Are You Sure? (Marina)

Twenty-Three.

Maya

Feet pounded the pavement until I got to a sprint, letting them guide me wherever it was they wanted to go. By no surprise it was the station, it was the one place I felt myself because no one could question me. It was my house. I walked in and I could hear the drills happening in the barn. I had half the mind of putting on my uniform and taking over. Though I doubt any orders would come from a healthy place right now.

There was too much happening, all at once. Between the pills I had found in Carina's bag after I accidentally kicked it on my way out of the restroom to answer the door. To when I saw she was standing at my door talking to my mom when I tried to confront her about it. I expected a lot of things before hearing her say she was leaving my dad.

Then to top it off Carina sided with her! My dad wasn't abusive. He couldn't have been abusive- he's my dad he never hurt me on purpose. Uggghhh! I walked straight into the gym and threw off my sweatshirt. The treadmill would not let me go all out like I wanted. So I grabbed the jump rope. I started off finding my rhythm before increasing the speed. Eyes forward. Abuse? Dad was tough, tougher than most but he only wanted what was best for me. He wouldn't have pushed so hard if he didn't think I was capable of being great. Everything was to make me better, make me worth something.

My heart rate started to rise and it resembled that runner's high I was always chasing from when I was competing...

I beat the school record again!

You're still 3 seconds behind the district record. Keep your elbows in and extend your breaths. Run it again.

It's- I have homework.

Exactly so get moving, or are you questioning my methods? Did you not win first last time?

The sound of his voice pushed me and I picked up the speed more. My chest was burning and my memories fought each other in my brain to surface. I remembered Mason's tears in the middle of the night and the broken plate of mashed potatoes. The way it shattered against the wall because I had reached out to grab some after talking back during drills. The memory of his hugs when I won my races. When I beat my times. When I won the gold medal. How proud he was that I pushed through and won for us.

My mind drifted back to the yelling, the broken dishes. No! No! No! I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. I owe my dad everything I am. Carina is wrong! Everyone is wrong! Eyes forward.

I pushed harder until I heard someone come in making me trip up and the jump rope hit me smack dab on the cheek. "AH! Son of a bitch!" I yelled grabbing my face and dropping the jump rope.

"Whoah Maya!" I heard Jacks voice as he ran over to me to check on me. "Move your hand let me see... geez you got yourself good. Come on let's go to your office and we can clean that up."

"I'm fine Jack, I can walk myself." I pulled my arm from his hold and walked out as he followed me to my office. I pulled the chair and sat down holding my cheek that was still bleeding. I held my cheek while Jack grabbed the first aid kit from my cabinet and opened it to pull out alcohol and some gauze.

Kneeling in front of me he reached up with gloves and moved my hand to wipe away the excess blood before opening the alcohol, "Okay this is gonna burn, like quite a bit." He poured alcohol into some gauze and brought it up to my cheek and dabbed.

"Fuck, steady!" I flinched because it burned. Eventually it subsided and he continued to clean it up. This was weird, him tending to me and I felt absolutely nothing, not even a hint of tension.

"It's not too bad, I don't think you need stitches. So what brings you by? I thought you wanted me to handle C." He continued wiping my face and I kept my eye on the window. "We aren't together anymore, you don't have to freeze me out."