Écoust Military Academy

A young girl sits on the stairs of a large military academy tapping her boot waiting. Her hazel eyes scanned the quiet sidewalks. She pushed a strand of brown and blonde hair out of her face. A few minutes pass and she spots a boy about the same age as her. His blonde hair looked as if he hadn't brushed it. His uniform was wrinkled and his backpack was slightly opened. He looked up as he walked down the sidewalk towards her. His blue eyes sparkled in recognition. The young girl got up and hopped down the stairs until she got to the bottom. She crossed her arms as the boy approached.

"You're going to make up late!" She calls, "On the first day too!"

"I know, I know I'm sorry. I couldn't find my journal." The boy replied.

The girl turned to the stairs and started up. The boy followed her.

"You don't have to bring that thing with you everywhere ya know. It's just a book." She said.

"It's not just a book. It's got Writing in it." The boy answered.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize that mattered." She said.

At the top of the stair the girl turns to the boy.

"Gosh, Schofield. Did you just grab your uniform and run out the door?" The girl asked.

"The book matters to me, Alex. And no I didn't just run out. I grabbed my books." Schofield replied innocently.

Alex sighed as she fixed Schofield's tie and collar.

"Did you just get out of bed or did you brush your hair? Bed head-what- hey, not so tight! I need to breathe!" Schofield complained.

"Oh sorry, did I make the tie too tight?" Alex said laughing, "come on, let's find our class."

"Not funny." Schofield mumbled as he followed Alex into the Academy.

Inside the doors Alex and Schofield stopped and watched the huge sea of beige uniforms of cadets going to and fore. The hallway looked narrow because of the dull, grey lockers on either side. The hideous, white floors reflected the bright overhead lights revealing scoff marks and left over gum.

"There's so many of them." Alex Wondered out loud, "How are we going to get through?"

"With our feet." Replied Schofield.

Alex gave Schofield an annoyed look.

"You first, comedian." Alex motioned.

"Why me. You know where we are supposed to go." Schofield asked.

"Because, Schofield, you are taller than me." Alex said, using her arm to measure the height difference between them, "and you can see over most every one."

"Fine. Where are we going? What's the room number?" Schofield asked, starting to push his way through.

"English with Mrs. Jay, 22A." Alex shouted above the noise.

As Schofield pushed his way past a jock, the jock turned around and pushed Alex thinking she was the one who pushed him.

"Hey, watch it!" Alex shouted at him.

Schofield turned around to see what had happened as the jock pushed Alex again.

"Show some respect, freshy. This is a senior you're talking to." The senior Jock snared.

The jock was nearly twice the height of Alex. He's uniform was barely able to hold together because of his broad shoulders and large muscles. His jet black hair was combed back sharply. All of this spoke, senior, spoiled, rich and bully.

"Respect! I'll show you respect!" Alex yelled.

Alex backed up a little bit, stretched out her leg, then spun around quickly with her leg out making a beautiful roundhouse kick to the jock's face. The jock staggered back into his jock buddies behind him. Schofield grabbed Alex's arm before any more trouble started.

"Hey, let go." Alex whined.

"No, not until we get into the classroom." Schofield demanded.

"Oh come on, you're not upset about that, are you?" Alex asked.

"No, Alex, of course not. I love it every time you do something like that. It gives us more enemies and I love enemies and bullies..." Schofield trailed off as they entered the classroom.

"Schofield, I'm sorry, I was being pushed around. How else was I supposed to react?" Alex asked.

Schofield let go of Alex's wrist and turned sharply to face her.

"Like a normal person. Walk away and get a teacher." Schofield answered sharply.

The bell rang as they stood facing each other.

"I'm sorry." Alex said.

"Seats please!" The teacher said.

Schofield and Alex split and sat in the last few desks available. One front left, front center and on in the middle aisle the far left. Schofield sat in the front center and Alex sat in the middle row to the left. As English class turned into Science class and then Math class, Alex became bored. Having changed seats a few times for each class, Alex was now sitting behind Schofield in the second row. Schofield alway sat in the front.

"Schofield." Alex whispered.

Schofield ignored her.

"Schofield." Alex whispered louder.

"Shh." Schofield whispered harshly.

"Schoooo. I'm booored." Alex whispered dramatically.

"Then take notes." Schofield said.

"Who is talking?" The teacher demanded turning to the class.

Alex quickly sat back in her chair and pretended to look busy. After a few minutes of silence and glaring looks the teacher went back to teaching. Alex leaned forward again.

"You're not very good at whispering." Alex whispered.

"And you're not good at shutting up." Schofield whispers in reply.

"You're no fun." Alex mumbled as she slouched in her chair.

The bell finally rang for lunch. Alex and Schofield exited the classroom in search of food.

"You're not still mad at me are you?" Alex asked.

"As long as no one says anything about it then, no. I'm not mad at you." Schofield said.

"Ah, good." Alex sighed.

The lunch room was huge. There were two food lines on either side in the front. In the back, several long tables had been set up. Alex and Schofield navigated their way to a table.

"Know anyone else here?" Schofield asked as Alex sat down next to him.

"Yeah. I went to elementary school with a guy here." Alex replied.

"And who would that be?" Schofield asked, trying to keep a conversation going.

"I'll show you. Look right there by the doorway. The jocks are over there with him." Alex said.

"There are a bunch of guys over there. Which one are you pointing to?" Schofield asked.

"The one with the chick on his arm." Alex said.

Alex was pointing to the shortest one in the group. He's hair was a darker brown than hers and so was his eyes. He was laughing with the group. Schofield looked and saw the chick and that was as far as he got. She was wearing a uniform like everyone else, but left the top few buttons unbuttoned for attention. She kept twirling her hair and laughing obnoxiously. Alex realized what he was doing.

"Don't even think about it." Alex warned.

"What? Think about what?" School said, still staring.

"That girl is so, way over the top. off limits. It looks like that's Blake's girl. That guy I went to school with has a brother on the football team. A senior football player. You even think about approaching her and they will kill you...Schofield are you listening to me?" Alex said.

"What, I mean yeah, of course. Hey, they are looking over this way." Schofield said.

Alex looked up at them and made eye contact with Blake, he smiled at her. Alex quickly looked away. Schofield was still staring at the girl. Alex smacked him on the side of the head.

"Ah, what. What was that for?" Schofield complained.

"Because you were staring. And you tell me to act normal and stay out of trouble." Alex scoffed.

"Whatever." Schofield replied.

The bell rang and the lunch room became a crazy stampede of students trying to leave at the same time. The rest of the school day was uneventful and even a little boring. The last bell finally rang. Alex waited for Schofield outside of the classroom.

"Hurry up, Schofield!" Alex called.

A loud laugh came from down the hallway. Alex looked and saw a group of guys in red jerseys and white lettering. Football players. They came down the hallway. Alex spotted the guy she had kicked earlier.

"Scho, we got to go." Alex called again.

"I'm talking with the teacher. be right there." Schofield replied.

Not sure what to do, Alex pulled her blue hoodie up and buried her face in her phone. As the football players grew closer Alex looked up slightly. She spotted Blake in the rowdy group and wondered what he was doing with the football team. Blake looked at her as they walked by. Alex looked away and right into the eyes of the jock she had kicked. He stopped abruptly causing the guy behind him to run into him.

"You!" He shouted.

The football team turned to see who he was yelling at.

"Hey, that purple bruise makes your eyes pop." Alex laughed.

The jock subconsciously touched his cheek. "You little, annoying-"

Alex took off down the hallway before he could finish. The jock gave chase and the rest of the football team, including Blake, followed. Alex ran out of the hallway and into the empty lunchroom and out the double doors in the back. In front of her was a chain-link fence. She turned right and followed the path. Not familiar with the school yet Alex wasn't sure where the dorms were located. She opened a nearby door and ran inside. She kept running up and down hallways until she was completely lost. Not hearing the football team, Alex stopped running and looked around for a way to get back to the classroom Schofield was in. She backtracked until she found a sign that pointed in the direction of the lunchroom. She found her way back to the lunch room. Just as she was about to open the door, it swung open and the jock she kicked appeared.

"Got you now." Said the jock.

Alex turned to run away but he caught her arm and yanked her back. The football team ran up behind him as he was pulling Alex back.

"Look. I made a mistake. I'm sorry. I didn't know who you were." Alex reasoned.

"Doesn't matter!" The jock shouted.

Alex slowly backed away into a chain linked fence.

"I don't want any trouble." Alex said.

"Trouble is all that's coming for you." Said the jock.

The football team made a semi circle around the jock and Alex so she couldn't escape.

"Wait!" Came a voice from the back.

The jock didn't hear it and took a swing at Alex. Alex ducked.

"Stop. Stop." Came the voice again.

Blake pushed past two football players and got in between Alex and the jock. The jock was furious.

"Blake, what are you doing?" Asked the jock.

"Look, let's not cause any trouble." Blake said.

"This doesn't concern you." The jock stated.

"No, but I don't think you want to ride the bench during the season, do you?" Blake asked.

"What are you talking about?" Demanded the jock.

"If word got out that you were in a fight at school the couch will bench you." Blake answered.

Blake turned to Alex and winked. Alex gave him a quizzical look. Blake turned back to the jock.

"You got a point, but if she gets in the way again we will be having a different conversation." The jock said.

The jock and the football team walked away mumbling and cursing, leaving Blake and Alex alone. Blake turned to Alex who had her arms crossed.

"I didn't need your help." Alex said, pushing off the fence.

"Sure you didn't, Alex." Blake said.

"Oh, so you remember my name? Or did you just hear it today?" Asked Alex as she walked to the lunch room doors.

"I remembered it. I also remember you." Blake said.

"Comforting. You remember. Good for you." Alex replied.

"Hey, I just helped you." Blake said.

"Didn't ask for it." Alex said.

"Didn't have to. Hey-" Blake called, trying to catch up with Alex's fast pace.

"I'm trying to talk to you." Blake said.

Alex stopped abruptly and turned to him.

"Won't your girlfriend be jealous if you're talking to me?" Asked Alex.

"Eh, maybe. I won't worry about it." Blake answered.

"Ok, what is it that you want to talk about? I am at attention! Hanging on every word." Alex said.

"You don't have to be so sarcastic." Blake commented.

"Sorry, guess that was the only i know how to talk to a- what is it called. Oh some who thought it was funny to bully others?" Alex said.

"Oooh, see. You think I'm still that one kid in the class that everyone is friends with except you. Maybe because you were jealous?" Blake Asked.

"Oh, please," Alex said, turning to leave.

"Hey, wait I didn't mean that." Blake said.

"Sure you didn't." Alex called.

"Alex, I'm sorry." Blake called after her,

Alex slammed the door behind her.

"Dang it." Blake said frustratingly.

Alex found her way back to the classroom. Schofield was pacing back and forth in front of the classroom door. He looked up when he heard Alex approaching.

"Where have you been? I've been waiting for forever." Schofield said.

"Sorry, I went for a run." Alex said.

"You what?" Schofield asked.

"I'll tell you later. Come on let's go to our dorms." Alex said.

"Wait, where is your backpack?" Schofield asked.

"Umm. I'll get it later." Alex said as she started walking.

"Alex, did something happen while I was with the teacher." Schofield said, catching up.

"Of sorts." Alex said.

"Alex?" Schofield said.

"Later. I needed to lay down." Alex said.