Military in High School ✓

20 | uncover pt.2

Chapter 20: Uncover pt.2
Uncover: verb; discover (something previously secret or unknown
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20. Uncover pt.2

Blake led me to the end of the room in the most secluded corner. I yanked my arm from his grip. "What the hell do you want?"

"Why are you here?" He asked calmly

"The same reason you are here." I replied, I rubbed the area where he yanked my arm. I could already tell there would be a bruise there. His eyes glanced at what I was doing and they filed with sorrow.

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Well you did. So why did you drag me to the corner?"

"To ask why your in a uniform."

"Well, it's pretty simple, to get a uniform like this one, I went to this building and signed my name on an x dotted line. The next thing I knew they gave me a uniform, and shipped me off to North Carolina." I replied bluntly.

He sighed "That's not what I meant Clarke."

"Well than what do you want to know?"

"Since when where you in the army?" He asked

"Since I was 16."

"Why didn't you tell anyone? How did you even join at that age? That's illegal."

"The answer to the first question is that I was ashamed. The second answer is the fact that you can lie when enlisting."

"Why where you ashamed?" He pressed

"Look, I don't want a therapist. I came here to support our Veterans and not be bombarded by questions."

His jaw ticked in annoyance but he didn't press the issue any farther. "So..., who are those guys over there?" He asked pointing to my mates.

I looked over at John, David and Kurt to see them laughing at something Kurt said. I looked back at Blake to see him studying them. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, they seem awfully comfortable with you."

I laughed "I'll introduce you to them."

I started to hobble over there and waved him to follow. We reached my friend group and they stopped their conversation to size up to Blake.

John and David where a good head shorter than Blake, but Kurt towered over the teenager besides me. I saw Blake swallow in nervousness, I patted him on the back and nodded my head in Davids direction. "That there is Private David," David nodded his head "Next to him is Private John, and the tallest one right there is Sergeant Kurt Thomas."

I pointed to Blake and said "Everyone, this is Blake."

John and David waved and Kurt gave a stiff nod. I knew Kurt well enough to know he was trying to act tough, and intimidating.

"So, Blake, what rank are you?" John asked, obviously forgetting our introductions in then beginning. It was obvious he wanted to see Blake squirm in front of them.

"I'm not ranked, I'm only in Military school." Blake stated proudly. It was an amazing accomplishment to finish even a year at that school and not even Kurt did that.

"Hey Sam, didn't you go to that school?" David asked trying to intimidate Blake again.

I nodded, and Blake looked surprised. "How many years?"

"All 4 years." Kurt answered. "And I'm glad, we need her on our team."

Blake looked taken aback and gave me a sideways glance. I ignored him and turned to Kurt "I haven't been in the loop lately, how was Afghanistan?"

Kurt's facial expression turned into a grin "Do you remember Lieutenant Jones?"

I laughed at the memory. "Of course!"

Lieutenant Jones was a self centered soldier who was so scared of battle that he would hide in his bunk and wouldn't come out when we went on a mission. My whole platoon would play pranks on him to freak him out, this one time we banged on all sides of his dorm and he though they where gun shots so he ran out screaming 'Enemy!'. Suffice to say, we all hated him.

"He was discharged!" Kurt said gleefully

"What type?"

"A section eight!" John said through a laugh attack.

I joined in and laughed my head off, a section eight discharged means that he was sent away for being a lunatic or a certified crazy person. He certainly was a lunatic.

"What's a section eight discharge?" Blake asked after our laughter calmed down

"For being a loony." I answered

Blake's face just morphed into an even more confused one as he thought about it. I decided to change the topic so Blake could redeem himself.
"Has anyone beaten my record at the range yet?"
Guns where something Blake would totally get.

David smirked "I DID!"

I scowled at him "ugh, by how much?"

"Only one clay piece, but I still beat it!"

I punched him in the arm "I will get my record back." I stated

"What was the record?" Blake asked

"She shot 178 clays in a row and David got 179." Kurt answered

Blake nodded "I would like to try to beat that one day."

"I agree. Are you going to join when your out of highschool?" I asked Blake, my curiosity getting the better of me

"I don't know yet."

I nodded, happy with the answer. We kept talking about the record and silly stuff after that until Mr. Turner came back into the room.

"Ok, line up. We are ready for you to come out."

The soldiers lined up in the order given to us. I went to the end of the line. Blake stood in front of me and gave me a wink. We walked out of the room in an orderly fashion and down the hall. We could hear the national anthem as we walked into the gymnasium. The students where on the bleachers on both sides as we walked onto the stage. I struggled getting up the stairs of the stage with my crutches. Blake got fed up with my trying and picked me and carried me up the stairs. He set me down in the chair next to him and smiled.

I looked over the crowd and smiled when I spotted Clara and Dustin in the front row. They where carrying a cardboard piece about the size of Clara. Most students looked bored as they watched us sit down, most of them almost falling asleep. I guess they don't recognize me.

Mr Turner took the microphone and started the celebration. "Alright students, each vet will share about their experiences and any other information. You may ask questions after each person is done." He stapled aside and Kurt was the first to speak

"Hi, in Sergeant Kurt Thomas. I'm in the United States Army and was stationed in Afghanistan. I came here today for my beloved niece, Jessica."

A girl wearing an American sweater stood up and waved to him as he smiled back at her. Kurt walked off the stage and stood on the opposing wall.

It went like that for a while, everyone introducing themselves and saying details about battle but nothing too bad. It took awhile but it finally got to Blake.

Blake stood up and went to the speaker. Allot of boys hollered at him and whooped as he walked the length of the stage. He got to the speaker. "Hello, my name is Blake Reed and my experience is that I was in Military Highschool. I'm thinking of joining after school ends, and I don't have a rank."

Everyone clapped and than it was turn. I grab my crutches and hobble to the microphone. "Um, hi my name is Sam...."
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Note:
🤔Question: what do you think is on the sign that Clara has?
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