TBD

Chapter Fifteen - Sweet Seventeen Driving

Natalie

Two weeks into training and I already feel myself falling into the routine again. Atticus has been pushing me farther than my old teachers and I actually revel in the challenge. I'm starting to like it here. Not that I'd ever admit it to anyone.

            With Atticus mostly training me separately from Chloe and Jayden, other than the days we all train together, I've barely seen them. We all seem to have different schedules and I haven't ever seen either of them at the caf at the same time as me. Though, I do usually just grab my food and eat it on my way back to the boxing room.

            By the time I finished my morning workout with Atticus, him pushing me to the point where I want to throw those knives at him instead of the target, I remember just what day it is. May 2nd. AKA Chloe's seventeenth birthday.

            I totally forgot to buy her anything. I've been so caught up in getting stronger that I haven't thought of anything else. I basically run to our room, snatching up my phone to instant I see it charging on my bed. I pull up the call app and ring Jayden's phone. It rings out once without an answer. I call again.

            Right when it's about to go to voicemail, Jayden answers the phone, voice muffled, "Yo,"

            "Why didn't you answer the first time I called?"

            She's quiet for a moment before responding, "Because I'm trying to enjoy my food. What is it?"

            I roll my eyes, "Stop shoveling food in your mouth and listen to me. It's Chloe's birthday today."

            "Shit!" Jayden yells. Then, muffled through the phone, I hear muttered apologies. "I didn't realise it was the second already. Where are you?"

            I grab a sweater from my bag and throw it over my head saying, "I'm coming to you. At the caf?" I assume.

            "Yeah, how'd you know?"

            I glance at the time on my phone before answering, "It's 12:09, you'll obviously be there, you want the best food before it runs out,"

            I hear her laugh on the other side of the phone, "You know me so well," she ends the call.

            I swipe my card on the pad by the door and head to the caf. Instantly, I see Jayden scarfing down some mac and cheese, the table she's at is occupied by a few other agents our age that scatter when they see me rounding on them. I sit across from Jayden and snag a noodle from her bowl.

            "Was that really necessary? I was talking to them, y'know."

            I shrug, "I didn't do anything, they just left. Why are you eating mac and cheese for breakfast?"

            She rolls her eyes at me, "It's because they heard you're being trained by Reeves. And because I want to, leave me alone."

            I lower my brows in confusion, "We all are being trained by him,"

            She shakes her head as she takes a sip of her tea, "Yeah, but he's training you specifically. That means something here, I guess,"

            "Whatever. What are we going to do about Chloe?"

            Jayden sighs, "No idea. William won't let me do jack shit, so I haven't been able to explore anything new. Or get out of the agency. He deadass said no and that I'm not good enough to leave." She deadpans.

            I try not to laugh, "So, it sounds like you two are getting along,"

            She laughs dryly at me, "You're so funny. But for real, it's actually so awkward. All he does is tell me what to do and then he's silent the rest of the time. Only talking to fix my form or something. It's so weird."