Chapter 4

"You're not gonna tell me?", Joey whined. I responded to him with a dull voice, "No." Joey whined once again and I was irritated at him since yesterday night. He wouldn't stop pestering me about the talk I had with that girl yesterday. Come to think of it we both don't know each other's name but only know that the other exists. "Come on. I thought we're bros-bros and bros-bros tell each other everything, right?", I looked at him and just rolled my eyes at him. "What the? Hey!", he called for me. I eventually gave up and told him what had happened. "Fine. I'm telling you but we have to keep quiet. Alright?", I reminded him. He both put his thumbs up signaling that he understands. I sighed and told him what happened yesterday. From me bumping into her to her telling me to go teach her some techniques in using a gun. He listened while smirking at every sentence I say to him. He keeps on stopping me from talking just to say some side comments. Not those kinds of bad side comments, just the typical teasing ones. After the storytelling I had just done, he said something that shocked me. "I'll be your wingman," he smiled. I punched his shoulder, him resulting to a sulk. "What? I'm trying to help you," he reasoned. I rolled my eyes and told him, "We are not in high school. We are here for training, not me trying to finding a girlfriend." He became silent for a while and was about to speak again when the alarm rang around the campus indicating that it is already the start of the training. "Save the conversation for later. We have the training," I told him as we walked beside each other, walking to the training camp.

Joey and I were walking side by side, heading to the cafeteria when someone went up to us. We recognized that person who was with the girl yesterday. She suddenly asked us, "Are you the one Bella was talking to yesterday?". I didn't know a Bella so I assumed that Bella, the girl that Joey kept teasing me about. "Yes?", I answered, still clueless as to why she was asking. It was more of a question than an answer. She hummed and pulled a small piece of paper out of her coat pocket. She handed me the paper as I took it. Joey and I looked at each other, confused. She just didn't answer and smiled then went back to where she came from. I just frowned at the lack of response but went on our way as well. While walking to the cafeteria, Joey kept pestering and asking me about the paper she game and thought that the one who wrote it was the girl I talked to yesterday, Bella, I mean. "Can you stop? I haven't even read the paper yet," I told him with a hint of annoyance in my voice. "Read it now. You never know it might be urgent and you might be late on something," Joey persisted. I rolled my eyes and took out the paper but before I could even read the paper, another alarm rang. Joey groaned and complained at how slow I was but I just smirked. Standing up, I kept the paper inside my pocket again and went out of the camp, leaving Joey all alone, him catching up to me by running.

We all were training hard even though the heat was killing us. The ray of the sun piercing through our skins, burning our faces. On the other side of the field, the women were training. It was their break for a while so they were all on the bench. They were watching us, some admiring how hardcore our training us. I can see Bella watching over so I was giving the training my all. Joey noticed the change of pace and smirked. He knew what I was doing so he just ignored it and continued training. While on the bench, Bella was being nudged by her friend, teasing her about Glen. Bella was annoyed by her friend so she confronted her, "Can you stop? What are you doing?". "Can you see him over the other side of the field?" her friend said, teasing her. "You mean the guy I was talking to, yesterday?" Bella asked. "Yes. That guy from yesterday. Come to think of it. You don't know his name but I think he knows yours because I accidentally told him," her friend said while laughing awkwardly. Bella just hummed, ignoring what her friend was talking about. Her friend just pouted at her ignorant friend. "You know you should give it a try," her friend persisted. Bella looked at her friend, confused at what she was talking about. Bella then asked, "Try what?". Her friend looked at her as well and smiled, "Try dating someone like that guy." Her friend pointed to Glenn who was still training at the other side. Bella sighed, "You know dating is not my strong suit and I don't think we are even allowed to date at a time of war. I'm fighting for our country to make sure families are safe and not to make time for dating. This is seriously a training camp, Vangie." Vangie, her friend frowned, not because she was being confronted but because her friend hasn't been dating ever seen their high school years. Even Vangie already has her own boyfriend. Even though they are fighting in a war, she wants her friend to experience dating even just a little time. You never know if she gets to survive in the war but knowing Bella, she will. After the confrontation Bella gave Vangie, they became quiet.

After training, they went back to their quarters. Glen was the first one to go inside their quarter after showering. He pulled out the piece of paper given to him and started reading the note written there.

Hey, it's me, Bella. The person you talked to yesterday after target practice. I just want to ask if it is alright if you can teach me during lunch tomorrow. We can walk to target practice tomorrow because I remembered that we are in the same class. Thank you and have a good day.

I smiled slightly at the note written to me. I kept the note inside my bag, not noticing that Joey was behind me. Just when I turned around, Joey was near to my face. I got surprised and immediately asked up. Joey laughed and apologized immediately. "How long were you behind me?" I eyed him up and down, suspicious as to why he was behind me. He just continued laughing then stopped, "Just now. I only read "Hey" in the note though so don't you worry about me knowing what you guys were talking about." I sighed in annoyance and in relief. Annoyed that he was almost reading the letter but relieved that he didn't fully read it. "Okay. Just shut up and do your thing or something," I told him. He pouted and sulked again, "You're being mean. But I understand because I know you are going through that stage." He smiles teasingly but me being the person who is clueless in terms of the love department, I became confused. I asked him, "What do you mean 'going through that stage'?" He just smiled widely and went to his own bed, ignoring my question. I just clicked my tongue, annoyed by the fact that Joey was ignoring me and my question. I just shook my head and went back to what I was doing. Later arrived a soldier who is pushing a cart full of letters. The soldier spoke, "Good evening, soldiers. Mail has arrived and your families have sent you a mail. You can get your mails here. Thank you and have a good evening." The soldier then left and others went to the cart finding if each of their letters. I waited until at least the cart is almost empty. After waiting for them to get their mails, I went to the cart and tried finding mine. It has only one mail left meaning that it was my mail. I took it and went to my bed. Joey has two letters and was reading them already. I sat on my bed then opened the letter carefully. This is what was inside the letter:

Dear Glen,

Your siblings and I are missing you as well. It is a bit shallow and empty while you aren't here. We are praying every day to God and Jesus for your safety. I hope you are fine there. Your younger sister misses you a lot than all of us combined. She goes to your room every day and sometimes sleeping there by herself. She also wears your clothes that you left for her and kept hugging the bear that you got for her. I am proud of you, son. Also about your friend, I hope we get to him someday. Take care, son. We love you.

Love,

Your mother and siblings

My eyes were forming tears. I do really miss them but I have to do some things before I can go back to them. I smiled and wiped my tears. Keeping the letter inside one of my bags then slept. I'll write to them soon.