The perfect timing

“I don’t want to be rude or offensive, but why is Eric going to be my partner? ” I asked Juliette and glanced at Eric, who didn’t seem to be offended by my question, but I still added, “No offense Eric.”

He shook his head with an amused smile on his lips and answered, “None taken. I’m curious too.”

Juliette glanced between the both of us before she replied and as the two of us didn’t want to add something else, she explained everything.

“Well, first you two are the newest members and you both don’t have a partner yet,” she told us and I understood why this was a good reason to pair us up. “And second, you already know each other.”

“Yeah, I get it, these seem to be good reasons,” Eric said, and I nodded in agreement.

“Good,” Juliette smiled satisfied at our answer. “But before the two of you can leave, I want to let you know that you are going to have a special training and won’t train with the other members yet.”

I stared at her in confusion, trying to figure her out, but her facial expression gave nothing away. So I blurred out,“Why is that?”

The woman got up at my question and went to a cupboard which was standing in one corner of the room and took two papers out. As she had everything together she walked towards us and handed us the documents. I took mine in silence and examined it thoroughly. It was a workplan and a schedule for the next weeks.

How she already knew that I would join M.E and that Eric and I would be partners was beyond me. Especially since she had everything prepared so well already.

“Because first we have to teach you the basics and that will be at a time when the normal training doesn’t take place,” Juliette answered my question.

“And when will we be able to train with everybody else?” Eric questioned, and I looked up from my schedule to see him watching Juliette carefully.

“When you are ready,” she simply said and then we were off to go.

After that Eric and I talked about being partners and how everything would work out. After that we went our own ways.

And then a few weeks passed by, in which we were trained separately from the other members and were taught how to defend ourselves in every possible situation. We even learned how to use a gun even if I didn’t get why it was necessary. But they just told me it was better to know it than to be shot. They had a point there.

Eric and I also had different teachers. Some of them were super humans and some of them not. But all of them were doing a great job, teaching us their subject.

The two of us also had to get more in shape, which was an easy task for Eric, who was already fit, but it was hard for me, because I was so not.

Eric always tried to help me, cheer me up and told me I got better with each day, which I appreciated. But it didn’t change the fact that I hated every minute of the training.

Luckily today wasn’t one of said days where we would work on our condition. Instead Matt our trainer for today, showed us, how to defend ourselves when somebody was attacking us from behind.

We currently worked on black, thick mats and Matt played the attacker, after he showed us how to block him and bring him down.

It was again my turn and after several failed attempts, I wanted to succeed. So I relaxed my muscles and waited for his raid.

Like a cat he sneaked up on me and suddenly grabbed my shoulders. But I was prepared for it and with the move he showed us I threw him over my shoulder.

He hit the mat with his back and I grinned satisfied. I did it.

“Good job Celia.” Matt told me and I gave him my hand to help him up.

“You did great,” Eric also commented, and I thanked him.

“This is it also for today.” Matt told us afterwards and I breathed out in relief.

By now I could handle a lot more, but it didn’t mean that it wasn’t exhausting, and that I wasn’t sweating like I had run a marathon. Though it was great that my body wasn’t hurting as much as in the first few days and week.

After that Matt bid us goodbye and left us alone to take the equipment away, which he reasoned to be another good training.

I rolled my eyes at his statement. He was just too lazy to help us; nevertheless Eric and I were currently doing what he had told us.

“I think we’re getting better each week.” Eric said after we had successfully put the mats away and were taking all our stuff to get home.

We always had our training after school and sometimes also on the weekend which didn’t leave us much free time and was really exhausting. I also wanted to collapse on my bed everytime I came home.

But I get it why we were working so hard and tried my best every day. I didn’t do it only for myself, but also for Nancy and my aunt. I wanted to find Nancy’s attacker and be strong for my aunt and myself.

“Me too,” I answered Eric, and we gave each other a high five, like we always did after a good training.

“But you still have to learn a lot and also work harder.” A voice suddenly told us and I turned around to meet Reece eye, who was walking towards us.

He was like always sporting some jeans and a fitting shirt and still looked really handsome in it. It was a crime to look that good, and I tried not to star too much at him. Me and my stupid hormones.

“Oh, hey Reece,” Eric greeted him friendly, but Reece just ignored him and addressed me.

“Can I talk to you?”

What got into his pants and why was he in such a bad mood?

I looked at Eric, who just shrugged and waved me goodbye as he left us alone.

“Sure,” I answered, crossing my arms in front of my chest. “But first you have to tell me what is your problem with Eric and what you have against him!”

“Nothing,” he grunted and looked to the side with an angry face.

I sighed annoyed because of his behavior. In the last few weeks we hadn’t talked much, and he often wasn’t around in school because for unknown reasons. And now when we have the chance to talk the guy is being difficult.

“Just spill the beans out Mister,” I narrowed my eyes at him and his lips moved up a little at the choice of my words, but it didn’t last long and his expression changed into a grimly one.

“That guy,” he started and mentioned disgusted at the way in which Eric had just left the room, “asked my sister out.”

My eyes widened in surprise but because of a total different reason. I was so happy for the girl, because I knew she liked him and asked, “and that is all?”

“And that is all?” Reece repeated my words in a mocking tone. “That is everything and too much,” the guy added and I laughed, because he was acting ridiculous.

Reece glared at me for laughing, but I couldn’t take him serious. And after I had calmed down, I put one hand on his shoulder and said, “Just let them be.”

At my words he immediately shook my hand off his shoulder and answered. “No way! My sister is too young to date! She is only fifteen if you forgot,” he added and did some weird gesture with his hand.

“And?” I asked raising my eyebrows. I got that he only wanted to protect his baby sister, but I was sure she could handle everything perfectly. Kitty was able to put Eric and everybody else into their place if something happened.

“Well, did you date when you were fifteen?” Reece argued, and I was a bit embarrassed to answer him. I knew if somebody else would have asked me I would have given them an answer immediately, but with Reece it was different.

“What is wrong?” He then asked me as I didn’t answer him straight away. I bit my lip nervously before I replied.

“Nothing,” I mumbled. “I just never dated,” I confessed, and he opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it again as he thought the better of it.

I would love to know now what he was thinking. Did he think it was hilarious that I was never asked out or did he think it was only logical? But his answer was nothing close to it.

“Good,” he told me and I looked up to see if he was being serious right now.

“You think this is a good thing?” I asked astonished, and he nodded.

“I actually thought that you and.... Well nobody,” he changed his words and bent down to get me my bag, which he gave me afterwards.

“Who?” I wanted to know, after I thanked him for giving me my bag, which contained my daily clothes.

“Nobody.” Reece immediately answered and changed the topic.

“Now do you help me to sabotage their date?”

I gave him a look like he grew a second head and shouted. “No way! Why would I do something stupid like that?”

“Because she didn’t tell me about the date in the first place,” Reece sulked like a nine-year-old and I mumbled sarcastically, “I really ask myself why.”

“What was that?” He wanted to know, following me out of the room and I didn’t answer him, as I pushed the button to open the door.

“Fine,” he then said pouting, and I tried to suppress a smile. His pout was just too adorable and I really should stop thinking like that about him. The only thing we could ever by was friends, even when my heart was beating faster and faster whenever he was around.

Why we couldn’t be more? I wasn’t the kind of person, who let everybody easily in. It had probably something to do with the fact that I lost my parents so early. But also, because I didn’t want him to get bored someday and him just walking away like that. The risk was just too big.

I then was about to walk into the changing room, but Reece stopped me by putting his foot between the frame and the door.

“Wait, I said I wanted to talk to you,” he remembered me and I couldn’t stop myself from saying with a small smirk, “we already talked.”

He gave me that this wasn’t necessary look and then said. “But I need your help.”

I raised my eyebrows, while resting my hand on the handle of the door and mentioned him to go on.

“Kitty’s birthday is next week and I need you to help me to get her the perfect present,” he said really quickly and I was glad that I was able to understand him.

I also smiled at his word, even when he was angry at his sister he still wanted to get her a special present. That just warmed my heart and my answer was already settled. He was, after all, a good brother and loved his sister.

So I couldn’t say no and answered before I went into the changing room. “That is something I can gladly help you with.”