5: Tryouts

T O W A R D S   T H E   E V E N I N G   of the same day, Natasha was just getting back home from school to find piles of boxes lying all around the living room.

Her mother appeared from the stairwell in a sweater with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and her hair was ruffled up a little. She had a large box in her hands.

"Oh, hey! I was just gathering some old stuff from the attic."

"What old stuff?"

Natasha set down her bag and went to help her mother with the box she was carrying.

"Well, you know...stuff. The attic's getting crowded."

"What are you going to do to with it?"

"Katie told me about this charity home and I it sounded like a good idea."

Natasha's eyes moved past where her mother was standing, making her turn to see what she was looking at.

"Are those...Dad's clothes?"

Jenna sighed before approaching the box her daughter was looking at.

"Yeah."

"But you've kept them ever since..."

"I know," Jenna found herself stroking a sweater from the box, "I figured it was time. Besides, they're not helping anyone just lying around here."

Natasha remained silent for a while and Jenna noticed her face. She approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I miss him too."

Natasha felt a tear roll down her face.

"I don't even remember him, Mom. Not like you!"

"Hey, hey," Jenna gently hugged her and began to stroke her hair, "your father is the bravest man I've ever met.

Jenna always referred to her late husband in the present tense, especially when talking to her daughter.

"Then why did he have to die?" Natasha muttered, her voice muffled as she cried into her mother's sweater.

"To protect you, Natasha... to..." Jenna felt herself breaking but she willed herself not to, having made a vow never to tell her daughter who her father really was.

Later that night, Natasha was lying on top of her bed on one side, watching her pet snake slowly gliding in its cage and for a moment, she began to envision herself as the snake, enclosed in a cage-a cage of never getting to know her father when a gentle rapping came from the door, pulling her out of her cage.

"Hey," Jenna spoke softly from the door, "I just got an emergency call at the hospital. Do you need me to get you anything?"

"No. I'm good, thanks," Natasha stirred a little but did not turn to look at her mother, "night, Mom."

"Goodnight, honey."

Jenna closed the door and leaned against it before shutting her eyes and wiping away a tear. She then left.

Natasha was still watching the snake when she slowly drifted to sleep and her hair was spread out all over the pillow.

She began to stir in her sleep when a low crackling sound, like electrical surges, started to fill up her ears.

The crackling went on, becoming louder and louder until she heard a voice that felt as if it was miles away.

Natasha...

Well, she never got to find out where that voice was coming from, thanks to the beeping of her alarm.

During the Chemistry period, Natasha was partnering with Cassie as they performed an experiment on testing the acidity of various substances. Right next to her was a large poster on a wall inscribed with details about a reminder to an upcoming class trip to the Museum of Natural History in New York.

"How the hell does Carmen put up with Einstein over there?" Cassie was saying while she poured ethyl alcohol into a test-tube.

"I think she's with her brother, today," Natasha replied, taking the test-tube from her partner.

"What...? Oh! Ha! I guess she finally got fed up with Henry's know-it-all bull shit. The guy literally does all the practical work like you don't even exist!"

"He just likes to enjoy himself, I guess," Natasha added.

"Oh, come on! That guy's just so full of him...look, who's partnered with him!"

Natasha turned to see Henry with Bianca.

"Well, that makes sense," she said.

Bianca was scrolling through her phone as Henry blabbered on about chemical structures, clearly not participating in the experiment -as if Henry gave a shit. He might as well have been talking to himself.

Natasha found herself looking past Bianca where Lucas was holding up a test-tube in her direction, trying to make out the solution in the tube when he caught Natasha looking at him. He was about to smile when the test-tube fell from his hand after he was shoved by his lab partner.

Natasha quickly turned back to her table, letting a tiny smile form on her face.

Lucas approached the football court after lunch where he met Coach Mike, the tall, muscular African-American with a shaven head and thick eyebrows, which almost formed into a uni brow.

"Hi, I'm, Lucas..."

"Is that right?"

Lucas nodded.

"And what can I do for you, kid?"

"Well, the captain told me to come to the try outs..."

"Oh, you're the kid, Scott was yapping about, yesterday!"

Lucas had to cringe a little because of how loud the coach spoke, reminding him of his deaf grandpa who would speak directly to your ear and still manage to yell like hell.

"What are you waiting for, kid, get your slacks on and get to the field!"

"Right...right now?"

"Did I say tomorrow?"

Lucas shook his head.

"Then get going!" the coach roared again and Lucas found himself running into the changing room.

"Should've just stuck with dodge ball," Lucas said to himself once he had put on the football slacks and shoulder padding then the helmet.

He stepped into the court where the Warriors were already warming up.

"Hey," Scott spotted him and rushed over, "you made it. Nice choice."

"Alright, team!" the coach began, "Everybody, get into formation!"

He blew his whistle which hang around his neck.

"Come on," Scott grabbed Lucas as they rushed to the center of the court, "I'll show you your post."

The Warriors had split themselves into two teams.

"You ready, newbie?" yelled a guy to Lucas as they fell into position, their helmets down to each other in the normal starting position.

"Check it out, the Pixies are here!" another kid yelled after which the coach blew his whistle again and the game got into play.

A group of students was already gathering to watch the try out and among them was Natasha, Cassie, Carmen and her twin brother, Marcus.

"Hey, isn't that Lucas?" Cassie pointed out from where she sat between Natasha and Carmen.

Scott advanced forward to the other team and turned back to Lucas, urging him to run up ahead. Lucas did so and was just in time to receive the ball after which he made a half spin to avoid an incoming opponent. He then tossed the ball to Scott, the captain, who went on to perform a home run.

"He is good!" Marcus said.

"I thought you hated football," Carmen turned to her brother.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I love soccer more than American football."

Carmen shook her head, turning back to the court.

The Pixies were performing a dance to Nicki Minaj's Hey Mama, with none other than Queen B being among one of the lead cheerleaders. Cassie turned to them then to Natasha, who slightly shook her head with a smile.

"Still not joining them," she said just as the try out ended after which she watched Lucas take off his helmet and got a few slaps on his back and thumbs ups from the players.

"Dude, that was awesome," Scott said to Lucas.

"Well done, kid!" yelled coach Mike, "you're now a Warrior ! Try outs same time, same place. Next week!"

At an undisclosed location, a woman worked her way through the spacious room she was in which was in low light, making everything look vague and dark except for the large computer screens that were set on the wall in front of her. She leaned towards one of the screens which poured light all over her masked face.

The screen displayed what appeared to be a map. A map of the globe with tiny red markers set all over it and four markers appeared to stand out from the rest.

One was set at Sydney, the second at Hong Kong, the third at New York and the last one at Atlanta.

The woman then raised a hand and stroked what appeared to be a pair of goggles just below the screen before placing a gloved finger over one of the markers on the screen...New York.