I felt so alive I could punch the bag non stop for hours straight! Our sparring began as soon as we touched the mat. The adrenaline in my veins was only rising and I swear I saw Neil getting frustrated when he was unable to break my defence, forget placing a single good punch.

*****************

Neil had not stopped passing me glares since I beat him in the sparring. And I was loving every fucking moment of it.

"You were too slow." I whispered sitting next to him while he ate his food quietly.

He just kept his mouth sealed because he knew nobody was going to back him if I decide to bully him.

He just thinned his eyes and hardened his glare. I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's up with you?" Marks asked Neil and suddenly we had four pairs of eyes on us.

I turned to Neil and wiggled my eyebrows. "You'll tell them or should I? Sir..?"

"I'll do the honours." He snapped at me and turned to the boys.

"We're having a race. He's just boasting." Neil said and I split my sides in laughter. Poor man, he thought he'll beat me and take his revenge. Also, I had no guilt in feeling like a devil because hey, he took it on himself. I had no role!

"A race, sir? Haven't you seen him in his tests?" Blundell spoke. Smart man.

"That's what he's boasting. How about tomorrow, James?" He turned to me feeling challenged.

I sighed. "As you wish, sir. But what's on stake?" "What?"

"We only place bets if something is at stake. That's what they teach us in KMA. So what should be at stake?" I challenged him further, figuring out how deep a pit he was ready to dig for himself.

"24 hours with Instructor Charles." He spoke after thinking for a few moments.

Blundell and Nelson sniggered loudly. Marks coughed into his fist. And Waldo sipped water. All of them hid their laugh but failed terribly. I just gleamed a snortle.

If Kelly was here, he would have stopped Neil. Too bad.

"Done. Tomorrow morning 0600 hours." "Fine." We goaded each other.

Before we could say another word, Kelly entered the mess and the tempo went down. He looked dog tired already while he still had a few hours more to spend with Charles before he would get the break off.

He entered with half open eyes and cracked lips. His Knuckles were cut in all depth possible and there was a fresh layer of dried blood over it. I'm sure he didn't have any good reason to wash it off.

He took his plate and the milk shake and came and stood next to me. "May I, sir?" He asked.

"Cut the formality, Kelly. Take a seat." Marks spoke commandingly - being the senior most amongst us. "Thank you sir." He sat down grunting in pain.

"This is like that calm before the storm, right instructor Kelly?" I teased him while I still could.

He'll soon be an instructor and god forbid if Charles decides to appoint him to guard our asses, we'll never be resting.

"I don't think I can live with so much hate and silent curses that an instructor gets." He murmured making all of us laugh.

"You say this now. Twenty years from today, you'll scream at the boys like there's no tomorrow and they have to sweat it all out right at the moment! Instructor Charles's training will turn you into a robot if he continues with the current speed." Neil said pulling his leg too.

"Sir?" Kelly sighed sadly, not expecting Neil to tease him.

"Sorry, pal. But he really is working hard on you. He needs to go a little easy." Neil said pitifully.

"Don't say this to him!" Kelly was beyond scared at Neil's words. He was so terrified of Charles, he couldn't risk getting him angry in the least bit.

"Alright. I won't. How long before you present your neck to him again?" "Twenty minutes." He said serving himself.

Before he could even take the first bite, whistle blew outside mess. That was Charles calling him out.

"Have this on my behalf please." Kelly pointed at his food and got up drinking the shake in one go. It took him less than three seconds!

"Let me talk to him." I stood up. This man needs energy. And for that, he needs food.

"No, don't!" Kelly warned me sternly pointing his index finger at me.

I got a little offended at his tone. Whatever it was, it worked and I froze at my place.

Only when he was about to exit, he turned around and said softly "I'm sorry, sir." And then he left.

"Did he do it on purpose?" I asked sitting back down.

"He knew you're kind enough to not stop if he requests you. So he played the surprise card." Marks replied.

"I fear the day he becomes our instructor." Nelson said and I squealed at the same thought.

"I was just thinking the same! He'll be such a badass!" I said and immediately Neil's spoon hit my tender Knuckles and killed me for a moment.

"The more I tell you to polish your tongue, the more uncouthly you become! In case you forgot, you are in my team, and I don't like this dowdiness. So you better start cleaning your vocabulary before I permanently submit your rifle back into the weaponary and you're left with only knives." Neil said grimly.

Now that was a realistic threat, one that I couldn't afford to turn true. I was already done with more than hundred variants of pushups but still not cleared my track with him. Now I'm working with the wall, weight plates, dumbbells and what not to keep the flow going. And if this doesn't stop, either I'll run out of possible pushup types or I'll never be holding a rifle in my hand again.

"Okay, milord. Pardon me for my language. I shall try to use the permitted words from your holy dictionary." I pull his leg figuratively and he kicked hard on my shin.

"Fu.. Freak!" That was close!

Neil scoffed and everyone got back to filling their stomachs.

*************

"Lieutenant Dwight!" That booming voice stopped me midway and I silently prayed he doesn't take more than five seconds to dismiss me.

I was about to leave to meet Merlen, if she has even considered a second meeting. Commander can't take away my only chance of seeing her again.

"Yes sir!" I saluted him and he scanned me from head to toe.

"Where to?" Damnit.

Don't stutter, James. Don't stutter. "Going for a run, sir." Great! Thanks for not stuttering and thanks for that broken voice, Dumbass!

"A run? Alone?" He enquired with an eyebrow raised. Shit.

Yes I was still training for Class-I so I wasn't allowed to step out of CCTC without any senior's permission. And since I was a special case, nobody would permit me so easily too. And on top of it, I was about to step out without any permission. I'm fucked.

"You're ready? You better - oh! Good evening sir!" That was real real smooth, Neil!

"Evening Captain. You guys are going for a run?" He sounded convinced. Thank god!

"Yes sir. He will be paying for my ice cream." What?!

"Why is that so?" "Because I'm going to beat him." Neil said teasing me.

Commander laughed loudly and continued talking to him. "I want you to pay for mine if he wins."

I really had no clue what direction this whole conversation was going in. But it was casual and that was the whole fucking plan. Except that Merlen must be waiting for me, or worst - left.

"Definitely sir. I'll try to keep my wallet heavy. Ha!" Neil nodded at him and ran away. I stood stunned. When did these two became best friends?

"Go! Run!" Commander shouted, getting me back to senses. I nodded at him too and took off.

Taking the first three turns to exit CCTC's campus and another two turns to get out of the view of anyone looking at us from inside, I caught up with this looney toon rabbit. "Thanks, Neil. You -" "Saved you?"

"Yeah!" "Nah. I just wanted to have ice cream."

"I'll buy the whole fucking cart for you!" Shit!

Best time for you to curse in front of this man, James. What a timing! He raised an eyebrow and stopped.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. But we need to keep moving, I don't have time!" I pleaded coming to a halt myself.

"Situps for every second you spend." He said sternly.

"Roger! Now can I please?" "Can I please? What about me? I saved you from Commander and you're ready to leave me in the middle of nowhere! What kind of a person you are?" Neil spoke in a fake accent following me as I looked around for Merlen.

"Unpunctual." Ah that voice.

"Tell him that you're an unpunctual person, J." She came towards us with that demonic grin on her face. Curious, amused but pissed.

"Well I know that myself, ma-am. He's much more than that, but this should do just fine for now. Miss Merlen, if I'm not mistaken." I stood with my jaw on the floor!

Neil had never, EVER, spoken in that tone to anyone! He talked like a true prince. Merlen looked at her amused too. Fucker! That's my girl!

"Yes. How many times did he say my name in front of you?" She asked.

"I stopped bothering after forty." He replied in his oh-so-royal tone.

"He's really not over it. Are you, J?" FINALLY! She turned towards me. But this time, her cheeks were flushed. Thanks for having my back, fucker Neil.

"That's a big compliment, thanks." I said with clenched jaw and widened my eyes, screaming at him to fuck off.

"I'll be around." He told her and turned to me. "Every tick counts." he winked at me and left. Fuck my thighs will be gone. Nice move, Neil. Trying to destroy my legs before our race.

"What's with the obsession with my name?" She asked gathering those little creases on her forehead - she was curious.

"The same that made you come meet me again here.. -" She sealed her lips tight trying hard not to smile. But would I let that happen? Nah. "- here at Merlen Street..?"

It made no sense. I felt like a fool. But guess what? That did it. She laughed. Her melodic laugh filled joy in my heart and I just looked at her while she filled herself with that rainbow of happiness. And Fuck me if I was not the reason behind that laugh. I loved her smile. Also her laughter. And then her voice.

"Your mirage will leave you with nothing in this desert, I'm sorry, street, J." She hushed stressing on 'mirage' and 'street'. Man if I'm not head over heels for her sarcasm, kill me!

"Not mirage, Merlen. I call it optimism." I looked into her brown eyes. The depth was never enough.

"What are you so optimistic about?" She asked, the creases on her forehead deepening. She wanted to hear it out but I won't say it yet. Though I was dying to, because I wanted know what reply she was going to come up with.

"About you saying 'I don't really like Ice cream, but fine I'll have one." I said with a smirk. She never saw that coming and smiled widely.

"Fine. I'll have one." She said grinning.

Somewhere far away, an old man coughed into his fist as I led Merlen to the ice cream cart. I rubbed my hands over my head to set my hair all the while showing my pinky finger to Neil who had no other job but to stare at us.

Why not a middle finger? Because this fucker didn't do 'bad words'. I'm afraid one day he'll turn me into a saint too.

"Let me guess.. Strawberry?" I asked turning around on my heels after realising that I crossed her in excitement.

"Am I wearing a pink dress with a pony tail and high heels- all to look pretty?" She said offended, blinking like a doll - teasing me.

It's then that I realised I never noticed what she wore. I looked at her from head to toe and back up.

Hair tied in a bun, absolutely zero make up, a silver chain holding a moon pendant near the second button of her red and white checked shirt loosely tucked inside dark blue denims with bell bottoms and pointy black bellies.

She's not an average girl, James. You sure as hell fell for a sui generis!

"Did you just check me out in public?" She asked happily offended.

"Didn't you just ask me to?" I answered innocently.

"You -" She started with her index finger pointed at me. "Let me take a second chance, Merlen." I interrupted before she slaps me on our first unsaid date.

She thought for a few moments with fake anger on her face and looked behind me at the cart. The noticed her eye movements and was smiling by the time her eyes met me again.

"Fine. But if you're wrong, I'm leaving without having any ice cream." She said crossing her arms over her chest and I smirked.

"Alright then I'll get Black Currant for both of us. But I think.."

I waited for Merlen's eyes to go wide and stop blinking. "How.. How did you..?" She asked still in disbelief.

Why did she think I'll not scan and imprint the whole menu card in my mind before giving her an option and time to look at it and fix her eyes at the top right corner?

Ah. She's definitely not an agent.

"Our choices match. Because I don't like black currant either. But I'd choose the most difficult option if someone else was to guess it for me." I winked and she gave me the most beautiful smile.

"I'll have a chocolate." She said blushing.

I smiled back at her and walked to the girl at the ice cream cart. "Hey there, what's your good name?" "Eva." She replied harshly.

"And what does that mean?" I knew it yet I asked her.

"I don't know." She replied uninterested.

"It means life. So basically you're spreading life. And what better than standing on that side of an ice cream cart? But that frown doesn't suit you. A smile with an ice cream goes a long way, trust me." I said pointing at her.

She smiled genuinely. She looked at Merlen for a moment and then looked back at me. That must have been the first time that someone complimented her. She looked mature enough to understand that I wasn't trying anything with her. My girl stood behind me and that's all I cared for.

"Thank you. What will you two have?" She asked politely this time.

"One chocolate for my beautiful girl and one vanilla for myself." I paid her before she handed over my passport to Merlen's heart.

When I turned around, my girl was looking at me with adoration in her eyes. I got confused for a moment.

I raised my eyebrows when she didn't speak a word. "She never smiled like that." Merlen pointed at Eva.

"That's the normal response when someone compliments a girl for her name." I teased her.

"What do you mean?" She was raising her tone again. I fucking love getting on her nerves! The way she gets all worked up and ready to fire at me, it's crazy!

"Here." I handed over her chocolate ice cream and she stopped speaking.

"Chocolate." I spoke to myself writing it down on my memory cells.

"Vanilla?" She nodded towards mine.

"Yea. Simple." I said shrugging my shoulders.

She nodded slowly. Was she writing it down too? Or collecting info about me? Being an agent is the shittiest thing on earth. You can never trust anyone!

I waited patiently for her to say something but she didn't till her ice-cream was over.

"So? You live around.. somewhere here?" I ask intrigued.

She knew that Eva hasn't smiled like this before that means she sees her frequently. She either works here or lives here. Thank god! She won't be difficult to find.

"You're saving money?" She asked straight forward.

I looked at her not at all knowing how that answered my question.

"Too broke to get me an ice cream again?" She said with her demonic smile creeping back to her lips.

I laughed at that. She was definitely one of a kind!

"Any day, any time!" I promise her and heard a distant cough again. Damnit Neil!

"Though I prefer sunsets with ice creams. How about the one.." I looked at my watch and continue ".. Twenty three hours from now?"

She laughed loudly. "You're smooth." "And you're mine." I never knew when those words flew out of my mouth because she went stiff.

"I mean.. all these icecreams are on me." I stuttered and she blushed.

"Tomorrow. Same time." She spoke, turned around and walked away smiling. I stood there smiling like an idiot not knowing why she liked me enough to meet me a third time.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "I swear if you had coughed just once more, I'd have taken you to a hospital, Neil!" "Thankless people I tell you."

I glared at him while he grinned at my whipped state.

"I'll have strawberry. Thanks." He said. Fucker heard every word!

"Sorry I'm broke." "You liar! I'll kill you!" I took off and he came after me. Too bad, he was too slow.

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HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, LOVELY PEOPLE! To all the singles - it's a valentine for us every single day, right? 😉

An ice-cream date, huh? Now isn't that a cute idea? And God help James for getting on Merlen's nerves and loving it. 😂

Also, who are you rooting for, in the race? Remember the 24 hours at stake!

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Vote and COMMENT your views on this special Valentine edition. 😂