Post Olympic

Jeans and a Belt

What's up. Top tier flirting that's what's up. Anyway, enjoy Lucy. 

-rabid

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It goes like this for a week. Running the boys dead every single day, pushing them past their breaking point, fifteen suicides turns to twenty, to thirty. I keep a tally of who throws up and how many times. I push the stronger players harder. I don't ease up on anyone.

"I'm looking for Hadley?" There's a lady who knocks on the front door of the arena, holding a package.

"I can get him for you." I sigh, yawning.

"Honey, you look awful, are you okay?" She immediately responds. I give her a halfhearted smile.

"Not really, thanks for asking."

"Hold on, I know who you are, you're their new coach, the girl that was in the olympics."

I shake my head. "Emphasis on was."

"Sweetie, you look terrible, can I do anything to help?" The friendly post office lady just radiates grandmother vibes, and honestly? I quite like it.

"I don't really know," I rub an eye, then try to pin back my hair that's too short in some spots and too long in others.

"Can I invite you over for tea tonight? You look like you need a friend." She looks me up and down and I scratch the back of my head.

"That would be wonderful, actually." And then I smile, just a little bit, but I do.

"My name is Lucinda, but you can call me Lucy." She gives off such good vibes that I have to love her right off the bat. She shuffles around the box and pulls out a sticky note. "I hope this doesn't come off too creepy, but you need some friends in this big city,"

"Where should I meet you for tea?" I ask, starting to get a little excited.

She hands me a little sticky note, her address scrawled on it. "Right here, I'll be done with my route at about five thirty, do you want to come around six?" I nod. Hadley comes around the corner and walks over to us.

"Bernie!" She says. He smiles immediately, and I watch him embrace the post lady.

"I see you've met the newest hire?" He looks over at me.

"I invited her over for tea tonight, she looks like she needs it." I blush a bit and then immediately hate the red in my cheeks.

"You'll love Lucy." Hadley pats me on the back. "So, the package."

"Right."

I watch them sort out the package arrangement, Lucy smiles at me on her way out and I float through the next little part of my day, that is, until Sauerkraut decides to mess it up.

"I knew you could soften up." He interrupts me on the way back to my room. I bump into his chest, his stupid stinking six foot three chest.

"What?"

"Lucy really is a goddess, isn't she." He mumbles to himself, taking a hand through his stupid pretty hair.

"What do you mean?"

"You acted human there for a second." He says. "Talking to Lucy."

"Won't you please just lay off." I wheel around to him. "Stop getting all over me for not acting regular. I've been through a lot! Okay! Happy!" I yank open my door and he stands by his.

"Sorry." He says, but I don't pay attention to it, just shutting my door and walking into my room, trying to find something other than practice clothes to wear for tea.