Page 73 of Off Limits
I don’t know Mona. We’ve maybe exchanged a few words, tops. All I know is that she’s a second-year veteran who has copper-colored hair, a straight nose and grey eyes. She’s the smallest of all of us, and the rumour going round is her CMC uniform shorts have gotten a little too snug due to a recent revelation about her fiancé hooking up with her younger sibling.
‘She knew the rules,’ Ashlyn states from behind Harmony. ‘She signed the contract, just like everybody else.’
‘We all know what we signed,’ Imara says, sounding tetchy. ‘But ain’t nobody able to predict what’s gonna happen in your personal life. They should cut Mona some slack.’
‘I get that some of you are gonna be bothered by this,’ Harmony says. ‘But Ashlyn is right; Mona signed the contract. The rules are in place for a reason. We protect the Mutineers brand, at all times. People are scrutinizing us every second of every day. Mona will claw her place back on the squad. Lacey’s gonna visit her after tonight’s game, aren’t you?’
All eyes go to Lacey, another flame-haired second-year veteran who nods her head, but my mind is reeling. I shift my position. I wipe my upper lip, which is now dappled in sweat. I’m already breaking two rules in my own contract. I waver a little and take a step back. From behind me, Jewel grabs my shoulders and gives them a squeeze.
‘All okay?’ she asks, and I force my best smile.
‘What about Persia?’ Angel asks.
Harmony looks to her fingers. ‘I tried, but… I’m sorry. Persia’s not gonna be coming back.’
There are gasps from everyone in the circle. Jewel’s hands cover her mouth.
Ashlyn shushes everyone. ‘Let her speak!’ she raises her voice, referring to Harmony.
‘I spoke to Persia this morning,’ Harmony continues. ‘Asked her to justify her behavior, and the photographs from Saturday night, if she wanted out or if she’d rather stay. She wanted to stay. Kathleen wanted to sanction her, but… Ms Conway wanted her gone. I’m sorry.’
Everyone talks at once. ‘Rules are rules!’ Ashlyn shouts over the commotion, exchanging glances with Harmony.
A moment later, the door to the locker room opens. Samantha Conway enters, wearing a face like thunder. She’s followed closely by Kathleen.
Sam Conway rarely comes to the CMC locker room, unless it’s to double-check on our appearance. Except now, everybody freezes at the sight of her, unsure what to do with themselves.
‘Harmony, please go get changed,’ she says smoothly to our captain. Harmony nods, moving to her locker. She looks to the rest of us. ‘Everybody else, please take a seat.’
Instantly, I back up to my changing station – with my own life-size photograph in my Mutineers uniform as the backdrop – and sit my butt down. Everybody else does the same, in double quick time.
I remember the day they took my photograph in my uniform. I was so full of hope, that becoming part of the CMC would change my life for the better. That I was going tobebetter. That I deserved to be here.
Now all that’s been brought into question.
I watch Sam Conway for a moment. She’s dressed in a suit that’s as sharp as her cheekbones. She’s wearing bright red lipstick, and her face contains barely any fine lines for her age. The worst thing is that her son looks just like her. I think of the look on his face when I was naked for him, and it makes me shudder.
‘Now,’ Sam Conway begins, looking to her perfectly manicured nails. There’s malice in her tone. ‘To be down one cheerleader is unfortunate. To be downtwo? Well, that’s practically unheard of.’
She attempts a smile. It kind of looks how the devil might react to receiving a bumper crop of sinners, standing guilt-stricken at the gates of hell.
She paces up and down. I dare not breathe.
‘Miss Takeda’s behavior this weekend was unacceptable.Unacceptable.’
That last word comes out as a hiss and the air in the locker room turns thick. Nobody wants to put a foot out of line. My stomach is clenched.
‘May I remind you all,’ Sam Conway continues, ‘that you are here to represent abrand. You tarnish that brand, there will beconsequences. If any of you need reminding of the terms of your contract, then that can be arranged. If you cannot abide by those rules, then Kathleen will show you the door, and I will be damned sure tolockit behind you.’
She pauses to let that sink in. A part of me wants to blurt out what I’ve been doing these past few weeks. I look at Harmony, who is now dressed. Could I have held out like she is doing… could I have tried harder to resist Jake Walsh’s advances… those are the things that bother me the most. I thought – hoped – that if I told Kale McCoy I had secured a place on the CMC squad, he might let me have a break as a dancer at Surly’s. That I could somehow hit the pause button on my other, less official, ‘agreement’. But he didn’t relent, and here I am, signed up to a contract whose terms I’d already broken before I even put pen to paper.
When Ms Conway is gone, I use the bathroom. Standing at the mirror, I grip the sides of the washbasin and lean forward. I want to splash cold water on my face, but I can’t risk the damage to my makeup. I wouldn’t want anyone to believe that I was anything less than perfect. Because, if I believe Ms Conway, that’s what I’m here to represent. Perfection.
The first time I put it on, I’d never been prouder to wear the CMC uniform. Yet now, I’ve sullied it.
I’m startled when behind me, a stall opens. Harmony emerges to wash her hands.
‘Ren?’ she says. ‘Everything alright?’
