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BLAZE STOOD ON THE FAR END of the large mat that took up the majority of the training center. To her right near the weapons wall was a group of seniors all sporting the same carefully guarded expression. Today was life or death for them. If they failed they lost their chance at ever volunteering and the best of them would most likely be pushed through on the peacekeeper track. The group of rowdy juniors on the far left of the mat were slightly less serious, still holding an air of confidence around them as if they already knew they were good but had still had a year to prove it. They were right in that aspect, not needing to worry as much because they had the security of being able to try again next year.
Blaze personally could not sympathize with the emotions of either group. Standing against the back wall sandwiched between the other young kids who were invited way below the normal age, she felt as if all the air was being sucked out of the room. Crowds had never been her thing. She preferred solitude or sticking with her lone companion in the farthest corner of every room.
Speaking of companions.
Ryker's face was still missing from the sea of trainees, despite the fact that evaluations were about to begin. The pit in her stomach deepened and the skin on her ear had turned an ugly shade of red as she continued to tug on it.
Curse him for breaking her concentration. Why couldn't he be on time for once? She wondered if the things she had said to him the night before had really bothered him that much. Would he not even show up for their big day? The day that they had dreamed of since they were both twelve years old. She scoffed to herself, crossing her arms in front of her chest and ceasing her search for the boy. If an apology was what he wanted, screw that. He knew better than to expect that from her. From anyone in two.
Finally a mop of brown hair made its way through the doors and the pit in her stomach disappeared. She gritted her teeth as she took in the easy smile that graced his face and the way his arm was wrapped around the waist of a tall dark skin boy that she knew was a year above them. What the hell was he doing? He had waltzed in with the biggest distraction to his game. There was no way he was winning his challenge now.
He gave the boy beside him, Mason she assumed, a soft smile and squeezed his hand quickly before making eye contact with Blaze and crossing the room to stand beside her. His posture had stiffened, arms coming to rest behind his back as he avoided her gaze and faced ahead. "Morning," he said, keeping any and all emotion out of his voice as he still refused to look at her.
