Declassified

Declassified Part 46 An Elite Club

      Andy was starting to feel uncomfortable in the game room.

      There were lots of people in there, and conversations in every direction. The meds seemed to be helping, but the game room was getting crowded, and there were a few people he didn't know. He could feel his heart beating faster, and his anxiety mounting, but he was trying to breathe deeply, reminding himself that he knew almost everyone there, and no one was judging him.

      But then Dan's friend Jess came over to him. "Hi. You're Andy, right?" She smiled cheerfully, standing closer than he would have liked.
      Andy nodded, moving himself an inch further back against the wall.
      "Dan told me you used to play for the NFL?" She asked conversationally. "That's so cool."

      Andy nodded, not sure what to say.
      "I'm not surprised, though." Jess put one hand on his bicep. "I thought Dan was big, but you are huge." She said emphatically.

      She removed her hand a second later, asking him something about Dan, but Andy wasn't really paying attention.

      "I'm going to get a drink." He interrupted, setting down his still mostly full drink. He turned and left the crowded game room, going into the relative quiet of the front hall. He was pretty sure Lily was in the kitchen, but he knew it would be crowded too, so he went upstairs to get away from everyone.

      Upstairs, he felt better, the sounds of the party fading. He went into his brother's room and sat on the chair in the corner, trying to stop feeling so anxious. Lots of people and a stranger touching him were not on his list of favourite things, even with the anxiety meds.

      When he started to feel better he went into the en suite bathroom and splashed water on his face, looking in the mirror in the dark, hating himself for being so weak.
      What kind of man is afraid of people and being touched? He asked himself, disgusted.

      He turned when he heard Max's bedroom door shut. Thalia. She leaned back against the bedroom door, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the door. He was about to let her know he was in the bathroom when to his surprise, she put her hands over her face and started to cry.

      Andy felt his cheeks heat up as he watched her, unsure what he should do. He didn't want to eavesdrop, but he didn't do well with tears and the only way out of the bathroom was through the bedroom. Thalia sat on the bed, her thin shoulders shaking with her sobs, and Andy felt himself getting angry. What did Dan say to you? He wondered, listening to her sob.

      He was working up the courage to go out there, trying to decide what to say, when Thalia wiped her cheeks and seemed to try to pull herself together.
      "Hey, what are you doing up here?" Andy heard his brother ask as he came into the bedroom. "I've been looking for you, Thalie."

      Thalia smiled brightly at Alex. "I got something in my eye." She lied. "I just needed to get it out. Are you having fun?"

      Andy could see Alex look closely at her face, and he felt awful for being there to see this private moment. "Are you upset that that call was for a new mission?" His voice was so quiet Andy almost didn't hear it.

      Thalia laughed, and turned away from him casually, fiddling with her hair. "No. Of course not." She twisted a long red lock. "It's your job."
      "It's okay if you're upset, Thalie." Alex said, wrapping his arms around her.

      Thalia shook her head, but Andy could see her mouth turn down at the corners. "It's fine, Alex." She bit her lip. "I knew your job when we started dating."
      Alex didn't say anything for a moment and Andy hoped they'd leave the room, but finally Alex spoke. "Thal, you know I'm good at reading people."