Chapter 18
Ed laughs and elbows you, "Hey, it's okay, this is just my brother, Al."
Brother…?
So you get to hear the full length of their whole long sad tale of woe.
You blush, "Oh. I'm sorry. Pleased to meet you, Al. Sorry I called you a robot."
Al just shrugs. He's a nice guy.
You wake up at 4 AM to a howling cacophony and a series of bangs.
You sit bolt upright with your hair sticking at odd angles and Ed falls off his bed and stumbles to the door, yanking it open to give Hughes a poisonous glare.
"Morning!!!" Hughes says brightly, and launches into another chorus of "Rise and Shine".
"Ugh." Ed marches off to the bathroom down the hall while you take the one in the dorm and proceed to get ready in record time so you can meet Hughes and Elysia on the front steps by 4:15. Your hair is still wet and it's absolutely frigid, so Ed tosses you his jacket and the four of you head downtown.
Hmmm… the jacket smells good.
Hopefully everyone thinks you've got it pulled up around you face because you're trying to stay warm.
By the next week, you are comfortably settled in and life is good.
Ed suggests that maybe you should take another shot at getting a job. He's probably right. He can't support both of you forever, and you really should be pulling your own weight around here. Besides, it's boring to sit around the dorm all day while Ed's off doing whatever it is that he does.
You can try again at the military. Go to Chapter 31
Or go find another job away from stupid HQ. Go to Chapter 32