Alex's POV
I woke up in the morning from he best sleep that I had in a while. For a minute I forgot about what had happened the previous night with J'onn and that my secret was out. Was that why I slept better? I want about my morning routine as normal and headed off to work feeling alright, until I remembered that it was my day to train the recruits, then my heart sunk. "Someone else will be with you Alex. It should be fine," I told myself.
When I arrived at the DEO, I was greeted by Winn, "Agent Schott as your service," he stated eagerly. A small chuckle escaped from my body and it felt good. "Recruits should report to the main training room immediately," I shouted.
"Since we have Agent Schott today, we will be training with his newly designed staffs. We will try to proof if they truly are the best staffs ever designed for combat as he says," I announced. I decided to spar Farrick first as he had the most experience with staff so the match would be a true measure of its capabilities. "Farrick you're up against me first. The button the middle extends and retracts the staff and the red button on the side splits the two pieces," I explained. " Got it he replied.
I quickly slid the staff behind his leg as he stepped towards me, knocking him on his back. He hopped quickly and turned and swung at me as I dodged. He slid past and I got two quick hits on his back (low contact of course as it was just practice). However, as as he stumbled he pressed the extension button which sent the end sharply into my ribs, and then he pressed the split button in an attempt to bring it back in. Instead, one pice went flying further into my ribs and the other at my head. Wherever substance Winn had designed the staff of was hard and I found myself falling to the ground as a piece collided with my head. "Agents Danvers, I'm sorry," Farrick said as he extended a hand. I hopped up ignoring it and held my arm protectively over my ribs. "We're done practicing for today. Instead, you can help Agent Schott design a new prototype."
I quickly walked down the hall to the locker room and slid down against the wall.
Flashback:
Suddenly it was fifth grade, and images of scrawny, skin and bone, almost anorexic looking Alex Danvers raced through my mind. Before their was Agent Danvers of the DEO, there was a weak, timid, and defenseless little girl.
Lauren appeared on the scene. She towered over me by about eight inches, and had a serious problem with me since second grade. To this day I'm not sure why, but she truly enjoyed making my life miserable.
"Hey little Alex!" she yelled to me as she crossed the gymnasium, "Why don't you play tag with us?"
Not wanting to further push myself out of the group, I accepted Lauren's proposition. For a few minutes it was fun as we raced around the gym. However, when Lauren was tagged, things took a grim turn. She charged at me and pushed me on the floor. She pinned me down, "Are you ticklish, Alex?" she asked. Before I could answer she was tickling me all over. Finally she focused on my sides as she realized that her fingers could fit inbetween my ribs, with no fat to protect them. She even announce this fact gleefully saying, "Oh my gosh, I can poke my fingers between her bones." I'm not sure how long she was tickling me and wedging her fingers inbetween my ribs, but any initial laughter quickly turned into crying and then into screaming. No one heard me though, my screams were drowned out by the surrounding noise of children playing.
That was the first of many times and no one sauce me until one day she did it during a game in the classroom. I let out a scream that caused my teacher to look over her desk and she told her to stop. However, that only meant that she would not make the mistake of doing it in class again. I never fought back or kicked for fear of repercussions, and getting in trouble my self rather than Lauren.
As time dragged on I was sadder and sadder when I climbed in the car after school. After numerous days of giving my mother a response of "Fine," when asked how my day was, she was suspicious. "What's wrong Alex?" she questioned.
"Nothing," I said. I didn't want to put anymore stress on her after the camera incident.
"Alex tell me right now. I know something is up," she said with her voiced raised slightly.
"Just a girl at school. She constantly messes with me," I replied.
"Oh Alex, she's just jealous of you. You need to develop a thick skin and stop being so sensitive," she said.
"I know mom," was all I could muster as tears welled in my eyes. I would not cry though. I was not sensitive. I needed to toughen up.
End of Flashback
I didn't realize at first but tears had pulled up in the my eyes. I needed a distraction, but J'onn's rules threatened my usual coping mechanism. I had to find another way. Or another place. I tried my thigh, but it was too muscular and no longer scrawny at all. Instead I reached for the inside of my bicep and sunk my nails in. I began to feel more relaxed, and the pain in my ribs faded away.
I stepped out of the locker room and was immediately met by J'onn. "Just the girl I was looking for," he said, his tone somehow lighthearted and serious at the same time. "Why don't we step into the spare training room?"
"Yeah, ofcourse," I said. I tried my best not to sound guilty. We walked in and I quickly rolled up my sleeves, stopping at my elbows. I supplanted my palms so he could see them too. "Looks good," he said smiling.
Inside I was eaten up with shame for hiding the truth from him again.
