Chapter 1
2283 Words
~Christa~
We are standing in front of the gate of the police academy, and he is holding onto my arms like he did the first time he told me we were going on a date. He still takes my breath away after three years. I can feel something is wrong, but I'm so excited to start my new life!
Blake: “I’m begging you. Don’t do this.”
Christa: “You know this is my dream. It’s all I’ve always talked about doing. How can you ask me not to do this?”
I turn to look at the gate and then back at him.
Blake: “Christa, if you walk through those gates, know that it is over between us. I’m not going to sit by the phone every day waiting for that phone call. I won’t!”
Tears form in my eyes. He is my first love, but being a police officer is my dream. I’m not willing to give that up. Turning around and walking away from him, I don’t look back and walk through the gates, taking a deep breath and letting it go.
I report to the main office, receive my uniform, and fall in with the rest of the new cadets fresh out of school. The excitement in the air is electric, and we are all looking forward to the new adventure and especially the action that comes with being police officers.
I take out the patch that has my last name embroidered on it and hooks it onto my new uniform feeling incredible. My boots shining, my uniform still crisp, it’s so new, I can’t wait to get out there and kick butt!!
There are just six months of training to get through, which should be a cinch for me, being an athlete at school. I look around at the other guys around me. I’m one of three girls in our squad and the only one in my team.
The guys I’m with are great compared to the others. Those girls seem to be in for a tough time because it looks like those boys aren’t too happy about having girls on their teams. I guess it’s just the luck of the draw or someone up there is looking after me, and I’m doing the right thing.
This world I’m going into is a world where I can totally recreate myself. I’m going to cut all ties with the girly girl I was in school, and thanks to Blake’s brutal break-up, I can start my new journey fresh.
Fine! I’m lying to myself about Blake! But there are some hot bods there, and I’m sure as hell won't deny that. If he couldn’t wait for me, why should I deny myself some comfort after having my heartbroken!
A man, the size of a door, dressed in a uniform that looks like it’s three sizes too small, comes walking up to us. His face is red with what seems to be anger. His muscles bulging, he looks like he is about to pop out of his own skin, it seems!
Tank: “Line up, you filthy mutts!!”
Wow! Harsh! But okay, I guess pansies can’t do this job! We all fall into rows and lines as we did in school.
Cappie: “Lieutenant, what the f@ck is this? Didn’t you tell them to line up?”
Another man walks up behind him. You can see that he is toned, well-built, and tanned from working outdoors every day, but he isn’t as huge as guy number one.
Tank: “I did Cappie, but these mutts don’t know what that means… Fresh meat and all.”
Cappie: “Then let’s introduce ourselves and teach them, shall we?”
His smile gives me chills, and I realize that day one is not going to be like booking into a hotel!
Cappie: “I’m Captain Smith, but you will call me Cappie. This here is Lieutenant Mc Carthy, but you can call him Tank. We will be your trainers in your six months here or, as we like to think of ourselves, your worst nightmare.”
He waves his hand through the air, and Tank steps forward stomping his foot on the ground so hard you just see dust flying.
Cappie: “When you are told to line up, this is the way I want you to do it. Standing straight, at attention, and proud to serve your country. At ease, Tank.”
He puts his hands behind him and puts his legs slightly apart.
Cappie: “This is how you will stand when I tell you to stand at ease. Line-ups will be straight as a ruler from all sides at all times. Show them how to straighten out those lines, Tank.”
Tank stands at attention again, holding out his left arm, waiting.
Cappie: “Well, what are you mutts waiting for?! Do what he is showing you!!”
We lift our arms and watch as he starts shuffling his feet, not quite sure why he is doing it until we figure out that we should be that far apart. Luckily, it doesn’t take us too long to figure it out.
“Achooo!” A girl sneezes from the dust and Cappie looks up.
Cappie: “Oh, brother, we have a girly girl with us, I see. Do you need a minute?”
Chante: “No, Sir, Cappie, Sir.”
She replies, and he looks impressed. Walking up to her, some of the guys move their arms out of the way as he goes.
Cappie: “So, you are either a brown noser or a Legacy, which is it?”
He asks, standing in front of her, his face mere millimeters from hers.
Chante: “My father and grandfather are the Legacies, Sir. I’m simply a mutt, Sir.”
Now he looks really impressed and smiles, turning around. He notices the arms he moved out of the way are still down.
Cappie: “Tank, did I say anyone could put their arms down?”
Tank: “No Cappie.”
He walks back to the front with his arms behind his back past the same cadets, his head down as if he is thinking.
Cappie: “Tank, isn’t it lunchtime yet?”
He looks at his watch.
Tank: “I do believe it is Cappie.”
Cappie: “But the mutts still haven’t picked up those droopy arms, have they?”
Tank: “No they haven’t.”
He grins and suddenly those guys lift their arms.
Cappie: “Let’s go and have lunch.”
They turn around to walk away, and we all breathe a sigh of relief, ready to walk back to the barracks and get out of the sun. I really want to get settled in and pack my new things into my locker and call my parents to tell them how my first day went.
Cappie turns around suddenly.
Cappie: “DID I DISMISS YOU, MUTTS?! Get back in formation and stay there until you are dismissed! You will learn to do as you are told!”
WTF! Really! He can’t be serious…
Mumbling, we walk back to our positions, putting our arms in the air and waiting. He walks off with Tank, and we wait for them to come back to dismiss us. The guy behind me was the first to introduce himself. John Miller.
Miller: “Do you think they are coming back any time soon?”
He whispers, and I shake my head.
Christa: “No dude, I think we are in for the long haul. These two seem to mean business.”
The dude next to me is a school buddy of Miller, they joined together. Freddie Campbell.
Freddie: “Dude, you are such a sissy’s boy.”
The sun is hot, and I can feel my nose turning a nice toasty red.
Christa: “So, guys, I’ve officially turned into Rudolf the reindeer. How are you two holding up?”
Freddie bursts out laughing at me.
Freddie: “It took me a total of two seconds to look like him!”
Miller: “Shut up, you two! Here they come!”
We had been standing in the sun for I don’t know how long. My arm is numb, numb to the point where I don’t even feel it anymore. You may just as well cut it off, and I wouldn’t even feel it. I’ve been sunburnt on every open part of my skin, and the two trainers are smiling!!!
Cappie: “How was lunch, guys?" Have you learned anything interesting?”
Not a peep!
Tank: “Are you guys ready to work as a team and do what you are told?”
Choir: “Yes, Sir!!”
Cappie: “Good mutts. Now, tomorrow at five am I want all of you dressed in your brand-new training shorts and t-shirts and lined up, ready for your first day. Put on your happy faces, boys and, of course, girls, this is going to be so much fun!”
His smile gives me chills again, telling me that the only people who are going to have fun will be the two of them!
Tank: “Squad Diiismissed!”
Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!! Miller, Freddie, and I grab our bags and paperwork and walk over to the barracks. I was expecting communal barracks, but it seems they have girls on the one side and boys on the other.
I flutter my eyes at them and use my best girly voice.
Christa: “Sorry boys… No boys allowed.”
Blowing them a kiss, they both aaahhh, and we all burst out laughing.
Miller: “See you in the canteen in an hour?”
Christa: “Dude, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
We split up into our respective rooms to unpack, and I met little miss Legacy Chante and the other girl called Daniella in the girl's room.
Introducing ourselves, I can see that this isn’t going to be a big friendship and that we are all going to go our separate ways, which kind of suits me. I’ve never really had many girlfriends, except for Madeleine. It would feel like I was cheating on her or something!
***
An hour later I was walking out of the room to look for the canteen and found myself being whistled at. When I turn around to cuss at whoever thinks, I’m their next conquest, I find Miller and Freddie sitting outside the steps of their barracks.
Christa: “You two boys are looking for a pounding!”
I shout back at them, and they come chasing up to me, trying to see who can reach me first.
Miller is first again and grabs me. Throwing me over his shoulder.
Christa: “You realize that if Cappie sees us now, this will be reported as s****l harassment!!”
I burst out laughing, and Freddie smacks my bottom.
Miller: “That is s****l harassment. This is us, buddies, just having fun. Now come on, buddy. We have been waiting to have a beer all day, and you took forever to get dressed!”
He puts me down before we walk into the building, and we are all in a happy mood when we walk into a silent dining room. Cadets that have been here for a month or two are dressed in uniform or training tracksuits, quietly sitting in rows, eating dinner.
Our laughter immediately dies down, our eyes lowered to the ground the second we notice Tank and then Cappie right next to him smiling from ear to ear.
Miller: “Great! We are so going to regret this tomorrow!”
Freddie: “At least he didn’t see you sexually harassing your teammate!”
I fight off a huge giggle and we walk to the back to grab some dinner before we lose out on that as well. We can still try to explain away the casual clothes, I hope.
When we are finished, we sneak around the back of the boy’s barracks to find two of the “more senior” cadets who are selling beer. While we were in the dining hall, one of them popped a note on our table on their way out.
Thankful for the drinks, we make our way to a quiet dark spot under a tree near the fence of the training grounds. I pull out my cigarettes and Freddie nearly jumps me trying to get at the packet.
Freddie: “I will pay you twenty bucks for one.”
Christa: “Are you insane, I can buy two packets for that much money?”
He blushes, shaking his head.
Freddie: “They found mine in my bag on the way in and confiscated it. An entire carton, gone!! I will only be able to buy some more when we go on weekend pass.”
Christa: “It’s cool, I will share with you. As long as you share your beer because I didn’t bring money. My dad only gave me twenty bucks until my first payday.”
Miller bursts out laughing at us, and we swap our illegal contraband. Sitting in the moonlight on our first night in the academy, we have a smoke and a beer.
Christa: “Do you guys think we made a mistake in joining?”
Miller: “Yeah… But then we wouldn’t have met the best girl in town.”
Freddie: “I second that.”
I sigh, smiling.
Christa: “Thanks, guys.”
I lay down on the grass, taking a drag from my cigarette, looking at the moon, a single tear running down the side of my face.
- Writer
