Trojan Horse

1 - Optimism

"Is the golden retriever puppy supposed to convince me to sign with you?" Minna asked Coach Rhemann.

Jeremy Knox grinned at her jab. "Oh, you'll fit right in."

"Optimist," she scoffed. She scribbled her name on the dotted line and took the other packets she'd been offered.

"You'll move in the rest of the team at the start of the fall season," Rhemann told her. "The Trojans aren't like the Foxes or the Ravens. You're in for a shock."

"I always am," Minna said. She tucked the papers into her messengers bag.

Rhemann smiled. "Welcome to the team."

"Feeling welcomed."

Jeremy's grin grew. "You're gonna love this."

Minna made halfhearted jazz hands and stood. "I'll see you in June."

After she left the room, a faint "Yes!" sounded from inside. Her lips quirked faintly and she fixed the strap of her bag and walked out of the stadium and found the boys waiting for her by the car.

"Waiting for me?" she joked. "You shouldn't have."

"Did you sign?" Kevin asked, skipping right to the point.

"Yes, now let me in the car." Minna waved her hand vaguely at him and he grumbled, but allowed her to push him aside and hop in the passenger seat.

"Congrats!" Nicky cheered.

Minna made the same face she'd given Jeremy and dropped her bag between her knees. By the time they'd gotten to Fox Tower, Minna had circled possible majors, possible minors, and was reading through scheduling suggestions.

When she passed the girls' room, several "Congratulations!" echoed from within. She paused and turned to peek inside from the far side of the doorframe.

"Who told?"

"Coach said that Coach Rhemann pulled you aside after practice," Renee told her.

"Huh. Thanks!"

Minna pretended not to notice Kevin's knowing look as her glass blue eyes blinked past him and her long black hair whipped past the twins. Minna settled herself at one of the desks, never mind whose it was, and continued her reading. Her excitement only grew until she was nearly bursting. There was a separate athletes cafeteria, as to be expected, and the weekly options sounded as appetizing as the ones in the regular cafeterias. The required courses were few and she only had to do each one at least once a week with an exception in English. Minna selected her language class — French, obviously, since she couldn't afford to fall out of practice — and selected the advanced math class. If she finished the advanced class early, she'd never have to take math again. Considering that she'd been in AP math and history classes all throughout high school, she knew she could do so — it said so in the catalogue. She just couldn't find it again. She wouldn't take science and history — they'd just be redundant, since her older brother was already a history freak and she'd learned every available science in high school and middle school combined.

Now, to pick her major.

Minna looked up from her scheduling and blanched at the fact that the sky was dark and Andrew was smoking by the window behind her.

"What time is it?" Minna asked quietly.

"Eight," Andrew grumbled.

"Oh. Thank you."

Minna stood up slowly and wove her way to the bedroom, where she picked up her pajamas and then detoured to Kevin's bed to steal a book. He complained to her but let her take it and she went to the bathroom. She dropped the book on the ground, far enough from the shower that it wouldn't get damaged.

Standing under the spray was calming. The hot water ran through her elbow length black hair and the conditioner she used helped her hair curl up in its wide waves. She closed her eyes as the water splashed over her face. She stepped back and turned off the water. She stood there for a minute, judging her form. Riko had once said that she was too broad, then said that she was too thin. Minna didn't know which to believe, but her shoulders were broad with her height and then her waist slimmed out and her hips rounded to match her legs, muscled from years of Exy. Her arms were strong from wielding a heavy racquet, but that muscle was more hidden; only really showing itself when she flexed her arms or hands.

The things she was most proud of on her body were her hair and her eyes. Her eyes were glass — delicate and clear — and her hair was nurtured and natural. She had streaked it with the same blue as her eyes years ago, but she'd dyed it back when she started growing her hair.

The first thing that Jeremy had told her outright was that she was beautiful.

Minna didn't know how to feel about that. Should she be flattered? Should she be offended? Should she take it heart?

She changed into her pajamas. Kevin was still laying on his bed, watching Exy games and writing notes. Minna debated joining him, but decided to go back to scheduling.

She just had to choose her major and maybe her minor. She wasn't so excited anymore. She was happy, yes, but she didn't even know what to think anymore. She had already burned all her fuel and she didn't want to eat something surgery or drink something caffeinated this late.

"Major?" Aaron asked.

Minna looked over. "I have five options. Don't look at me like that! Okay. Five options. Architecture, Liberal Arts, Philosophy, Psychology, and Coaching."

"Those are all so different," Nicky complained. "How did you even pick those out?"

Minna rolled her eyes.

"Philosophy," Andrew said.

She blinked. "Really?"

"Double major. One in philosophy and one in one of the others."

Minna scratched that onto her paper.

"Coaching," Aaron recommended. "I can see you becoming a coach if you retire from playing early."

Minna accepted it with a nod and turned her gaze on Nicky.

"Sure, coaching," Nicky muttered.

Minna made a face at him but write down her major. Slowly, she started the process of arranging classes on paper.

Her handwriting curled around the papers, and she scribbled in classes on the scheduling page.

When Nicky turned on the tv, Minna left for the bedroom, crawling into bed in the only single bed.

Exhaustion pulled at her limbs. Her mind stayed pinned on the golden retriever smile of Jeremy Knox — the welcoming grin which she had never seen from Riko.

It was going to be good.

•|⚜️|•

Woohoo! Minna Day, everyone.

P.S. I have a playlist for her. It's titled Trojan Horse on Spotify. It's under Ivory Gim.