FEARLESS

HANGOVER

Emery woke up early that morning again. This time not to train, but to go and check on Al. 

She quickly changed into her training gear, a black sports bra, a baggy black zip-up hoodie, and some high-waisted thermal leggings and ran straight out into the corridors and into medical. After a little bit of persuasion, she managed to convince the dauntless man at the front to let her go and see Al. 

Once she got the go-ahead, with a roll of the eyes and a slight nod of the head, she ran straight past him and burst into the injured ward. 

Despite medial being filled to the brims, with people groaning and moaning over bones sticking out of their legs, bumps on their heads sticking out like eggs and knife, and gunshot wounds; she scuttled along and quickly found him right at the back. 

"Hey Al, hey it's me," she said smiling as his eyes drifted open a little bit. He smiled back.

"Hey stiff how are you?" 

"You're in this state and you're seriously asking how I am doing? I'm supposed to be the selfless one here." He laughed. "So seriously how are you?" Emery continued.

"I'm fine, I should be up and running by tomorrow, I want to come out today but they won't let me".

"And they're right, you should stay here. To be honest with you I'm not entirely cool with you coming out tomorrow I think you need to rest."

"Well that's the thing Emery, I can't afford to rest; I'll be knocked off the scoreboard if I do."

"That's not going to happen, have you seen the size of you, your massive and pretty strong. What are you like 10th or something?"

"Yeah but still if I stay here too long..-"

"You'll be fine, anyway I'm not going to let that happen to you. I'm going to give Eric a serious piece of my mind"

"No, no Em, you can't. I'm the example of what happens to people who piss Eric off, and I didn't even do anything".

"I know, I just can't wrap my head around it, why the hell did he do that to you? I mean he was drinking maybe that could have been it?"

"I know exactly what it was"

"Well?" She asked impatiently. She was irritated, the whole thing had happened so fast, and the turnout had been devastating. Al could've lost an eye with the beating he took, and the worst part was, was that they were going to let Eric stroll back into training like nothing happened. All the while Al rots in medical. 

"You seriously don't know?"

"No Al tell me?!"

"Don't you see the way he looks at you? He likes you, Emery, you're not even going out and he's already acting like a jealous boyfriend", Emery let out a laugh

"I think you may have brain damage", she said patting him on the head gently and pouting her lips. "It's Eric we're talking about, he doesn't have a heart. And anyway Initiate and instructor relationships are banned"

"Really? Banned? That's not hot at all", Al joked, it allowed Emery to smile. "You really think that would stop him? You're not really allowed to physically abuse your Initiates outside training that much but look at me". 

"He doesn't like me, Al".

"He does, that's why he attacked me. He was jealous".

"OK, you seriously have a concussion or something?" He laughed. It made her feel happier, at least he was still his cheery, teddy-bear self. "I would love to stay Al but I gotta get going".