NOVEL WEB Chapter 7: Painful Trail
"Hey,kid!I told ya we could do it!"
"Yeah little man,don't tell me I ain't got no balls without seeing what i can do!"
"My bad for underestimating you guys,"Eren said,chuckling.
Many more of the other participants started to tell Eren that they have some strength in them as Armin and the rest of the participants were now in the white corridor with a ginger haired young woman,leading to multiple other participants either in awe or muttering talking how cute she looks and even Armin had to admit that she's pretty attractive as well,looking to be most likely in early 20s with a slender build,fair skin and ginger hair.
"So,Petra.Ready to put these losers to the test?"The platinum haired woman asked,lowering her circular hoverboard to the ground.
"I'm ready,Rico.I saw the doors move in such short,choppy stints.I'm pretty sure Reggie didn't make the doors that heavy."
Rico chuckled. "Let's just say someone gave them a bit of encouragement to work together."
"She's talking about you,Eren,"Floch commented.
"I know that," Eren smiled,appreciating the comment from the female instructor.
Armin glanced around to see Krista,Jean and Reiner giving Eren a resentful glare.
'As much as I appreciate Eren's manipulation tactic.He's put a large target on his back and that could trace back to us!' Armin thought nervously as he looked around to see some of the other participants glancing at them.
"Eren,maybe you shouldn't have provoked them like that,"Armin whispered to his dark haired friend.
"Do you think I'm going to push that door by myself?I'm not going to do all the work while everyone else just looks at me all shocked and shit…not that I mind the attention, but they gotta pull their own weight just like I'm doing,"Eren explained.
'I have to pull my weight too.I shouldn't expect my friends to carry me all the way through.'
The ginger haired instructor clapped her hands loudly,echoing throughout the corridor."Alright guys and gals,today we're going to get the blood pumping since I doubt that all of you helped push that door.So I recommend that you do a quick stretch before we get started."
"The only stretching I want to do is her insides,"Floch commented under his breath,leading Eren trying to hold in his laugh and lightly hit him in the shoulder.
"You're too young for her,dude.She would catch a case real quick,"Eren said,still chuckling.
"Don't matter.I won't tell the police about it,"Floch replied.
"Do you think that she will sleep with you of all people?"Mikasa asked.
Floch looked at the raven haired teen."What's wrong with me?!"
"For starters,you are a minor.Second,your hair looks disgusting,the top of your head looks awful,"Mikasa explained.
"Yeah,It looks like someone gave you a nuggie and your hair stayed that way," Eren added.
Armin began to laugh as the raven haired teens began to laugh as well at Floch's expense.
"Fuck you guys," Floch told the three teens before flipping the bird to them.
"Alright,let's get started!"Petra said before jogging down the corridor. "Keep up or you fail!And no abilities!Just your raw speed."
The participants and Armin began to jog to keep up with the instructor.Eren and Mikasa were slightly ahead with Floch being beside him.
"I would rather fly than to do this crap…"Floch said bitterly.
Armin liked this pace.It was slow and relaxing.He looked up to see Rico having a disappointing look as her gaze went all over the group,shaking her head while sighing.
"Petra,push the pace!"She demanded.
"You got it!"Petra nodded before beginning to run faster from a jog.
Armin began to run faster but the others were going fast as well,causing the blonde to be behind most of the participants. Floch was slightly ahead and Eren and Mikasa were so ahead that it was getting harder to visibly see them.
'Shit,I'm falling behind,I have to catch up!'
Armin kept running until he felt the thighs getting sore.With the backpack and the duffel bag he was carrying and adding on to the fact that he wasn't very athletic made it even more challenging for him to keep running as his sweat started to drip down his head and back.
"Go faster Petra!"Rico commanded.
"Got it!"
Petra went from a run to a sprint,making some of the participants shout out curse words like 'fuck!' or 'shit!' As the ginger haired woman pushed the pace,Armin did his best to push himself as well and he stayed with the majority for a few minutes but the soreness creeped up,getting stronger and stronger his legs making them weaker and weaker and .Armin's breath was getting shorter and sharper as until he noticed that he was noticeably trailing behind now.
'No!no!no!no!If I fail here,then…'
At this point,Armin leaned on the wall to help himself as he forced his legs to keep on running.He felt like he was going to pass out with his vision getting a bit blurry but he saw a dark figure heading towards him.
Armin tried to plead to not fail him but the shortness of his breath made it nearly impossible to speak.The figure got more visible as it got closer.When he squinted a bit it was Mikasa before she took his duffel bag off his shoulder.
"Let's go,Armin.Don't fall behind,"Mikasa told him as her eyes still focused ahead,only having a couple of droplets of sweat on her forehead.
"Thanks,Mikasa.It's just that my legs are super tired,"Armin said before trying to build back up his pace.
"Ignore the pain and keep going," Mikasa told him. "The more you focus on it,the more it will hurt."
In a couple of minutes,Armin and Mikasa nearly caught up with the majority of the participants.He glanced back up to see Rico looking down on him.Rico shook her head while looking at him coldly before telling Petra to stop.
Petra smiled. "What a good run!Now,that got my blood flowing,what about you guys?"
Most of the participants were exhausted with some slumped on the floor,some leaning their backs on the wall and others having to grab their knees to stay standing.
Armin sat down and leaned against the wall before Mikasa placed his duffel bag beside him as he took out a black microfiber rag out of his bag and cleaned the lens of his glasses.
"Thanks…"
Mikasa sat down next to him. "It's fine.Didn't affect me."
Armin's mouth tightened at the second part and remembered the platinum haired instructor's look.Her cold silver eyes looking at him in disappointment,showing her how weak he is.How little pride he had in himself to the point he needed the aid of a friend.Armin felt tears swelling up as his hands began to shake.This was only a warm up yet he struggled so much.He wasn't ready for this.Armin felt his tears started drop down to his hands.
"What's wrong,Armin?Are you okay?"Mikasa asked.
"But it did for me…it did for me…"