We all finish dinner and everyone in the group tells me not to worry about cleaning up and just head to bed. It feels a bit weird having people care about me.

I head up the stairs and open the door to number 37 and i quickly get changed into something comfortable yet easy to take off in a couple hours when everyone is asleep to get ready for training.

For my first time going, I didn't want to take any chances on getting caught, so I'm setting a quiet-ish alarm that would only be able to wake me up. I'm a light sleeper. I could rarely get any sleep in the basement. Too worried that if I shut my eyes for too long that my dad would come down.

I brush my teeth and put my hair up in a messy bun and I was ready for bed. I hopped into the soft bed sheets and lay my head on the plump pillow, I don't think I could ever get used to sleeping in something so comfortable.

The medication I took with my dinner must of knocked me out quickly because the next thing I realised was my alarm going off next to me.

I quickly prop up and turn the alarm off before any of the other girls wake up. The air was cold in the middle of the night but my eagerness to train now overtook the fresh air. I hop out of bed and silently tip toe around Tilly's bed and grab a black long sleeve top and some black exercise shorts. After I successfully grabbed both I head into the bathroom to get changed, I splash my face with cold water from the sink to wake myself up a bit. I re did my hair into long ponytail and out of my face and pull on my socks and shoes and I was ready to go. Before I left I quickly grabbed my card that Mr Whitlock gave me that I placed hidden in the little zip lock pocket on my suitcase. Can't forget that.

I quickly tip toe out of our room and shut the door as quietly as possible, confident no one heard and saw me leave. I check the time as I walk towards the stairs to head down. The digital clock read 12:10am in red numbers. I quietly head down stairs and the common room was as quiet as the basement at night. No one in sight and nothing to be heard.

I grab an apple from the fruit bowl in hopes of helping me with training. I walk out the door but before I shut it, I needed something to hold the door open, nothing dramatic but something to decrease the chance of shutting. Otherwise I'm stuck out here till the early morning.

I really need to fix this fingerprint situation.

I look around the common room to find something, there wasn't much, I mean there was stuff everywhere but nothing I could use, I notice a small rug by the door and I grab a hold of the corner and place it at the frame of the door to keep it from shutting. Perfect.

As long as no one comes in and out.

I walk through the courtyard and the fresh cold air hits my face with every step, the school was silent, all I could hear was my footsteps walking on the gravel. Only dim lit poles surrounded the grounds providing a little bit of light for me to walk through. I spot the two ovals out the back of the training facilities and my nerves hit.

It certainly helped that no one else will be in there but this first step is nerve wracking as anything. But I am over feeling weak and below anyone that I am around. I want to build my strength, I want to build my stamina, I want to build my confidence.

I place my hand in my right pocket of my shorts and pull out the the black card with the gold letters, I read again "Northview Academy" I can't believe I'm here and doing this.

I take a deep breath, I take one last look around to make sure I am alone and place the key card on the scanner. The red light switches to green and I heard the quick switch of the lock unlocking. And the door was open.

I place my hand on the door and push it open. I step forward and I was in. I let out a deep breath and my heart trembled ever so slightly at the sight but my determination to get better took over and I walked towards the gym area. I think that is going to best place to start, I can't start in the deep end with the harsh violence of knives and so forth.

I put down the key card on the bench and head towards the punching bag in the gym. I didn't really know where to start. I walk over and feel the weight of the bag, I think back to when I was in the basement and the shows would come on the tv would show glimpses of people fighting another and sometimes training and using a punching back. I just decide to go for it, I form fists with my hands and I just start punching the bag, I noticed the bag barely moved with any of my punches but I try not to let it get to me.

I keep punching the bag, but with every hit I grew angrier and angrier. With every hit that my knuckles hit the bag I grew more frustrated at my life. I didn't realise my punches were getting harder and harder until I stopped at the wince of pain of my sore knuckles. I look down and they were red and painful to the touch. I roll my eyes, how pathetic am I? I can't even punch this bag without hurting myself, how am I meant to get better?

I was away in my thoughts until the sound of the door shutting closed pulls me out of my trance, I quickly turn around but saw nothing. Maybe I dreamed it, maybe I just thought I heard the door shutting to distract myself of my thoughts. I turn back around to the bag and I hit the bag as hard as I could, but this time the bag moved the tiniest bit. Better than before. I start repeatedly punching the bag again, harder and harder.

"Looks to me like the punching bag is winning"

A deep voice speaks from behind me, and I knew exactly who it was.

I turn around, and I was right, he was standing there, a sly smirk on his face as he awaited for me to reply. He stood there with grey sweatpants on and a black shirt. The dim lighting of the facilities sculptured his jaw.

"Thanks for that incredible insight" I scoff at him, and turn back around. I focus my attention back on the punching bag.

"What exactly are you doing here? He spoke again.

———

Authors note:

I am loving where this story is going! Hope you are too!

I am also welcoming any ideas that you guys want to see in this story! I am very open minded and would love to hear your ideas if you have any! Comment them or message me directly!

Keep the comments and hitting the star under every chapter! Helps so much!

Lots of love, A