Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, ya boob
Just to make it clear, I have no idea how boot camp really works because I have never been in the military, but I have heard stories about their training. This is a ONE SHOT and there will not be another chapter coming after this. I would make another if I was really serious about this one, but I find it kind of stupid and just really wanted to write today. Toodles
"Wait, Charlie, you can't mean that."
"Bella, I just think that this is for the best. You haven't been yourself since that Cullen boy left and I just think that if you can't be yourself again, I might as well send you somewhere where you can be better. I've been thinking long and hard on this so don't be telling me that I don't know what is best for you, I am your father and I am in charge of you and that is that."My jaw drops. My neglectful father of little words just said what?
"Yes, Dad. I know that you are my dad, but you know me. I have two left feet and am a magnet for danger. I really don't think that me joining the Marine Corps is going to be helping our country very much, if anything I might make it worse!" He has got to be out of his mind for sending me off to a boot camp. "How long have you been thinking about this? I know that it takes more than a few days for you to be able to actually have me registered."
Charlie's face turns pink. "Well, I have been thinking about it for a while now. I tried to sign myself up but I'm out of shape and don't fit their qualifications. You do, however."
I can't believe that he actually signed me up. He just told me to get in the car this morning and we are already halfway to the airport for my plane to Arizona. I would be happy about that, seeing as I thought my mom still lived there, but it turns out that she moved to Russia a month ago and forgot to tell me. So here I am, sitting in a police cruiser, on my way to join the military where I don't know what to expect, and Charlie packed my bags so now I really don't know what to expect. Kind of like when you walk into Rick Harrison's pawn shop.
"Well, goodbye, Bells. I've enjoyed the time we've spent together. See you in five years, or whenever you get leave." Wooow…. thanks Dad.
"Wait, did you seriously just say five years! I thought it was kind of like a taste of the military, a month or two max." Charlie rubs his neck and looks away from me.
"Five years is the lowest amount of time that I could sign you up for, you're going there for the real deal, Bells. I know you're a tough cookie and you can do it, all of those bruises as a child should have toughened your skin or something. I can just feel it that this will be good for you in the long run." He gives me an awkward side hug and pushes me towards the terminal. "Now go on, you're going to miss your flight if you keep talking to your old man over here." I am officially flabbergasted and walk through to where I wait for my plane. The plane ride is a haze and all I can remember is that I was trying to think of the good things of going to the Marine Corps. The only things I came up with were that I think I get some free college time, and that the instructors might go easy on me since I'm so small and am going against my will. There is a man with a sign that says "Swan" when I get off the plane. I follow him to his car and he starts driving. I then realize that I actually have no idea where I am going in Arizona and this guy could be a serial killer taking me to his lair.
I clear my throat.
"Um, sir? Where exactly are we going?" I try to sound more confident than I really am but even I can tell that I can tell that it is a futile attempt.
"Why, you weren't told? You have been stationed in Yuma, Arizona for thirteen weeks for training so that you can become a good soldier, then they will send you off to wherever you are most needed. This world needs more people like you. You are leaving your family to help your country. So brave." I would correct him, but I am too embarrassed by his words.
The car passes through some really big gates that close after we pass through them.
"Well, this is your stop. Don't forget your luggage!" I get out of the car and try to get the bags that Charlie packed for me, but they are so heavy that they barely even budge from the trunk. I pull with all of my weight, but nothing changes. What did he put in these, bricks?
Somebody comes behind me and grabs my two bags and sits them on the ground for me.
"You're never gonna make it here without some muscle." Some big guy is standing in front of my and I can't help but ogle him; he takes no notice. "Wow, is there anything in those little arms?" He grabs my bicep and squeezes lightly.
"Ouch!" I pull my arm back and rub it where his hand had gripped, all the while glaring at the undoubtedly handsome man.
"Here, I better get your bags for you before you hurt yourself trying to get up all the steps." His voice is gruff and definitely attractive, I hope I see him around more. "My name is Travis, by the way."
"Bella," I say.
We walk up the steps and he tells me to take it easy because it will be the only time I am not expected to be doing something. I nod my head eagerly and hang onto his every word. He says that the drill sergeant for the newbies is a real bastard and that the man knows nothing of the word pity. I pout.
"So….when is everybody else going to get here?" It's close to sundown and there should be other people in the barracks, but the bunk beds next to me are deserted. I have the upper bunk, since I am the newest girl here, and am not looking forward to hitting my head on the ceiling every morning.
"We are outside training from sun up to sundown, you actually got here a day late and everybody else has got the run down. The sergeant only likes to say things once so I advise you to ask some of the other girls about what goes on around here. I better get going, it's my first off day today in weeks and I'd like to hang out with my friends. Also, I'm technically not even allowed to be in the girl's barracks without a direct order. See you around." He leaves the barracks without a backward glance which I am grateful for because I was definitely not staring at that bubble butt I saw walking out in some tight pants. Definitely not looking.
I lay on my back and imagine all the things I could have done to not make Charlie put me in this situation. It is seriously going to take some begging from him for me to be able to forgive him for this awful deed he's done. Great, now I'm feeling guilty. I love America and all, but I don't want to be here.
The door busts open and in walks about two dozen, sweaty women who look tired. I sure hope that's not going to be me tomorrow. They file in neatly, marching as they go through the beds until they reach their own luggage. One woman stops in front of my bunk and starts gathering clothes out of her suitcase under the bed. I clear my throat and she looks startled before she looks up and smiles at me. Her black hair is in an immaculate bun and her dark eyes are full of happiness.
"Hi there, I'm Bella." I try to be friendly so that I might make a friend in this hell.
"Hi Bella, I'm Clarissa." Clarissa's accent startles me. She must be from New Orleans or something; my name doesn't even sound like my name when it comes from her mouth due to the heavy accent. She sticks out her sweaty and and I grab it lightly, trying not to get my hand soaked, but Clarissa has different ideas and shakes my hand roughly and tightly. "You must have just gotten here today, I would have remembered such a pretty face like yours."
"Yeah, I arrived a little bit ago and know nothing on what is going on, care to fill me in?" I get straight to the point. She smells so bad and I really want her to take a shower, but I need answers more.
"Did sergeant whatshisface say anything important to you all this morning? I heard that he's a real ass who doesn't like to repeat himself and doesn't have much room left in him for pity." She nods along with my every word.
"Yeah, Sergeant Peter gave us a rundown today. Just follow what everybody else is doing and you'll get the hang of it soon enough. We're only going to be in Yuma for thirteen weeks before they decide to start moving us around, that is unless a war breaks out in the middle of our training. I heard that one group in Yuma only had eleven weeks to train because the Vietnam War needed more soldiers than we had on hand. I wouldn't mind if that happened though, I've been waiting to be a soldier for all of my life." Clarissa sighs heavily and picks up her pile of clothes and other bathroom stuff. "I smell like shit. I'll see in about ten minutes." She leaves without another word out the door, taking her smell with her and for that I am grateful.
More women parade in unison through the door and I ask one of the girls next to me, "Do we just march everywhere, or what?" I meant for it to be a light joke, but she doesn't take it that way.
"Yeah, are you deaf or something? Sergeant Peter gave a whole speech about how it is very important that we march everywhere, no matter what we are doing or where we are going." Well jeez, somebody needs to get that stick out of her ass.
"Well sorrrryyy! I just got here about an hour or so ago and wasn't here for any speeches he gave us." She looks apologetic after that.
"Oh, I didn't know that. Sorry, I'm Kendal. I just don't have much tolerance for idiots. Yeah, he talked a lot this afternoon and it sounds absolutely horrible. Something about how it is totally going to be rigorous and how at week three, we are going to start running ten miles before breakfast. If I don't walk out of here looking like a bikini model I am going to be very disappointed; I at least want to be able to squish a watermelon between my thighs of steel like I see on all of those television shows. Oh my, I'm rambling. I didn't catch your name?" She says this all so quickly that it is hard to catch up.
"My name is Bella." I turn away from her and roll over on my pillow. Clarissa comes back after a while, but it had long since been lights out where nobody was allowed to talk.
I cry silently into my pillow and know that I am going to look like hell tomorrow. I'm already in hell so really what difference does it make, I'm just adjusting to my surroundings. At least I've already made two friends here. Though I'm not too sure how long my friendship with Kendal is going to last seeing as she has very little tolerance and patience, and I've got two left feet.
Why did Charlie do this to me?
But of course, I already knew the answer to that rhetorical question.
I'm still working on that other story that I've got it the works, but it's taking me longer than expected. I'd only ever heard stories of when my family went to war, and a lot of their memories were put into this. My dad was stationed at Yuma, Arizona, my grandpa had to run ten miles before breakfast once he was three weeks in to the training, and he was also shipped off to different countries before his time was up because of the Vietnam war. I would make this longer, but I feel like it is okay where it is.
Hope you like the one shot and if you do, you should review!