“Fine.” She stood up.
James gestured for her to follow him. They moved away from the group and toward the small grove of trees.
“So, what do you want?” Chessy asked, crossing her arms.
“Look, I know you are the best with languages and I am really struggling. Is there any way you could consider helping me?” James asked with a smile.
“Really, is this all you got? Look James, I am sure you are not a major creeper, but grow up. You are around adults, not little high schoolers. I am not here looking for hook-ups. I am here to serve my country. I suggest you keep your focus on that as well.” Chessy turned to walk away.
“Wait, just wait and hear me out,” James persisted.
Chessy turned back to face him.
“I am here for the same. My dad died serving this country and I want to make him proud. I’m sorry if you think I am being inappropriate, but you are exquisite.”
Chessy rolled her eyes.
“And you are the best with languages and I need help. Please,” James pleaded.
“Fine, but this is a professional courtesy, I don’t need you insulting a dignitary or something.” Chessy pointed to James.
James smiled, “I am your student.”
“Tonight, during free time, we can work in the lounge,” Chessy walked away.
“Thank you!” James called out. She just waved her hand. James smiled and looked up to Tim and Greg, watching on the hill. James walked up the hill and rejoined them.
“So which of you two took ‘gets hit’? I know you made a bet. Because you lost, she is going to help me.” James smiled as he took a seat.
“You are a lucky guy, have you seen her throw down on the mats? She is strong and skilled. You are lucky you didn’t piss her off,” Greg replied.
“He still has time.” Tim laughed.
James just grinned, “I will do my best not to get beat to a pulp.”
Chapter
13
James met with Chessy that evening and every evening after to work on his translation skills. He grew more and more fond of her as they spent more time together. She was warming up to him as well. James felt himself getting comfortable around her, even more so than around Tim and Greg. However, she always kept it professional, holding him at an arm’s length. James knew that he needed to be honest with her to gain her trust and he wanted nothing more than to be closer to her.
“Chessy, I need to tell you something,” James said as he slowly closed the book in front of him.
Chessy looked up from her book, “James, unless it has to do with your learning, I think you should just keep it to yourself.”
“No, I really need to talk to someone about this. Would you please just listen?”
“Okay,” she replied, closing her book.
“I think I am responsible for Rachel’s death.”
Chessy’s eyes widened, “What? Do you know who killed her? Why haven’t you told Ray or John?”
“No, I don’t know who did it, but I think it was because of me.”
“Because of you?”
“That day when you found me on the field, I had been in a session with Rachel. She had been pressing me for information on my mother. I didn’t want to tell her anything, but I told her what I knew and she was killed shortly afterwards.”
“James, that is a stretch. It could have been a coincidence. Who was your mother that people would kill for information about her?”
“I don’t know who my mother was.” James paused and took a breath. “I only remember what she did.”
Chessy lowered her head and whispered, “What did she do?”
James was struggling, but he needed to tell someone he trusted, “She killed a man and then herself, in front of me.”
Chessy gasped, holding her hands to her mouth. She was at a loss for words. She just stared at James.
“I’m terrified of knowing who she was when someone would want to know what I remembered of her when I can only remember so little.”
“You know she was your mother?”
James just nodded, “I see her face at night when I go to sleep. In my
James gestured for her to follow him. They moved away from the group and toward the small grove of trees.
“So, what do you want?” Chessy asked, crossing her arms.
“Look, I know you are the best with languages and I am really struggling. Is there any way you could consider helping me?” James asked with a smile.
“Really, is this all you got? Look James, I am sure you are not a major creeper, but grow up. You are around adults, not little high schoolers. I am not here looking for hook-ups. I am here to serve my country. I suggest you keep your focus on that as well.” Chessy turned to walk away.
“Wait, just wait and hear me out,” James persisted.
Chessy turned back to face him.
“I am here for the same. My dad died serving this country and I want to make him proud. I’m sorry if you think I am being inappropriate, but you are exquisite.”
Chessy rolled her eyes.
“And you are the best with languages and I need help. Please,” James pleaded.
“Fine, but this is a professional courtesy, I don’t need you insulting a dignitary or something.” Chessy pointed to James.
James smiled, “I am your student.”
“Tonight, during free time, we can work in the lounge,” Chessy walked away.
“Thank you!” James called out. She just waved her hand. James smiled and looked up to Tim and Greg, watching on the hill. James walked up the hill and rejoined them.
“So which of you two took ‘gets hit’? I know you made a bet. Because you lost, she is going to help me.” James smiled as he took a seat.
“You are a lucky guy, have you seen her throw down on the mats? She is strong and skilled. You are lucky you didn’t piss her off,” Greg replied.
“He still has time.” Tim laughed.
James just grinned, “I will do my best not to get beat to a pulp.”
Chapter
13
James met with Chessy that evening and every evening after to work on his translation skills. He grew more and more fond of her as they spent more time together. She was warming up to him as well. James felt himself getting comfortable around her, even more so than around Tim and Greg. However, she always kept it professional, holding him at an arm’s length. James knew that he needed to be honest with her to gain her trust and he wanted nothing more than to be closer to her.
“Chessy, I need to tell you something,” James said as he slowly closed the book in front of him.
Chessy looked up from her book, “James, unless it has to do with your learning, I think you should just keep it to yourself.”
“No, I really need to talk to someone about this. Would you please just listen?”
“Okay,” she replied, closing her book.
“I think I am responsible for Rachel’s death.”
Chessy’s eyes widened, “What? Do you know who killed her? Why haven’t you told Ray or John?”
“No, I don’t know who did it, but I think it was because of me.”
“Because of you?”
“That day when you found me on the field, I had been in a session with Rachel. She had been pressing me for information on my mother. I didn’t want to tell her anything, but I told her what I knew and she was killed shortly afterwards.”
“James, that is a stretch. It could have been a coincidence. Who was your mother that people would kill for information about her?”
“I don’t know who my mother was.” James paused and took a breath. “I only remember what she did.”
Chessy lowered her head and whispered, “What did she do?”
James was struggling, but he needed to tell someone he trusted, “She killed a man and then herself, in front of me.”
Chessy gasped, holding her hands to her mouth. She was at a loss for words. She just stared at James.
“I’m terrified of knowing who she was when someone would want to know what I remembered of her when I can only remember so little.”
“You know she was your mother?”
James just nodded, “I see her face at night when I go to sleep. In my
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