I never wanted this to happen.
Me and the Polish twins enrolled at Hero Academy about a month apart from each other but my life would quickly become entangled theirs as I pretty much became their babysitter once their attitude and behaviour problems became known! Kata was the worse of the two with Aniela being more of a follower than anything else but I soon learned that they were nice girls once you got past their issues.
And I’d be the last one to admit it but I was developing a crush on Kata! It didn’t hurt that she was an out lesbian and I had been bi-curious for years! The incident last week may have been the final nail in the coffin of any relationship we could’ve had anyway but we were still friends.
Which is what makes Kata’s injury during training hurt even more.
I had been working with Kata over the past few weeks to prepare for my graduation match in two months’ time as she was one of the few trainees who could keep up with me in the ring at this point, during one such sparing session I suggested a spot where Kata would run up the turnbuckle after a failed charge and execute a backflip, either landing on her feet or hitting a moonsault press! It worked perfectly the first time around and it became a fixture of Kata’s sparring matches.
Only yesterday? She landed wrong and broke her leg, it should go without saying but she was in no shape to continue training after that injury and it was a mystery as to whether she would be able to return to training after her recovery time or if she would have to give up on her wrestling dream! All because I suggested a cool spot for her!
Yeah, I’ve been feeling pretty crappy since she suffered her injury! Hell the other students at Hero Academy have been feeling that way since the injury happened because whilst she was a troublemaker, no one wanted to see that happen to Kata.
”Your mom said that you were here today.” I heard Jessie’s voice and I glanced up at my older cousin as she entered the waiting room and walked up to me, this time around the normally cynical veteran had a sympathetic look on her face and it didn’t take me long to figure out why. ”Then I saw your tweets on the subject, Sarah was right when she said that that kind of thing tends to happen during training but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
”I’ve been feeling guilty as fuck since Kata’s injury happened.” I admitted to Jessie as she sat next to me and I did my best to ignore the dirty looks I got dropping that f-bomb. ”I know you didn’t exactly have a high opinion of them after what happened last week, but I never wanted that to happen to Kata, I never should’ve suggested it to Kata in the first place.”
”Kid, you had no way of knowing that would happen! Based on what Keira told me, it was a freak accident and no one’s to blame.” Jessie tried to assure me and I just sighed as I ran a hand through my hair. ”All we can hope is that she makes a full recovery and returns to training once she’s healthy enough to do so.”
”I know! But it’s still something that could’ve been avoided ten times over.” I sighed before a nurse walked up to me.
“Ms. Mason? You can see your friend now.” The nurse informed me and I nodded before I stood up. “I don’t recognise your friend.” The nurse added as she motioned to Jessie and she shook her head.
”You don’t watch Sin City Wrestling or UPRISING, do you?” Jessie asked the nurse who shook her head in response. ”All you need to know is that I’m a famous wrestler and Harper here is my younger cousin.”
“You must live an exciting life ma’am, I just need you to sign the visitor’s form before I let you accompany Harper.” The nurse commented off handily but Jessie said nothing else on the subject before signing the form and handing it back to the nurse. “Okay then, Ms. Mason, Mrs. Salco, follow me.”
”Nothing like being called Mrs. Salco to make me feel old.” Jessie sighed as she followed me and the nurse to Kata’s room and I shook my head with a grin.
”Every other word that comes out of my mouth makes you feel old Jess.” I chuckled as I glanced over at Jessie who shook her head with a grin. ”But thanks for coming to check on me.”
”Trust me kid, I’ve been there, done that and got the t-shirt, if you are a potential last opponent of a wrestler forced to retire due to injury then that feeling of guilt never goes away.” Jessie responded as she shook her head and I sighed in response. ”But sometimes we’ve got to carry the wounds of war with pride to get stronger.”
”Even if those wounds are from guilt because an opponent broke their leg in a sparring match against you?” I asked Jessie and she nodded in response before we reached the hospital room, I ended up spending the entirety of visitor hour with Kata even after she told me that she didn’t blame me for what happened, it didn’t make the sight of the athletic girl with her heavily casted leg suspended in the air any sadder.
