Chapter 3

       Waking up a lot more earlier to train with Grayson wasn't my ideal way of spending the morning. I'd rather be back in bed, all buddled up under the blankets. At the same time, I actually did want to train so I could get a lot better and so I wouldn't feel like a useless Protector.

       I would say and to not have Belle and Devon bother me, but I wasn't naive enough to know that they would never stop.

       To make the morning even worse, Belle and Devon decided to walk into the training room while I was waiting on Grayson. And they weren't her to train. No, they were here to mock me. At least, that was what I assumed when they just sat down on one of the benches nearby.

       "You know, standing still doesn't count as training," Belle said to me.

       "Wow, thank you for that advice," I said. "It's so useful. I don't know what I would do if I didn't know that at all."

       "Here's some more advice," Belle said. "Quit being a Protector. You're never going to be good at it. I don't even know why you try."

       Her words used to hurt me since she used to be my best friend. Now, they didn't. Because I was so used to it and I knew I shouldn't care what she thought.

       I was going to fire back at her, but someone beat me to it. "And here's some advice for you," Grayson said as he walked into the training room. "Don't dish it if you can't take it."

       Belle furrowed her eyebrows. "What does that mean?"

       "It means you can't shit on Poppy for not being the best Protector when you yourself isn't all that special," Grayson said. "You like to think you're one of the strongest. You're not. Your techniques are sloppy, your executions are poor, and you have such a slow reaction to everything."

       "Excuse me?"

       "Do you want me to repeat everything? Your techniques ar--"

       "I heard you the first time," Belle said. "I just can't believe you have the audacity to say such things."

       "You mean the truth?" Grayson said. "That's all I speak. You're the one who can't handle it."

       "Want to put your money where you mouth is?" Devon asked, standing up from the bench and walking over to where Grayson was.

       "If by that you mean spar, then absolutely," Grayson said. "I would love to kick your ass. So come on, choose a weapon. I guarantee I'll beat you no matter what you choose."

       Devon didn't say anything. He just stared at Grayson for a bit, then looking at Belle and gesturing for the two of them to leave.

       As soon as the two of them walked out of the training room, Grayson smiled before heading over to the weapon stand. "How do you always do that?" I asked.

       "Simple," Grayson said. "I'm better than them and they're, suprisingly, smart enough to know that they won't beat me. As long as I don't show any fear, it will stay that way." He picked up a sword off of the weapon stand. "This will do."

       "I thought you and I are training today," I said.

       "We are," Grayson said, walking back to me and handing me the sword.

       "Grayson, you do know the only wepaon I've trained with is a bow, right?"

       "I know that. And I also know that training with the sword will not only help you with the bow, but it's also Belle's weapon so I can teach you to be way better than her since she is mediocre."

       "I don't get it," I said. "How will me training with a sword help me with my bow?"

       "Strength, stamina, precision. All from the sword."

       "I still don't get it."

       "Just trust me on this, okay?"

       I did trust him.

       Because he was the only one who was treating me with such kindness. He was taking time out of his day just to train me. Part of it could be because Belle and Devon annoyed him to pieces, so if he was somehow able to get me to be just as strong as them, that should shut them up.

       Hopefully.

       Grayson first started out by teaching me the proper way to hold the sword, which was harder than it looked. I was either holding it too high, too low, too tight, too loose. I couldn't get something as simple as holding a sword right. That was how useless I was.

       For some reason, Grayson was being extremely patient with me. He wasn't showing even the slightest bit of annoyance, oddly enough. Grayson was known to be quite irritable and could snap so easily, but he wasn't with me. He was calm the whole time.

       After I fianlly got a hang on how to hold the sword propely, Grayson told me how to block. It was starting to come off very easy for me, but I knew I couldn't expect it to be this way. For starters, Grayson wasn't trying at all and he was telling me where he was going to attack with his sword. If I were to actually use a sword in the future, there was no way I could anticipate my opponent's attacks.

       We trained for a good two hours before all Protectors were called for a meeting. We placed the swords back on the wepaon stand before walking out of the training room. "Thank you for helping me out," I said to Grayson.

       "You're welcome, Flower," Grayson said.

       "Poppy. My name's Poppy."

       "I know."

       Grayson could be very confusing at times.

       We got to where the meeting was being held, and Grayson and I were the last two to show up. When we did, my dad gave me a special look that only I being his daughter could read.

       Great.

       The meeting was basically telling everyone about what Grayson and I found last night and how Dad suspects there will be more killings soon to come. He wanted everyone to be careful when they go on patrol.

       When everyone was dismissed, Dad called me over so I walked to him. "So, what's going on with you and Grayson?"

       "Seriously?" I asked. "Nothing."

       "Didn't look like nothing," Dad said. "He doesn't really talk to people, but he's talking to you just fine."

       "Because we have a mutual hatred for Belle and Devon," I said. "That's it. Nothing is going on. Well, except for him helping me train."

       "Interesting..."

       "Dad, no. Please stop."

       "Stop what? I haven't even begun."

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yes gene yes start your shipping ways please.

guys guess what my interent is being right now? A SNAKE. it has been down for two hours now. and not just the internet. the cable too. i tried watching a movie on demand but noooooo it wouldn't let me.

so i'm sad because i was going to watch a movie on netflix when i was laying in bed but i can't. :(