The Odd One Out

FIFTEEN

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J A C K
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Breakfast is uncomfortable. And that's an understatement.

I don't know how else to describe it, though. Nobody's talking, everyone looks exhausted and wary, and I keep on accidentally making eye contact with everyone. It's seriously awkward. Like, I keep accidentally staring Mer down while I'm shoveling cereal in my face. Honestly, my existence is just one big, awkward fail.

Joint training has been canceled for today, thank God. North says we need to rest.

As if anyone will do any resting.

Next to me, Hic shifts in his seat, and clears his throat. "So...," he says, "how'd everyone sleep?"

"Terribly," Mer snaps, sending a quick glare in Punzie's direction.

Punzie smiles bashfully, a small blush creeping up her cheeks. "Sorry for keeping you up," she apologizes in a small voice.

Mer scowls. "Yeah. Me too," she grumbles, stabbing her pancakes with a fork.

An awkward silence falls over us. I hate it.

"Anyway, how do you guys feel about joint training being canceled today?" I ask, halfheartedly trying to lighten the mood.

Mer glares at me, opens her mouth, and is cut off by Punzie.

"I'm very happy that it's been canceled! I mean, now we have time to rest and paint and read and bake and dance and sew and-," Mer puts her hand over Punzie's mouth.

"Punz, we get it. There are lots of things you'd love to do today," Mer sighs, "You don't need to list them all. And- ew!" Mer takes her hand off of Punzie's mouth, her nose scrunched up.

"What did you do?" Hic sighs, looking completely done with Punzie.

"I licked her hand," Punzie replies, completely shameless.

I start to laugh, but falter when Mer glares at me. That girl is scary.

"So, Elsa!" Punzie says, smiling at Elsa, "How do you feel about joint training being canceled?"

All of us turn to Elsa, who looks, not to be rude or anything, terrible. There are bags under her eyes, her braided hair is an absolute mess, and she's slouched in her seat, looking absentmindedly at the wall behind Hic.

Elsa, still staring at the wall, says, "I think that joint training being canceled is fair to us."

Punzie nods, "I feel the same way! What about you, Hic?"

Hic shrugs. "I mean, I like that we get time to rest," he says, "but I think we need to train more than ever now, right?"

Mer nods. "It's stupid. We're doing the opposite of what we need to. Pitch could attack at any moment, and we're doing what? Nothing. That's what. It's dumb," she says, her voice getting louder as she speaks.

"Well, I think it's good that joint training is canceled. It's tiring. I hate it," I add, looking pointedly at Mer.

"Yeah? Well, you're lazy," Mer snarls at me, "If you can't be bothered to train, also known as doing what a freaking Select was literally born to do, maybe you shouldn't be a part of the Select."

That comment stings. "Oh yeah?" I snap, "Well, you've got anger issues. I mean, you don't know how to take a joke. You act like a freaking army general 24/7, and you don't let anyone have fun. Because everyone has to do what you think is right, never ever what they think is right, because you're always right." I'm standing up now, almost yelling.

Mer gets up out of her seat, and stomps over to me. I'm a head taller than her, but she doesn't seem at all threatened by me.

Mer stands on her tip-toes, and jabs her finger in my face. "You listen to me, you little son of a-"

Before she can finish her sentence, the both of us are pushed back into separate walls with the force of God.

I black out for a split second, and look up to see Elsa standing right where Mer and I were fighting. Both of her arms are spread out, and she looks angry. An agape Hic and a somewhat frightened Punzie stand behind her, both of their eyes as wide as the moon.

Elsa's chest is heaving as she talks. "You two better learn to get along," her voice is dangerous, and I can feel my heart racing from fear, "or else something tragic is going to happen. Someone might die because of you people."

Elsa turns on her heel and strides out of the room, leaving all of us staring at the place where she was standing.

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A/N: I'm the worst, I know. I haven't updated in forever. You probably hate me right now. I'm really sorry. -Unicornpig/Reg🐷🌈