NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 34: Recomendations
A gust of frigid wind bit at the chapped cheaks of many students as they scurried from building to building moving between classes. The weeks of dedicated study had been arduous and long. Coursework became increasingly challenging as the semester progressed and many of the children were visibly stressed being put under the strain of such an ambitious workload. Ample attention was given to intellectual pursuits and core learning in this new age academy model. However the emphasis on combat training and military preparation has been no less crucial in the eyes of the military administration. Maintaining a healthy balance while also meeting the needs of their own mental and physical health and well-being had proved to be a tall task for many. It was quite clear why the admissions selection process had held such a high standard of evaluation and rigorous qualifications rubric. The students admitted were no strangers to impossible expectations, nor were they ones to buckle under pressure or shy away from the pursuit of excellence.
Still, many kids were frazzled, and increasingly somber as the term progressed. Vorden felt for them. He too was no stranger to impossibly high set standards and seemingly unrealistic expectations. In fact, Vorden's family was practically the spokespeople for such things. So while he felt sympathy, empathy even, at the same time he couldn't help but to shake his head. This really was nothing when compared to the terror of facing a Dalki without warning in the midst of a portal outing. The unfortunate outcome that would befall each and every one of them if the same things that had happened to Vorden and his friends all those years ago, was the very reason why these kids were being put under this level of pressure.
The human race had been enjoying an unprecedented period of peaceful growth and decreased fear of external threats. However the real harrowing dangers of this universe still remained. The comfort of this peaceful time has already led to the emergence of a much softer generation. Power was not as concentrated, and not as highly valued. The cultivation of power and skill attainment had not been as incentivised as with prior generations.
As a result the looming fear of external threat was a far graver concept to many that it had been for quite some time. Of course, the longer the period of peace lasted the more immanent such an escalation was feared to be. The human race could only keep their hands clean for so long after all. Eventually, whether provoked by attack or simply over the need to protect the human races interests and supply lines eventually they were likely to find confrontation if it didn't find them first. Needless to say all staff and faculty members were also pretty pressed upon and everybody was doing their part. The stress and pressure of the workweek made the lull of each weekend all the more sweet.
The next weekend had crept up fast, and Vorden had made arrangements for them to take a trip to the mainland village, the closest city to the military island base, where there were many attractions and establishments meant to provide entertainment for the service men and women who chose to live off base with their families. A ferry would carry passengers and vehicles across the water several times a day.
He made a reservation at an upscale restaurant, the nicest one that he could find listed in the city. He asked other staff members for recommendations a couple of weeks ago while in the staff lounge. He had been lucky enough to be getting coffee at the exact moment that two other staff members with whom he had a few interactions before were talking. He overheard the pair of ladies having a conversation about an anniversary one of them had recently celebrated with her husband. Vorden was pretty sure that he was somewhat familiar with them, enough so that dropping in on the conversation wouldn't be completely inappropriate or weird.
To his surprise not only were they quite accommodating, but seemed genuinely excited at the prospect of helping the newly budding relationship between two of their coworkers to bloom. They had many suggestions and in the end went so far as to make Vorden promise to report back after and let them know how it went.
After everything, it actually ended up being Ms.Flood who, after overhearing their plotting, caught Vorden outside the lounge in the hall just beyond the door. She gave him a sympathetic pat on the back before simply handing him a folded piece of paper with a restaurant name scribbled on the back of it. She didn't say anything. Simply smiling kindly, with what looked like an almost melancholy sadness behind her eyes, and then winked before smirking as she waved a hand while walking away.
So strange that one. Trouble. I knew it.
Her recommendation however, did indeed turn out to be the best option. So after much agonizing while the days just lagged on, for what felt like far too long, after painstakingly deciding what to wear and getting all the reservations made, that night had come at last.
Vorden was not disappointed in the least when it was time for them to meet he saw Jade step outside into the dim lighting of the lamps attached to each building. It was all worth the effort, she looked stunning, in a tight and short strapless cocktail dress that hugged every curve of her tantalizing body, in all of the right places.
Vorden suddenly had images of all the ways he could remove that little dress, and the wonderful joys that hid beneath it, he had to catch his breath as he recalled the memories of the many things he already had done with that delicious figure and Vorden caught himself going down a path of thinking that lead to nowhere good and fast.
If he didn't get his thoughts back in check, he would end up whisking her away to the bedroom and ruin their date. While the thought had admittedly crossed his mind, while extremely enjoyable, that choice didn't exactly scream romance. Vorden was trying to win her heart, not just satiate their primal urges. He could always see to that later. He offered her his arm and they walked to the port where the ferry was preparing to depart.