Get it Right

Is it any shock that immediately when I got to the club I was called into Cal’s office. I took the long, well known walk of shame to the office alone, because I knew I was in trouble. And that feeling only escalated when I walked in to see Dan Wells, coach of the national team, and Marie Shanenburg, national council member, in the office as well. The only word that was in my head at this moment was ‘shit’.

“Miss Haze, I’m sure you’ve already guessed why you’ve been called in here,” Marie said as I nodded taking the seat next to Cal who just handed me the paper. I looked at it, the article creatively twisted this to seem as if I had been caught in a threesome. Nice. I handed it back to Cal and put my head in both my hands.

I then looked up at them and said, “You honestly don’t believe this crap do you.” I know I’m Izzy Haze and all, but threesome, come on I would never and I mean never. That is for girls with very low self-esteem which is something I do not have.

“With your track record,” Marie rose and eyebrow.

I leaned back, crossed my arms and said, “come on.”

“By the picture,” Dan intervened, “we actually think you were covering for someone, the bad publicity doesn’t help, but we don’t want to punish you Isabella. We don’t want to punish you for trying to protect the reputation of one of your teammates. It shows a lot about your character.”

“Really,” I looked at him, “you actually believe I didn’t do it.”

“They believe you didn’t do it,” Marie said.

“Yes,” Dan nodded his head, there was a reason I always liked this guy, “but we need you to tell us who you were covering for.” There is always a but.

I shook my head, “I can’t.”

“Izzy,” Cal said, “if you don’t tell us who it was you will be suspended from the invitational, you can’t afford to miss another one. Think about yourself.”

“According to the press,” I looked at them all, “all I ever do is think about me, and I’ve never cared about my team which is why I always let them down. I’m not going to rat out my teammate, I’ll take the heat, and I’ve done it before. Why would I let one of my friends miss a competition?”

“Then we have no choice, but to suspend you,” Marie said. She and Dan left the room immediately, I think Marie was happy. She was the person who was dedicated to keeping me down.

“Why are you so stubborn,” Cal lectured me. I just shrugged, “you are the most gifted athlete I’ve ever had and I know you aren’t as bad as you lead on, isn’t this important to you.”

“The most important thing in my life,” I said.

“Then stop sabotaging yourself, Izzy,” he said, “I don’t think you can afford to miss anymore after this, and if for some reason you get kicked off again that’s it. There will be no way for you to climb back up.”

“I’m sorry Ca…”

“Save it,” he turned away angrily and then shooed me away, “just go and pretend you’re training, if you don’t care why should I?” I angrily slammed the door as I walked out of his office and then did what I always do when I’m upset about getting suspended. I go to the supply room and get a small oxygen tank so I can spend an hour at the bottom of the pool crying.

“Izzy not again,” Bri and Jenna ran over as they saw me walking toward the pool with my tank.

“Leave me alone,” I said as I jumped in. I liked this, I felt it was the best way to sulk, no one could talk to me I was under water and no one could tell I was crying because I was underwater. All I’d do when I was down here was breathe my oxygen and look up at the people who surrounded the pool just to see me while I was upset. I made the best spectacle of being upset and I did it far more often than anyone else. Yes I was crying, but to the people walking by it just looks like I’m angrily pouting in the corner of the pool. Cal and the other trainers had pretty much learned not to bother me while I’m in a state of grief. The last time someone did, they took an oxygen tank to the head, it wasn’t that hard though trust me.

When I finally decided I’d get out I was a pruned mess, all my skin was wrinkled. I put the tank back in the room and walked to the locker room where I had left my bag. All I really did today was that. I took my time changing because I did still have time to kill. I put my hood up and started my long walk.

“I guess someone had fun at the party,” Aiden said wiggling his eyebrows at me. As much as he bothers me, he bothered me about a hundred times more today.

I had to calm myself, I put up my hand up, “look I’ll let you off easy because you’re new, but it would serve you right not to piss me off on days like this.” Keeping that as it would have been the best I’ve ever been on a suspension day. But that would never happen.

He grabbed my wrist and turned me around, “you can’t blame everyone else for your stupid mistakes. This is your fault.”

“Whoa,” I pulled myself out of his grip, “you cannot talk to me like that, not about anything, you don’t know a thing about me.”

“Everyone knows,” he said.

“No one knows anything,” I yelled and ran away pushing down a chair or two on the way out. I hate him so much, I hate him, and I hate him. Usually after seeing that Bri would text me if I were okay, but this was one of those days. I would probably respond very angrily, which would end up hurting her. She’s very sensitive.

I was so angry that there were several walls I felt like punching on my way to Anna’s house. Though I’m not stupid and I realize I can’t punch through them and I would only end up hurting myself. And as much as I hate myself right now, I would never hurt myself. Never. I got there a smidge earlier than I usually do. “Wow,” Anna said as I walked in, “you’re here early.”

“Bad day,” I said.

She lit up and said, “yay, ice cream.” She ran over to the fridge and got te tub of mint chip and two spoons.

“You can’t have too much,” I said, “it’ll spoil your dinner and you need to do homework.” I went through their movie library to pick out a movie I could cry to and it would be normal. So I put Click in, it’s sad and I can’t help it.

“You’re pathetic,” Anna said looking at me.

I looked at her, “shut up, you’re nine you wouldn’t understand.” She rolled her eyes and went back to doing her homework and soon enough my movie started which meant it was quiet time. It wasn’t long into the movie when the doorbell rang. “Anna can you go get that,” I said. She rolled her eyes, but reluctantly left. The living room was right next to the entry hallway, so it wasn’t a long walk.

“Izzy, there’s a cute guy at the door for you,” she yelled.

“Not funny,” I yelled back.

“Fine,” she yelled and then spoke in a loud voice to whoever it was outside, “she’s too busy sitting in the other room sulking with a tub of ice cream.” That was my cue to get up, luckily I hadn’t gotten to the sad part yet so I still looked okay.

I ran over and looked at Anna, “I swear to god, you are dead to me.” I was waving my finger angrily and then whoever was at the door cleared their throat. I looked up and immediately angry, “what the hell are you doing here.”

“Izzy, that’s no way to talk to a guest,” Anna said from my side.

“Anna,” I looked down at her, “go do your homework, I’ll be there in a second.” She put her head down and walked over to the next room and then I yelled, “And pause my movie.” I looked back
at the uninvited guest, “you outside,” I pointed.

He walked outside and I followed closing the door behind me. I crossed my arms and gave him an expectant look, what did he want? “I honestly thought Izzy Haze would go somewhere more exciting when she disappears every day,” he said looking around, “instead she just goes home.”

“Home?” I said, “This is not my house, I wish this was my house.” He looked at me confused as if he didn’t understand and he probably didn’t. “I’m her babysitter,” I said, “everyday, and no one can know about this Matthews.”

“Why?”

“Because a job is strictly against national rules,” I said, “I’m paid under the table so it works out.”

“No,” he said, “I mean why do you need to.”

I sighed and pushed back my hair, “to make ends meet.” He looked like he didn’t know what to say. “Not everyone was born into a family with money, if I don’t do this,” I gestured toward the house, “then I’d have to pick between diving and being homeless.”

“Aren’t there scholarships,” he asked.

I laughed, “You’ve said it several times, I’m Izzy freaking Haze, I couldn’t keep a scholarship if the world depended on it.” He wasn’t going to say anything, my reputation speaks for itself. “And now that all that’s been straightened out,” I said turning my smiling face into a sinister one, “you ever make a snap judgment about me again; I’ll snap your wrist.” I slammed the door shut behind me as I walked in and like an annoying parasite he followed me in.

“Pretty sweet hookup,” he hopped on the counter and grabbed an apple from the basket. I grabbed it real quick before he took a bite and just gave him a look to which he responded, “what?”

I rolled my eyes and put the apple back in the basket. “You’re not supposed to be here,” I turned back; “I’m not allowed to have guests over, especially guys.” He shrugged and grabbed once again for the fruit and I hit his hand, “seriously I could get in trouble.”

“Since when,” he hopped off the counter and took a step too close to me, “has Izzy Haze been afraid of a little trouble.”

I crossed my arms looking up at the smug face in front of me before extending my arm to push him away from me. “Since we left my fictitious life full of crime and promiscuity and entered my actual life.” I started doing some dishes to get my mind off this situation and then I dropped the plate, “and could you stop using my first and last name, I’m not Paris Hilton.” I walked into the living room and sat on the couch and turned the movie back on and he just looked at me and Anna kept looking back and forth. Soon enough ignoring him was enough for him to leave.