Reception Areas are usual slow, quit and orderly. Inside the Police Academy's reception lounge in the entrance of the building, I guess you could say it was all three, except for one important detail as to why, there was no one there except for the receptionist behind the desk.
Her head buried into her phone as minute after minute she would look up from her device at the front door just to see if anyone came in now, as clockwork, no one would come in until someone did.
Bursting through the door in came a black German shepherd, heavy breathing from running with a black bag with around her canine body as she sped through the mid of the lounge with empty chairs and almost slammed her head right into the reception desk.
"I'm here for the...Law Enforcement...Training …Program, I'm so sorry, Am I late, I'm not used to…taking the bus!" She said with each heavy breath in between as she tried to make coherent statements.
"Just a few minutes, they're already giving the Orientation, it's down the hall, you can still catch it" The receptionist said as she leaned over from her desk and pointed down the hall, in a flash, Elena sped off in the direction.
Her bag shaking with tons of her normal mundane items inside as she ran with all her might, putting at the cardio she had done to good use.
Sprinting through the hall, until seeing the door around the corner, a stand near the door stating it was orientation for all signed up police cadets in pre training, it had her destination written all over it.
Running up to the door until unfortunately tripping over her own paws and tumbling over and over until her body slammed into the door, causing it to swing open.
Elena swore in her mind she was seeing stars, quickly picking herself up as she looked in front of her to see a dozen random people, aspiring police officers and multiple Police Sergeants on stage, starring directly at Elena informal and late entrance.
Elena froze and gave a very timid smile and wave to everyone that eyeballed her, getting up and slowly walking down the aisle to find a chair to sit, hopefully learn and not feeling anymore utterly humiliated
Taking her seat and setting her back right underneath, looking around and seeing people that were once looking at each other, letting the moment pass and going back to whatever, they were doing.
"Like I was saying before little miss crash decided to make entrance, This Academy will push you to and beyond your limits, failure is not a viable option under the academy. Error is expected from you and is also expected is immediate correction" The Sergeant said, speaking into his microphone on the podium In front of the large crowd.
"Hey, Psst, Nice Entrance" Elena's ears perked up as she looked beside her to see another German shepherd like her, not similar in colour but similar in interest with being there.
"I beat that was the funniest thing anyone in this room has seen all week" he said with a playful nudge to the black German shepherd who was still embarrassed at of her mind to look at the fellow German shepherd and give him a confident smile.
"I'm Chase" he said with his paw out to her, Elena eyed the German Shepherd's outward paw before timidly shaking it, manually driving it up and down slowly. "E-Elena, Nice to meet you" She said before quickly retracting her paw, clutching her seat as she tried to pay attention to the speech on stage.
Chase turned to face away from the black German shepherd back to the stage, however right after, Chase spotted small frantic motions come right back from Elena, looking back over to see her trying her best to stay still and calm, her constant moving gave Chase enough evidence to conclude something about her.
"Hey, You can relax, Barely anyone is going to remember you crashing through the door earlier" He stated.
"It's not that, I'm just worried after being late, There was the thing with the bus schedule that I didn't understand then the I arrived at the first stop late after I accidentally- "
"Woah calm down, Its okay to be a little bit late, you didn't miss anything important" Chase said as he patted Elena on the back with his paw, reassuring her that it's okay, no foul and no fault in her mistake.
"You don't understand me, I ALWAYS need to be on time, one thousand percent perfect with no error" Elena exclaimed with a hint of crazy in her eye that Chase could notice.
"Okay one, one thousand percent isn't a thing, second, I can see this is going to be a problem for you, so tell you what. You and I, we'll team up through this".
"R-Really, Team up with me?" Elena asked, letting Chase reply with only a smile instead of words.
"Everyone stand up!" The Sergeant shouted in the microphone, his voice echoed throughout the entire auditorium as row upon row over people once sitting, arose from their seats to stand, including Elena and Chase.
"If you have any desire to become a Law Enforcement Officer for the sake of Money, Let me tell you that as Officer you will be make Less than Thirty Thousand a Year, If that doesn't sounds good to you, get the hell out of this Auditorium and out of this building" The Sergeant said, Suddenly the sounds of chairs scrapping against the floor, being pushed out of the way became apparent.
Elena and Chase turned their heads to see dozens of individuals groaning and moaning as they made their way out of the auditorium from which they came. "I was never concerned about the money" Chase said, gaining more respect for the German Shepherd.
"If you think you can break all the laws you want and not get away with it as a Police Officer, think again, the chances of you getting indited and convicted of a crime against the public is as strong as ever. Believe it or not, People have rights, if you so much as trample on one of those rights, The Leader of the Department you work for, and Federal Court will be on your ass faster than you can say 'I was in fear for my life'." He also shouted.
Almost like an instant replay of the previous wave, more people got up and simple walked out of the auditorium as the rows of people once there now turned into empty disordered chairs.
The Sergeant eyed the rest of the individuals in the auditorium as, he first scoffed but then slowly nodded in a satisfactory motion. "Everyone, Stand up" He said calmly, expecting everyone to do as told on the first command.
Luckily for him he didn't have to repeat himself, as Dozens of People in their seat suddenly stood in unison, including Chase and Elena. "This Job is going to scare you to death, you'll make friends but you'll also lose them in the process, If you're not sure about being here, You can leave" The Sergeant stated, pointed his finger out at the exit door of the auditorium.
The whole room froze in time as no one said a word and no one moved an inch from their spot, people's heads move from area to area looking at who might leave, however, no one did.
"Excellent, I should expect to see everyone tomorrow early at the Training Academy downtown, You can take a bus there if you wish, You're all dismissed" He said as everyone got up from their chairs, slinging them around their shoulders or bodies and walking out the door, expect for Elena who seemed to be a bit heart stricken.
"Umm Chase, Can you by any chance-"
"Yeah, I'll help you with the bus schedules so you don't be late again" He said, already accepting the offer before she could even finish her sentence. Making Elena happy as can be, reaching her paws around Chase and embracing him in a hug.
The feeling was a bit awkward as they had just met, but why be picky when it comes to a friend that wants your help. "You're welcome" He replied, letting Elena grow and small smile with a tiny blush and a heart starting to pump and rock.
"No way, No Way No Way No Way" Skye said repeatedly with her paw covering her mouth, in shock what she was here from Elena and what she was now realizing. "What?" Elena asked.
"You totally liked Chase" She strongly claimed as Elena's eye widened as if she was taken back at the romantic accusation, but in heart, at the time, she really did. "I-I-I did like him, but not like…like like, It was like a-a…you know, He was a really good friend that I spent a lot of my time with at the when I was in the academy"
"Mhm yeah, Real good friends"
"Alright fine you win, I did love him, he just made me feel some comfortable and secure every time he was around, But its different today, I see him as a friend right now and nothing more, He's got his own relationship now and I'm not going to get in the middle of that"
"I mean, you've kind of already been doing that though" Skye said with a casual final sip of her drink. Leaving Elena with a puzzled look on the face to the cockapoo's statement.
"What do you mean?"
"You haven't noticed, Valkyrie is super jealous of you and Chase to hanging out together, you really haven't noticed at all?" She asked with a genuinely honest tone for an answer. "No, I haven't, oh my gosh, Now that you mention it, Valkyrie always seems to get a bit aggressive when I talk with Chase"
"Sounds like a being rock being a hard place, Maybe just talk with her when you get the chance, so she'll really understand you and Chase are just friends" Skye recommended to the Black German Shepherd as she took her empty drink and simple pushed it away from her on the other side of the counter.
"Yeah, I'll try that, Glad she's just giving me the cold shoulder though, Imagine if she thought I was like a serial killer or something, that would be super weird" Elena chuckled after making such a thought, not know that some theories are actually true.
As if on que, The Front Door began to twist and turn, gaining the attention of both Elena and Skye. The Door opened and in came Valkyrie and Chase, both smiling from their night out but also exhausted as Chase let out a mighty yawn.
"Welcome back, how was the night out?" Skye asked turning back to the two are the doorway, Valkyrie also yawned as Chase did before responding. "Lovely, But I think its time for me and Chase to hit the hay" She said, getting a nod from the male German Shepherd on her statement.
"Well remember the county race is tomorrow, I want to leave here pretty early so we can all experience the whole thing, Goodnight though" Elena said as she stood up from the counter stood and threw her finished canned beverage across the room and into a trash can.
Elena stretched as she started to make her way to the stairs, until be pulled back by Skye, forcing the two to connected eye contact with each other. "Remember what we said, just talk with Valkyrie" Skye whispered into the German shepherd's ear.
"Oh yeah, right" Elena perked up, being reminded before giving a positive look back at the Cockapoo. Elena brushed away from Skye and right up to Valkyrie instead, the Saluki look at the German Shepherd in a weird way to her side, giving the stink eye instead of a welcoming smile.
"Ummm, yeah?" Valkyrie asked, a bit confused by Elena's sudden shift into her space suddenly. "Tomorrow, you wanna hang out and talk at like a bar or something in town after the race" Elena asked.
"I uhm…. Suuure, I'll ask Chase if he-"Valkyrie added before being cut off by Elena. "Oh no, just you and me, no one else. Cmon it's not like I'm gonna murder you or anything" Elena said with the widest smile you did ever see.
Valkyrie's eyed widened like fine China plates, as her brain started to tick and tick about the possibilities of Elena's little 'talk' between just the two, no third wheels, no witnesses.
"Y-Yeah, Sure" Valkyrie timidly agreed before seeing Elena hop off with a bounce in her step. "Cool, can't wait" Elena concluded as she hopped up the stairs like a bunny.
'Super Smooth' Elena thought in her mind.
'This bitch is gonna kill me for sure' Valkyrie thought echoed in her mind, as small shivered raced all throughout her body.