The Academy

Part One: Chapter Eleven

I back away until I run into someone else. I turn again, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I was just..."

I trail off, because I'm staring into the warm hazel eyes of the blonde that I just saw on a poster not ten minutes ago.

"It's alright," she smiles. "You new here?"

"Um, yeah I uh, is it that obvious?" I laugh nervously, my heart rate is still high, but not in fear now. "My sister dragged me out here."

She smiles, "I'm pretty good a picking out people who've never been to one of these tournaments before, they almost look as lost as you," she plays and I smile, watching as she waves away two men in suits that stand behind her. She reads my confused look and explains. "My bodyguards, you'd be surprised how many old men are drunk and inappropriate when I'm signing autographs. Lindsey Crawford, by the way." She extends a hand, which I grasp and shake. Her skin is rough and her grip is tight.

Before I can respond, I hear Amelia's voice from behind me. "Olivia! There you are!" She stands next to me, her eyes widening when she sees the woman I'm talking to. "Oh my god, you're Lindsey Crawford!"

"Pleasure," Lindsey extended a hand as Amelia takes it and shakes it excitedly. "This your sister?" She asks me.

"Major Amelia Prenton, USMC." My sister introduces herself. Lindsey is shocked for a split second, then smiles warmly.

"Thank you for your service," Lindsey says and Amelia nods, her eyes full of pride. "I was just talking to Olivia, making sure she doesn't stray into the arena and get trampled. You tryin' to find something?"

"Uh, yes. Bathrooms, actually." I say, gazing around and still finding no signs.

Lindsey visibly shivers. "Oh, you do not want to use the kybos. Come on, I'll show you to mine." She beckons, starting to walk off with Amelia at her heels. I'm assuming kybo is some country slang for a porta-potty. 

"Yours?" I stay where I am, shocked.

"I'm the only woman competing here, I have an entire locker room to myself!" She turns, walking backward as she smiles at me with her arms out. Amelia looks giddy, and I jog to catch up to them.

We walk through a door that says restricted access on it, and we only get through because Lindsey says something to one of her bodyguards. Through the door, there's a hall and it opens to a locker room. It's large, has its own bathroom and shower, as well as a whole bump out with a table for athletic training. This place was not meant for only one person, and I'm sure the men's locker room is way more crowded. There are a couple of people here, two guys and a girl.

"Prentons, may I introduce my team? This is Justin Finnigan, my animal caretaker," she points to a brown-haired, shorter, nice looking man. "This is Evan Milton, my agent, and this lovely lady is Brooke Anderson, my athletic trainer." As Lindsey introduces each person, they nod in greeting. It's obvious Evan is an agent, he's wearing a suit at a rodeo. Brooke has long straight brown hair and green eyes. 

"I'll get Helios ready, you're up in an hour," Justin says quietly, then excuses himself. 

"Helios is my horse," Lindsey explains before I can ask. "Bathrooms are over there, help yourself." She points across the room and I quickly nod and enter the bathroom. It looks a lot like the ones at the academy where Skipton...

Suddenly, I'm not at the rodeo anymore. I'm at the academy, and Skipton is over me. I can't breathe, I can't move, I'm frozen where I am, living the worse minutes of my life over again. I don't know when I started to cry, but I'm panicking, unable to take in any oxygen.

I must have taken long enough that Amelia got worried because before I know it I'm staring into her concerned blue eyes. Her lips are moving, but her words don't reach my ears. I clutch my chest with a hand, trying desperately to breathe before I pass out.