The four of us sat at the end of one of the long tables in the Mess Hall. Grant and Ben sat with the other mentors at the front. Earlier that afternoon, after our timed swim, we discussed our times and how we can swim faster.

We had a short break before we went to the gym for a few hours before dinner. I tried the chin ups again but got stuck at number five. My arms were too tired and sore from the swim.

"We all must be tired if we aren't talking," Carlos said brightly.

I speared a carrot with my fork.

Carlos was so damn cheerful all the time. Wong, thank god, seemed more human with not being so cheery. Wong noticed my quiet, angry mood and asked if I was okay after Alec won the race. When I lied and said I was fine, Wong asked me five more times if I was okay throughout the afternoon to get the truth from me.

"We are all just tired," Wong said.

"Tired and cranky," Alec retorted.

My eyes flicked up to the man who sat across the table. That little smirk on his face. When I couldn't make it past five chin ups on the bar, he walked by and said, "Still can't do it, Sparrow?"

His gaze was on his plate with that stupid smirk.

Clueless Carlos turned to Alec and said, "Cranky?"

Carlos didn't see the bullying Alec was doing. No, Alec tended not to do it in sight of Carlos or the mentors. The other three would put a stop to it. Alec didn't care if he bullied me in front of Wong because he tried to intimidate him too.

"You cranky Sparrow?" Alec asked.

"No." I lifted my chin. "I'm not. Just tired."

In the corner of my eye, I could see Carlos shift his gaze between Alec and me.

"Oh." Alec's eyebrows shot up. "Really? You got to be a better actor than that."

Why was he doing this? Why was he prodding and poking my bad mood here in front of Carlos and everyone else?

"You seem to be having a bad day." Alec's eyebrows were still high. He had a crooked smile.

"Shut up."

"Alec, stop it," Wong shot.

"I'm not doing anything. Just saying Sparrow has had a bad day. I mean, she couldn't run the whole trail this morning. Her legs were too tired. She lost the swim race. Though she thought she could beat me. And then there was the gym. She couldn't get up to six pull ups."

"Whitman," Carlos warned.

Alec turned to the other two. "I'm just saying she's failing." Alec looked at me. "She might as well pack her bags. She's not going to make it. I wonder what you are going to do. I mean, the rebels burnt down your home. You can't go back there. Maybe your daddy can get you a job in Chicago. You know, since you're failing so badly, I wonder if getting into the Alliance was a mistake. I mean, Daddy probably ordered them to give you this position."

My full glass of water was in my hand before Wong could stop me. In a red rage, I threw the water on Alec's smirking face.

There was a hush in the room.

I grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him close as I was half on top of the table. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Anger laced my chest, my very soul. I was beyond words.

A smirk spread across his wet face.

Out. I needed out. Out before I punched him.

I released him, pushing my fist into his throat a little before letting go of his collar.

My chair scraped against the floor, and I stormed out of the Mess Hall. My heavy footsteps echoed through the quiet building.

The sunny skies mocked me when I stepped into the sunlight. Rage simmered in me for only a second when I realized what Alec did. He did that intentionally. His plan was to make me so angry that I would do something physical to him and everyone would see.

The worst part was that no one else knew the truth. No one would know that Alec taunted me. They would see Alec as the victim, not me.

But why? Why do that?

"Sparrow," a voice called behind me. I didn't stop walking. "Cadet Sparrow!"

I walked faster down the path. Whoever it was, they needed to leave me alone. If it was Wong, I didn't want to hear it. If it was Carlos, he could shove off.

"Mel!" Heavy footsteps crunched on the stony trail. A broad hand pulled my shoulder, and I turned to step away.

"What?" I snapped at the man.

Angry gray eyes met mine.

Shit.

Ben.

Great. Just what I needed.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing." I turned away.

A broad hand grabbed my wrist. "I didn't say you could go." Oh, I hadn't seen Ben mad. His eyes were fiery, his eyebrows knitted together. "What happened?"

I shook my head. This was not the time that I wanted to talk about it. Not now. Not when Alec's words cut me down to my core. I blinked back the tears that threatened to escape. Not now! I couldn't show that kind of weakness. Not to Ben. Not to anyone.

"I told you," I hissed. I yanked my hand out of his grasp. "Putting Alec and I together was a bad idea." I turned on my heels.

"Where do you think you are going?" Ben yelled at me, "We aren't done here!"

"Yes, we are," I turned back to Ben. Behind him was Admiral Cedar. "Where do you think I am going? I know what you are going to say. Seven Heaven Run. Right?"

"Yes. And for the rest of the week for disobeying orders," Ben called.

I laughed. "Sure. An entire week. That's if I can pass the exam. Go ask Whitman, he so kindly stated I am a failure. According to him, I shouldn't be here. Can I go, sir?"

"Tell me what is going on," Ben ordered. His words were harsh. Laced with authority. If I told him, would Ben believe me? Believe me that Alec is just being a bully and I am struggling to handle it.

Because what Alec said is true. I won't make it through Hell Week. On Saturday, I will fail. Then what? My future was a vast darkness and that scared the living shit out of me.

Tears threatened the back of my eyes.

"Sir," I said, my voice wobbly. "I – I."

For a second. One quick second, a look crossed Ben's face. Pity? Understanding?

"Go," he ordered.

I turned my back on Ben and stormed off to the lake.

By the time I got back to the cabin, it was dark. I was tired before the seven-mile run around the lake on the sand, and now I was exhausted. I hadn't stopped once. Not when my legs burned and protested. Not when my anger wrapped around me like an inferno that kept me going.

No one walked the darkened grounds. On either side of me were cabins with lights on. The lines of my cabin were still on when I approached. It had to be shortly after nine. I hoped everyone would be in bed. Despite the early night hours, most of us went to sleep early because of our exhaustion and early wake-up calls.

Reaching the door, I opened it to find the living room empty except for one person.

Ben.

He sat on the sofa facing the door. In his hands were papers that were lowered to the coffee table when he saw me.

"Sit," he ordered.

My body was too tired to groan at the tone of his voice. He was still mad.

I sat.

"Wong filled me in on the details and Carlos backed up what he could. Whitman is on probation. The Alliance encourages friendly rivalry and competition, but not taunting and bullying."

"I told you guys it was bad for us to be together."

The glare I got from Ben told me to shut up.

"You two are still partners. It's too late to move anyone and you two need to sort out your differences. This fighting is childish and inappropriate. We can't have you two out on the field like this. It could mean death to you two or to others around you. Either you two sort it out, or you're both gone."

It was childish. The taunting and bullying. But it came from Alec, not me. He hadn't been this bad since early high school. Lately, we've been civil.

"I am fine with working with Whitman. He's just..." I rubbed my eye. "I don't know why he's like this. I've seen him be nice and caring. I don't know why he's like this to me."

Ben was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "I think something is going on with him," he said softly. "He didn't state what it was, but something is bothering him."

I shot Ben a look. "Are you saying that excuses his behavior?"

"No, of course not." Ben straightened in his seat. "All I'm saying is that we all deal with things differently. He needs to change. This is on him. Call him out on his bullshit. Get me involved if this happens again. But try to be a friend."

The last year since our graduation, I almost considered Alec a friend. Not a true, close friend, but someone I could be friendly with. I know we can do it. We were friendly. Why can't he be now?

"As long as he's kind to me, I am kind back," I said.

"Good," Ben nodded. "You don't need to do the Seven Heaven Run for the rest of the week. This is your first warning. If anything like this happens again, you will be on probation. Got it?"

I nodded.

"Get some sleep."

"Goodnight." I stood and walked to my room. The light in Carlos and Wong's room was off, but my room... The light was still on, meaning Alec was awake.

Opening the door, Alec sat on his bed. A textbook in his hands. His eyes flicked up.

I closed the door.

"Mel."

I walked to my dresser to grab some black pajamas.

"Mel. Please. I want to apologize."

That word alone shocked me enough to spin around. "Apologize? You've never done that before."

Alec sat straight up in his bed. The book sat on the covers. That look... The seriousness and sorrow on his face made me pause. Something ate at him.

"I want to apologize," he said again.

I leaned a hip against the dresser. "Sure, you can. But you tell me why. Why suddenly are you being a huge jerk? You've been friendly with me the last few years, why are you acting like we are back in middle school?"

"It's hard to explain," Alec said.

"Try me."

Alec took a deep breath and watched his hands. "The other day, when we got letters from home, I got one from my dad. Something he said made me mad, and it stirred up old feelings and apparently my old attitude. You didn't deserve my behavior."

There was something more. Something he wasn't telling me.

"No, I don't deserve that."

Alec looked up. "This career is very important to me. I need to be in the Alliance. I let my emotions control what I have said or have done the last day. I am sorry and want to do better."

He was sincere from what I could tell. Not only did sorrow portray on his face but also embarrassment.

"I accept your apology. Thank you for talking to me about why," I said. I took a deep breath. Something felt different between us. Something of understanding. A truce. "Let it all sit in the past. But Whitman, if you ever pull that shit on me again, I will end you."

I held the stare with such seriousness that when Alec chuckled, he stopped quickly. "You are serious?"

The tiniest of smiles crossed my lips. "Of course, I am. You're bigger than me. You will take me down first, but I will pull you down with me. Seriously, don't pull that shit again."

"Promise."