She Heard Nothing novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: Read Aloud

On Monday morning, four hundred of us stood in rows on the parade field one last time.

The sky was pink at the edges, and the flags hung straight down in the still air.

The chief instructor stood on a wooden box with a clipboard.

Beside him, the drill instructor took off his cap and held it against his chest.

"Before we dismiss," the drill instructor said, "I owe something."

His voice was gruff, and he did not look at the clipboard.

"On Wednesday I ran a young woman around this field because another recruit told me what was in her pocket. I never asked how she knew. That was my job, and I did not do it."

He turned his head and found me in the third row.

"Wrenfield. I was wrong, and I'm sorry. If you want fifty laps out of me, name the day."

A few people laughed, uncertainly, and then stopped.

"I'll take one," I said. "At a walk."

"Done."

Somebody clapped, and this time it was real, and it spread.

I stood there with my face hot.

Lottie bumped my shoulder with hers and said nothing, which was a kindness.

Then the chief instructor lifted a hand, and the field settled.

"Miss Pelham," he said. "Your letter of reflection is due. You will read it where you wrote the offense."

Sabina stepped out of the third row on the right.

She wore her drill cap and a gray sweatshirt, and she carried a single sheet of lined paper that shook in her hand.

She stood on the box where he had been standing.

← Chapter 17 · All chapters · Chapter 19 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend