𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧'𝙨 𝙂𝙞𝙧𝙡

Ch. 21 - The Practice & Progress

I rose out of bed, ready for the start of yet another day. Hopefully one that's more productive than the past week has been.

Dean wasn't kidding when he said our most recent practice would be the last one for a while. Their usually once a week on average, twice if he's bored and needs something to do. Yet since the night he dropped me off, he seems to have vanished. Other than the one English period we have together it's as if Dean stops existing afterwards. Even during class, he's limited his abrupt remarks to short grumbles.

Does this have to do with Mace? Or is it just me he's avoiding?

Either way, I doubt it's just some random string of fights that has him so full on the plate. It's nearing the end of our first month at this whole training business and it's starting to feel like I should be learning....more. At least, if I want to ever become proficient in fighting.

I hop into the shower, allowing the warm waters to soothe my stress ridden body.The rest of the morning breezes past relatively quickly after that. I finish my routine, eat breakfast, then sit patiently on my porch for Faye to arrive for school. Simple.

But -in reality- this morning has only gone so well because my uncle is sleeping off a massive migraine. It's not entirely clear how he got it, since he hadn't been drinking last night, but it's there none the less. He was thoroughly sour when he woke up briefly to guzzle down a glass of water in the kitchen. Other than that, he's been up in his bedroom, silent as a mouse.

I dangle both legs off the edge of my porch and absentmindedly observed the quiet neighborhood around me. Morning dew was still coating the grass of most lawns and the sun was stretching out across the sky. My eyes trailed one of my neighbors on the other side of the street as she rushed out of her house jumbling a set of keys. She almost tripped over the alarming height of her heels in an effort to run to her car sitting idle in the driveway. A few seconds later she was inside, racing down the street.

Looks like someone's late for work.

That lady is fortunate, at least she can use her car. My privileges are still suspended. My pitiful little car has been sitting, just as idle as hers, waiting for someone to turn it on and take it for a spin. Unfortunately, instead of a spin, it's gathering dust. I can't even open the darn thing until I get my keys back. So now, I'm reduced to carpooling with Faye, otherwise known as, Leadfoot.

Regrettably, I don't have the funds to take a taxi to school every day.

Faye's own car rides up the street and comes to a stop in front of my house. I rise off the porch and run through the dewy front yard to her car, since it's a shorter distance than walking around and down the driveway. My sneakers gain some moisture, but only enough to be somewhat damp.

"Good morning!" Faye chimes brightly once I'm fully seated inside.

"It has been so far..." I smile in agreement, pulling my seat belt across my abdomen and snapping it into it's buckle. "What about you, did you sleep well?"

"When don't I? I slept so hard, mom actually had to pour cold water over my head," She smiles while picking at her short hair, no longer wet due to it's length. "And it wasn't as funny as it is now. Imagine how heated I was when I sprung out the bed, soaking wet."

I shrug, grinning at her morning experience. "At least you got a head start with the showers."

Faye thinks about it briefly, then nods her head, humming in agreement. Our light conversation continues back and forth for the remainder of the drive, with Faye being the main speaker while I throw in comments here and there. Sooner than expected, the school building comes into view. We veer off the street and ease through the parking lot, quickly taking an empty spot near the front entrance.