me start with you," he said to the girl who just spoke. "Why don't you stand?"
She raised a brow and stood up.
"Who wants to know anything about this girl?" he asked the class. "One of you can ask a question, and I shall answer it for you just by examining her."
"Examining me?" she asked, not the least bit impressed. "What am I? One of your laboratory specimens?"
The class laughed.
Even if you're teaching kids our age, there's no way someone will believe him. It's not like we enrolled in a magical school or Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.
"I'm gonna teach you how to read people's minds," the teacher started. "Simply by watching their body language, any one of you can manipulate them to do whatever you want," said the professor.
"Show us then!" shouted a kid from the mid-row.
"I will tell you what kind of person you are simply by watching you," said the professor to the little girl in front of him.
"I don't need anyone else to ask the question. Let me ask you a question about me," our classmate said and grinned.
The girl's face suddenly appeared at the massive monitor in front of the classroom.
The girl ignored it. "What's my dream job?"
"Tricky question," he said and circled around her. "Since I told everyone that I use body language to decipher your thoughts, you tried to ask that sort of question. Don't worry, I'd be able to answer that and at the same time give you a hug."
I saw the corner of her lips twitch and her eyes narrowing. "There's no way I'll hug you."
"Believe me," he sighed. "You're the one who's gonna be running straight into my arms."