The Institute
Page 45
***
I look at the clock for the sixth time in five hours. I’ve been trying to get to sleep since nine pm.
Why am I so nervous about taking this test? If I fail, won’t I just be given more training? I’ll get to stay here if that happens. Whoa. I shake my head in shock. Did I just wish to stay here?
Another thought dawns on me. If I fail, will I be sent to work with Deke as a lunch lady? How many chances do they give before they deem you unusable?
There’s no way I’m going to get to sleep now.
At 2:30 am, I find myself grabbing my shoes and heading down to my fitness classroom. I want to clear my head, and as much as I hate to admit it, skipping my fitness class today has made me feel frumpy and lazy. Maybe if I push myself hard enough, I’ll be too exhausted to think about my test and pass out. At least I’d get a few hours of sleep then.
I’m shocked to see that when I arrive I’m not the only crazy one.
“I hear you’re moving up to the big leagues,” Drew says as he slows his treadmill down to a walk, instead of a run.
“Why are you down here at 2:30 am?” I ask, trying to avoid talking about the test.
“I could ask you the same thing?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” I answer quietly.
Lacing up my shoes, I jump on a treadmill far away from Drew, but that doesn’t stop him from getting off his and coming over to talk to me.
“So do you think you’re ready for it?” he asks.
Pressing the buttons on my machine to make me run as hard and as fast as I can, I look at Drew, put my hand up to my ear, and shake my head, pretending like I can’t hear him over the sound of the treadmill.
He just sighs. “Well, good luck tomorrow,” he says as he walks away.