final round - lrh

eighteen.

My heart sinks as I take in the sight of a furious looking Lieutenant Hemmings who has a look on his face that would leave the both of us dead if looks could kill. And in this moment, I know I'm absolutely done for. 

"Luke, it's my-"

"I don't want to hear it, Irwin. Out of the fucking water, now," Lieutenant Hemmings snaps as I dreadfully head out of the water, feeling embarrassed by my lack of attire that I didn't think much of until right now. 

I grab onto my shorts, knowing I should have those on at the very least. No way am I walking through this area with nothing on.

"I brought her out here-"

"Oh yeah?" Lieutenant Hemmings asks with a humorous laugh. "Is that why I caught Clifford on the way down too?"

My eyes widen in realization as Michael had been the reason we got caught. I can't fathom this as Ashton had said that he seemed disinterested in coming. What made him change his mind so late?

Lieutenant Hemmings turns around and storms his way back to the cabins so Ashton and I follow him in order to avoid further problems. 

"I invited him too. This wasn't Lila's idea," Ashton says rather harshly making me want to almost beg him to stop talking. We already are screwed and if he keeps talking, it'll only get worse.

"Shut it before I have you running laps around the grounds," is all Lieutenant Hemmings says, seething as he clearly isn't in the mood to discuss this.

"God, you've become a real fucking jackass ever since you started running things around here," Ashton continues as I bite my tongue. I so desperately want this bickering to end, but I know if I speak up it will only make it worse. 

Lieutenant Hemmings turns around to give Ashton a sharp look that scares me half to death as I look anywhere besides them. I don't want any attention on me as I'd rather Ashton handle this one. Let them bicker it out. Do not step in.

"If I don't take this seriously, who the fuck will?" Lieutenant Hemmings snaps at him making me feel ashamed at our behavior.

He clearly thinks I'm not taking this seriously and now he has a reason to doubt me even more. Obviously, the possibility of getting caught was present and I should've thought this through more before coming down. 

"We're still humans for christ's sake," Ashton says, throwing his arms up. "Hell, you, Declan, and I used to always do the same thing."

Lieutenant Hemmings just shakes his head, clearly not convinced as he turns back around and continues the trek, "Times were different."

"Not a single goddamn thing was different-"

"Ashton, I'm not having this discussion with you," Lieutenant Hemmings says, not paying his attention to either of us. "Drop it."

"I'm not going to drop it because I know you're going to punish Lila for the same shit we used to always do."

My stomach drops as even Ashton knows I'm screwed. It's clear as day that something is going to happen to me and I can't even begin to imagine what Lieutenant Hemmings is planning. 

"She needs to learn the rules," Lieutenant Hemmings says, his back still turned to us. "And you teaching her to break them isn't helping."

"She's far more advanced than half our soldiers and works her ass off with you every morning. You can't let her have the smallest-"

"And what happened last time we let someone have the smallest break?" Lieutenant Hemmings says, pure venom in his words as he stops walking completely and looks at Ashton once more.