Chapter 5 One more problem

Thalia POV

Nurse Sarah’s fingers were inches away from the bottom of my shirt. She kept clicking her pen against her tablet, and the sound was making me lose my mind. I couldn't even breathe properly because of how tight the chest binder was wrapped around my ribs.

“Jersey off, boy,” she repeated, louder this time. “We need to get these chest sensors on you before the database closes tonight. Move it.”

My heart was beating so hard I was terrified she could see my shirt moving. I took a step back, my shoes squeaking against the floor. I forced out my bass voice, trying to sound as cocky as the other boys.

“Actually, ma’am,” I said, “I have a severe skin flare-up across my torso. It's highly contagious if you touch it. Coach Liam said I could skip the chest sensors for now so I don't contaminate the machines.”

Nurse Sarah stopped tapping her pen. She lowered the tablet and stared at me like I was speaking a foreign language.

“A contagious flare-up? In an elite academy?” she sneered. “That’s supposed to be on your medical charts before you even step foot on this campus. Pull the shirt up, let me see. I need to verify it myself.”

“It just broke out an hour ago from the stress of the trial,” I lied. My fingers shook against my shorts as her hand came forward, her fingers literally grabbing the edge of my wet jersey to yank it up. This is it. I’m dead.

Two years of training and cutting my hair, everything was about to blow up just because a stubborn nurse wanted to check for a rash.

“Step away from the boy, Nurse.”

A sharp voice cut through the room, making everyone turn. Standing at the door with a thick folder was Miss Heaven, the academy’s chief sports therapist.

Relief washed through my body as the nurse let go of my jersey slowly.

“Miss Heaven,” Nurse Sarah started as she eyed me. “The rookie is claiming a contagious skin flare-up, but his charts are blank. I was about to inspect it.”

Miss Heaven didn't even look at her immediately. She just gave me a quick, unreadable glance before she finally turned her head toward the nurse.

“Renn Willow is a late emergency transfer,” Miss Heaven announced to the whole room. “The standard database doesn't have his files yet. Regulations say all emergency transfers must do a private session with me first. Collect your bag, Renn. The nurses will handle your vitals later.”

Nurse Sarah tried to protest but later decided against.

I didn't wait for anyone to argue anymore. I grabbed my duffel bag, threw it over my shoulder, and marched straight out behind her, keeping my eyes on the floor.

The moment the door of her private office clicked shut, the professional look completely disappeared off Miss Heaven’s face. She locked the door and turned around, looking completely terrified.

“Are you insane, Thalia?” she whispered fiercely, grabbing my shoulders. “You’ve been here for less than twenty-four hours and you almost exposed everything! If I hadn't walked in, your secret would be dead.”

“The coach sprung it on us out of nowhere,” I whispered back, letting my voice drop into my natural female tone. I collapsed against her desk, finally letting myself breathe. 

“I had to lie about the skin condition. Evander cleared…” I paused immediately as I thought of what to say. I couldn't tell Miss Heaven that one of the boys knew that I was a girl already.

She was going to freak out and chase me out of the academy, and I wasn't going to let that happen.

“Evander did what?” she asked curiously.

“He cleared… he cleared the lines and that's why I was called up,” I lied, cursing under my breath. I was getting too good at this lying game, damn!

Miss Heaven let out a heavy sigh and sat down at her computer. “Your lie actually gives us an excuse, though. I’m going to log a strict medical exemption into your profile. I’ll state that your condition requires private hygiene protocols. That will legally bar you from using the shared locker room showers with the boys.”

I closed my eyes, feeling a massive weight lift off my shoulders. “Miss Heaven, thank you. I don't know how I would have handled the shared showers.”

I was really appreciative of Miss Heaven. She had risked everything to help me get in under a fake name. Even though she did try to talk me out of it, I didn't budge. I knew she was doing it for my safety, but I wasn't going to back down easily.

When I was little, my father used to take me to the fields to watch the street boys play. It was the first time I ever discovered football. I had tried to join them, but they chased me away. I remembered how their little hands pushed me down on the pitch that evening, how they all laughed and told me I was too girly to ever play football.

My eyes met Miss Heaven as she typed away on her keyboard, her attention totally fixed on the computer. I didn't miss the dark circles and heavy eyebags that had formed under her eyes. She must have been overworking again.

Miss Heaven used to be my father's girlfriend before he died. After my mom died during my birth, my father dedicated his life to the sports lab. That's where he met Miss Heaven, and she's been such a sweetheart ever since. Even after my father died, she took me in despite her financial troubles.

“How is everything at home? How is Kayla? Is she responding to her treatments? Are the medications helping?” I asked, tilting my head slightly so I could see her face. She tends to lie to me so I worry less.

Miss Heaven froze for a second, her fingers stopping over the keyboard. A look of deep sadness crossed her face before she managed a small smile.

“She is holding on, Thalia. The medical bills are way out of this world, but the academy’s foundation covers everything as long as I stay in good standing with the board.” I looked down at her fingers that tapped repeatedly on the desk. She was lying again, she always did that each time she lied.

“You know you can be honest with me. If my father hadn't died, you'd be my stepmom, so technically you're my mom,” I said, and she let out an exhausted chuckle.

“What would I ever do without you, Thalia?” she called out softly as she cupped my chin.

Her smile quickly faded, her eyes turning teary as she looked back at the screen.

“Kayla’s illness is getting worse. She’s not responding to the current treatments... and I have been getting a lot of pressure from the board lately to submit some old files that were thrown out,” she explained. Kayla was miss Heaven niece so I could understand her pain of not being able to afford proper medication for her.

“Why was the file thrown out if they're going to need it back, and what is it even about?” I asked.

“Never mind about that, Thalia. It's just stuff about the boys. So focus on why you're here, will you?” she asked, and I nodded affirmatively.

“Of course, I promise.” I smiled at her and crashed onto the couch next to the window, completely exhausted from the drama that had happened today. Who knew staying with boys as a girl was going to be this stressful?

“And did I forget to tell you? It's almost night time and the boys sleep in the same room, and you're going to join them as of tonight. I would have helped, but there's a limit to how far my power can reach,” Miss Heaven explained, pushing the keycard across the desk.

“Tonight, after the registry system locks, you are being officially assigned to the boys' dormitory block. You'll be sharing a living space with the other athlete boys, so here's your keycard.”

My duffel bag slipped from my fingers, hitting the floor with a heavy thud.

“The same room?” I choked out, my voice cracking. “Living in the same room as them? Miss Heaven, teenage boys live like savages... how am I supposed to keep my chest bound twenty-four hours a day without suffocating to death?”

“You will have to bear it somehow,” she whispered, her eyes full of sympathy, even though I could still see the mischief behind it. She was clearly enjoying this.

I stared at the keycard, my hands shaking badly as I picked it up. I looked down at my now dry jersey that smelled like a dead rat. The binder against my skin wasn't doing me any good, and the pungent smell of my sweat was starting to drive me completely insane.

I looked up at Miss Heaven, my eyes wide and desperate. I had dealt with enough drama, and finding out I wasn't going to sleep alone scared me. I needed a bit of good news today, and I was going to get it before facing whatever this academy was throwing at me.

“Miss Heaven... please,” I whispered, my voice trembling as I gripped the keycard tightly.

“Dorms aside... I just really need a bath right now. Please.”

She let out a sigh, walking over to the side of her office, and pushed open a hidden door that led to a private executive bathroom.

"Go," she said gently. "Take your bath, Thalia. It's the last moment of privacy you're going to get."