𝙵𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 | 𝐃𝐔𝐍𝐊𝐈𝐑𝐊 [Collins]

Chapter 12 - Treason

(revised)

I yawned and covered my mouth with my hand to hide from the cooker who was watching me. I shyly smiled and grabbed the plate of toasts she was handing me over the counter. I filled my cup with tea and walked towards my lady friends, where a seat was waiting for me. They all gave me a warm smile as I sat at the end of the table, next to Eden. The first sip of warm black tea was a sacred moment for me every morning, the thing I really needed to be fully awake, but I could feel eyes on me as I put my cup back on the table. I glanced at my friends from the corner of my eye and raised an eyebrow in surprise when I realised they were indeed observing me.

"We are waiting," one of my roommates quietly said.

"I've got nothing to entertain you with this morning," I replied as I looked down at my drink which suddenly appeared to be very interesting.

"Oh, come on! We know you went to see him last night. Did you really think we would believe you were sick?"

I blushed, still avoiding their eyes, and wished I could disappear into the dark liquid that was reflecting my rosy cheeks.

"So?" she insisted as I remained silent.

"Nothing interesting happened," I grumpily replied.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing you want to hear, Jena," I added.

"Tell us anyway! You being with Collins is the most exciting thing happening around here. A secret relationship with a handsome pilot. You can at least share that with your friends."

"Alright, alright!" I surrendered. "I went to see him. It's true. But we just spent the evening chatting and relaxing—"

I was interrupted by their comments about how cute it was.

"—I also read poems to him. And then he was falling asleep, so I left. Nothing more," I insisted on the last words. I did not know what they were imagining about Andrew and me, but it was probably steamier than it really was.

"I wish I could be as lucky as you Freya. I just want to meet the man of my life but it's way harder than I thought. Mostly because we can't flirt as we would like to, since it's forbidden to date soldiers. How are we supposed to seduce men if we can't approach them?" Jena asked with an air of despair.

"You've got to be as sneaky as our Freya," Eden commented.

"Hey! I didn't do anything of the sort!" I defended myself.

"Oh you did. We know your 'I pretend I'm not interested so he wants me even more' strategy. That's what we should do, maybe we're trying too hard."

"Maybe we would be luckier if we were working with a squadron too, like Freya and Eden, but we're stuck with old men..."

"Older men can be attractive too..."

"You've to be really desperate to settle for a man the age of your father," Eden laughed.

"But it's so hard to find someone nice!"

"I don't have this problem since I already have a boyfriend but he isn't in Duxford and I'm dying to see him. I'm so jealous of you Freya! You've got to see him every day," another girl said.

I forced a smile, trying to hide how embarrassed I was to be the centre of their attention.

"Change of subjects, girls. The superior is coming our way," Eden warned us.

The strict woman was indeed making her way to our table. I focused on my slice of bread, wanting to look as innocent as possible. When she stopped next to me, I raised my eyes to her, plastering a polite smile on my face, but it quickly disappeared when I met her glassy eyes. It was me she had come to see.