Officer Ethan was engrossed in his laptop and files when a knock sounded on the door. Without lifting his gaze, he said, "Come in."
Bella entered the office, which was neat, clean, and meticulously organized. She stood by the door and spoke.
"You called for me, Officer Ethan?" Bella asked.
Ethan finally looked up from his laptop, his expression neutral. "Yes, Cadet Bella. What made you think you belong in the SID training camp?"
Bella looked at him, confused, trying to understand his meaning. "I don't understand what you're asking."
Ethan shook his head slightly, stood up from his chair, and walked toward her. He positioned himself in front of her, locking his gaze with hers. "Here, you are not Bella Holland O'Brien, nor the youngest daughter of the O'Brien household. Here, you are just another cadet, just like everyone else. So don't expect any kind of compensation or special treatment. I haven't reported your first-day incident to your father yet."
Bella met his eyes, her voice steady as she replied, "I, Bella Holland O'Brien, don't expect any compensation or special treatment. I know that the rules and regulations are the same for everyone. If I make another mistake, I expect stricter punishment. I fully understand what's right and what's wrong. And as for reporting to Chief Luke O'Brien, that's your responsibility. If you don't have anything else to say, may I leave?"
Ethan's gaze travelled from her eyes down to her lips. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought, recalling the first day's incident in the Dining Hall. He nodded slowly and said, "Good. I'm glad you remember the rules. I hope you won't make any mistakes moving forward. After dinner tonight, go to the Admin Office. You'll be making a call home. Officer Luke wants to speak with you."
Bella nodded and turned to leave. As she walked out of the office, Ethan stood for a moment, his eyes lingering on the door, lost in thought.
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After dinner, Bella made her way to the Admin Office, holding her SID Registration Card. She glanced at the desk, where a lady was sitting. The woman noticed Bella and, handing her a cordless phone, said, "You only have 10 minutes. After that, the line will automatically disconnect."
Bella nodded and dialled the number for home. After two rings, the call was picked up.
"Hello?" came Luke's voice from the other end.
"Dad," Bella replied softly.
Luke's voice softened. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," Bella answered, her tone steady.
"Here, talk to your Dada," Luke said. He passed the phone to White.
"Hey, how's my Bella?" White's warm voice came through the receiver.
Bella smiled, a small laugh escaping her lips. "I'm fine, Dada. I miss all of you so much."
White's voice became affectionate. "We miss you too. Noah's been visiting your room a lot these days."
From the other end, Noah's laugh echoed, making Bella smile even more.
After a few more moments of light-hearted conversation, Bella finished speaking to her family and, with a final "Goodbye," hung up. She headed out of the Admin Office and walked toward the training ground for the night session.
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Bella couldn't sleep. She quietly slipped out of bed and opened the door to her room, stepping into the cool night air. She made her way to the back side of the cadet accommodations, where a staircase led up to the roof. Climbing up, she reached the vacant rooftop, where she stood, looking down at the training ground's back side, which was dark and deserted, except for some laundry hanging out to dry.
The sky above was clear, and the moon bathed the world in its soft, silver light. Bella gazed up at the moon and smiled, a quiet, almost wistful expression on her face. She whispered to herself, "The moon is strange... it seems so close, but in reality, it's so far away."
A sudden sound behind her caught her attention. She turned around to find Officer Ethan standing there.
"Cadet Bella, what are you doing here?" Ethan asked, his voice steady but curious.
Bella met his gaze and replied, "I couldn't sleep. So, I came out for some fresh air. This place isn't prohibited, is it?"
Ethan smiled slightly, his eyes lingering on her. "Hmm."
Bella, feeling his gaze, shifted her eyes back to the moon. In her white nightdress, her hair loosely tied up, she looked calm and distant, almost ethereal. There was a quiet, introspective air about her that Ethan couldn't help but notice.
When Bella felt his eyes on her, she turned to look at him. Ethan was momentarily startled. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you need to ask me something?"
Ethan's smile widened. "Same old problem?"
Bella frowned slightly. "What?"
Ethan, looking at her with a hint of amusement, asked, "Map?"
Bella sighed softly and replied, "Who knows better than you?"
Ethan shook his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. "It's getting late. You should head back to your room."
Bella nodded, her gaze returning to the moon one last time before she turned and made her way back down the stairs. Ethan watched her retreating figure, his thoughts drifting.
He stood there for a moment longer, his gaze fixed on the moon, before pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. The smoke rose into the night air, blending with the quiet stillness of the night.