"That's three for me," Lupa commented. Annabeth barely managed to nod, as she was still trying to find her jaw from where it had been kicked off. "I'm sorry. I didn't hold off all the power from my last kick."
"It's okay," Annabeth promised as she moved her jaw to make sure nothing was broken. Her hand rubbed the tender area. "That would have been an insanely strong kick if you put all of your power behind it."
Lupa gave her a smile and helped her stand. Annabeth nodded in thanks and walked towards the corner. She pulled out her mouthguard and took a gulp of water. Her gaze moved around the gym. It was so quiet at night. Peaceful even.
Her sparring sessions with Lupa were one of her favorite parts of the week. And, she only got stronger with each session that passed. Annabeth didn't realize just how much she had improved until she fought Leila. She had been so nervous going into the fight, worried that she would be shown as a fraud.
Something happened during the match. Annabeth couldn't pinpoint the exact moment it happened, but there came a point when she just knew that her victory was at hand. Nothing that Leila could have done would stop Annabeth. She knew she was going to win.
It wasn't cockiness. It was just this confidence that came to her. Annabeth started to realize just how much Lupa had been helping her. There were times when it felt like the woman was nitpicking everything that Annabeth did with her techniques, but by fixing those things, she was getting better.
Annabeth felt like she could take on anyone, and she would. While she didn't have a fight in the immediate future, she did have a problem. What the hell was she going to do about Thalia and Reyna?
Reyna seemed to be tense ever since Romy came back to the gym. Annabeth couldn't pin down if it was because of Romy or the injuries that Reyna had, but that woman was not happy. Annabeth just wished she could figure out why.
"What is on your mind?" Lupa inquired. Annabeth slowly looked at her. "I can tell that something has been bothering you this past week. I thought it was your fight, but you still seem off."
Annabeth sighed and looked at Lupa. She rubbed her forehead and then spoke, "I know something, and I don't know what to do about it."
Annabeth tried to continue, but the words died in her throat. She swallowed painfully and looked down. Her gaze moved to the ground. Could she tell Lupa? The woman was the closest to Reyna, other than Nico, and Annabeth knew better than to just admit that to Nico. He would march straight to Thalia and yell at her. And then go tell Reyna.
If Lupa knew, she would bite her tongue. She might also know the best way to break the news to Reyna. Annabeth took a deep breath and finally spoke the secret she had been holding in for too long, "Thalia cheated on Reyna."
To her credit, Lupa didn't react too much. Her eyes did widen in surprise, and a frown immediately touched her lips. She adjusted her gloves and looked at the ground. Annabeth continued, "It didn't happen just yesterday either. I've known about it for too long, but I was trying to convince myself that I needed to focus on my fight. That it would be easier after the fight. It's not."
"I've been trying to convince Thalia to just admit it to Reyna. I think it will only be worse if Reyna learns it from someone else, but Thalia just won't listen. Part of me wants to tell Reyna, but how is she going to react if I tell her? I don't know what to do, and it's tearing me apart."
Lupa remained silent for a few moments. She played with her gloves as she seemed to think it over. Annabeth sat down against the ropes. Truthfully, she hated herself for not telling Reyna early. It was only going to get worse and worse the longer they waited, if it could get any worse from this point.
"I believe that Thalia must tell Reyna herself. If you were to tell her, it would create a divide between Thalia and you. Thalia may not be able to forgive you, and it will feel like a betrayal," Lupa stated.
"It feels like I'm betraying Reyna for not telling her," Annabeth admitted.
"You may be, but Thalia has been your friend longer than Reyna," Lupa commented. "And, you live with Thalia."
"She might smother me with a pillow," Annabeth agreed. A bitter chuckle left her. "I just don't know how to make Thalia tell her. Thalia is just so damn stubborn."
Lupa seemed to think about it. In the end, she shook her head. Lupa spoke, "I'm not sure either, honestly. How exactly did Thalia cheat on Reyna?"
"By sleeping with her ex," Annabeth muttered. "The same night that Thalia and Reyna had an argument about Thalia not visiting her in the hospital."
Lupa's frown deepened. Annabeth nodded to herself, "It sounds terrible, I know. And, it's been so long. I just don't know what to do."
"I would sit down and have a long talk with Thalia about this," Lupa suggested. "Or, offer her an ultimatum. Tell her you will tell Reyna about Thalia cheating on her. Even if you don't actually tell her. The threat may be enough, but it may also anger Thalia."
"There's no way to get out of this without someone being angry," Annabeth realized. "I'm just going to have to bite the bullet on this one."
Lupa nodded her agreement. Annabeth relaxed slightly. The realization didn't leave her feeling happy, but it did give her a clear path ahead. Annabeth would have one final talk with Thalia to give her the chance to tell Reyna the truth. If she didn't, Annabeth would tell Reyna.
If it came to that, Annabeth would need to find the best way to break the news to Reyna. A sigh left Annabeth, and she tried to clear her thoughts for the next round. Lupa's phone rang, and she walked over to her corner.
"I have to take this," Lupa said. "Sorry."
"It's not a problem," Annabeth promised. She took off her gloves and stretched as Lupa talked quietly on the phone. Annabeth felt a little overwhelmed with all of the fights that were going to happen. It wasn't that she was required to help the others with their fights, especially when she had one coming up, but it was expected. That was what being a good teammate meant.
Annabeth enjoyed helping the others prepare for fights. It was two riddles together that she had to solve, and it also allowed her to learn opponents she might have in the future. Sparring with her teammates allowed her to help them with their techniques and pass her knowledge on to them.
"If you need anything Romy, let me know," Lupa said softly. Annabeth looked at her and finished her stretches. Lupa put her phone back in the corner and looked at Annabeth. "Sorry. Romy was just calling me to let me know that he had made it to his meeting. I know it sounds odd."
"But, you care about him," Annabeth said with a smile. "I've seen how happy he makes you."
"He's like a son," Lupa admitted. She sighed and leaned against the ropes. Her gaze moved off to the side. "Him and Remy. They were children to replace the one I lost."
"Lost?" Annabeth repeated, a frown touching her face. Annabeth wanted to ask more, but she bit her tongue and remained silent. Lupa's gaze stayed off to the side, and it looked like she was lost in thought.
Lupa cleared her throat and wiped her eyes. She placed her mouthguard back into her mouth and nodded to Annabeth. After a moment, Annabeth put her mouthguard back in. Lupa stepped forward and got into a fighting stance. Annabeth could immediately tell the woman's heart wasn't in the fight.
Lupa's guard wasn't completely up, and her eyes kept drifting off to the side. There was this look on her normally relaxed face. Annabeth took her mouthguard out and spoke, "I actually think I need to get home. Sorry."
A nod left Lupa as she lowered her hands. She took her mouthguard out and slowly took off her gloves again. Annabeth did the same and placed everything into her gym back. As she pulled on pants over her shorts, she heard Lupa clear her throat.
"Have you ever gone to therapy?" Lupa asked quietly. Annabeth looked back at her.
"No," Annabeth answered after a moment. "Well, there was a time in middle school where I got sent to the school counselor because I was really upset about not knowing my mother. It only bothered me because we had to do a presentation on our parents, and some kids were teasing me."
"I went to a grief counselor once," Lupa confessed in a quiet voice. Annabeth strained to hear Lupa's words. She inched forward like she was trying to avoid startling a deer. "She told me that I do not share my burdens with others. That I keep it all inside and let it harden, weighing me down."
"She's right," Lupa continued. "I always found it hard to share my problems with other people. Forget about asking for help. And, I never told anyone when something tragic happened to me. Other than my mother."
Lupa sighed as she trailed off. She spoke, "I need you to tell me the truth, Annabeth. Out of everyone in the gym, you think the most logically. You can put emotions aside and think over a problem. Was I wrong for letting Romy back in so quickly? Will he just take advantage of me?"
"I want to forgive Romy for everything he did and wipe the slate clean, all because I see him like a son. Should I?" Lupa asked.
"It's been years, right?" Annabeth questioned. Lupa nodded. "Has Romy asked you for anything?"
"No. He's insisted on paying for our meals a few times," Lupa answered with a small smile. "I know he doesn't have much money. He was... is homeless. I offered to let him stay with me, but he insisted on staying in his car."
"If he was going to take advantage of you, he would have already," Annabeth stated. "He would let you pay for everything and would have moved in before you could finish the offer. It's not like he would put himself through that when you already offered. It's not like you can offer him much else."
Lupa nodded and spoke, "He told me that he had substance issues ever since he started fighting and training. It carried over and became worse after his brother was killed... by him. We can't broach that topic. It's too hard. For both of us."
"Is he clean now?" Annabeth asked in a gentle voice.
"Three months," Lupa answered.
"It sounds like he is trying to turn his life around. I think you have to decide how you want to support him. Whether it be very close or far. Either way, you have to be there for every step. Unless he tries to steal money from you or something else," Annabeth explained. "If you see him like a son, I think it's fair to treat him like one."
"You're right," Lupa finally agreed. She sighed. "Would I be crossing a line if I gave him a job at the gym? Something like Nico does."
"Let me ask you this, Lupa: did you have any hesitation about giving Reyna a job at the gym? Or Nico? Or anyone else who you saw struggling and gave a job to?" Annabeth questioned. "The only difference is that you know Romy from years ago."
"Thank you, Annabeth. This helped a lot," Lupa said. She took a deep breath. "I am going to help him find a place to stay if he doesn't stay with me. I'm also going to offer him a job, but if he does anything that you or anyone else at the gym find uncomfortable, please let me know."
"I will," Annabeth promised. Lupa nodded and looked away again. She swallowed painfully.
"Did I ever tell you why I retired?" Lupa asked.
"You didn't," Annabeth replied. She stood next to Lupa. "You don't have to, though. I understand if you're not comfortable."
"My grief counselor told me to tell someone, so I told my mom. Never could go beyond that circle," Lupa said. She sighed and smiled at Annabeth. "Losing my mom made me realize that I never did let anyone else get close. After Romy and Remy, I made sure to do my best to never let anyone else get that close again."
"Yet, my fighters have wormed their damn way into my heart," Lupa chuckled as a smile blossomed in her features. "I feel that I should tell Reyna first, but if I don't tell you today, I'm worried I may stuff it deep down inside."
"I won't tell Reyna I know," Annabeth offered. A small chuckle escaped Lupa, and she wiped her eyes.
"Everyone always wondered why I retired at the top of my prime. Reporters asked me every day, and I had to "leak" the truth. That it was an undisclosed injury. The truth is that I was pregnant, and I didn't realize it," Lupe explained. "I was sick, but it never occurred to me that it was morning sickness instead of me pushing myself too hard.
"I wasn't showing either. Not enough to know," Lupa whispered. Her voice shook for a moment before she cleared her throat. "I had a violent fight. One of the most violent of my career, and I lost the baby."
"Lupa," Annabeth began. "That's terrible. I'm so sorry."
"I took a long time to grieve. I wasn't in the right headspace to fight anymore, and I retired. For my mental health more than anything. Some days I regret it. Others, I don't. Learning that I had a child and then lost it in the same day was... indescribable."
"That's why I don't want to lose Romy again. It's like losing a child," Lupa said. She blinked away her tears. "The same goes for my fighters. You are the only family I have left."
"You make a pretty good parental figure," Annabeth promised. Lupa smiled despite the sadness in her eyes. "I am so sorry to hear that, Lupa. I wish I knew what to say."
"Listening was more than enough," Lupa said. "It's nice to get it all out. Can I ask you for another piece of advice?"
"Of course," Annabeth said. She felt honored that Lupa would go to her for advice at all. "What is it?"
"I guess it relates to what you asked me. If I knew something important about Reyna, what should... no. Nevermind. It's too late now," Lupa said with a shake of her head. "It should have been handled when she was a teenager. Not now."
"Okay," Annabeth said with a small frown. "Just remember what you made me realize. Someone is going to be angry, but you just have to bite the bullet."
"I don't think our situations are exactly the same," Lupa commented. She looked at Annabeth. "But, thank you. I know it is late, but I also know you skipped dinner. Let's get something. Unless you still need to go home."
"Dinner sounds great," Annabeth said with a smile. "I can go for a cheeseburger and a milkshake."
"Is that the diet you have after the gym?" Lupa asked. The corners of her mouth were fighting a grin.
"I've seen the others eat a whole pizza. You can't lecture me," Annabeth countered. Lupa chuckled. "And Lupa, thank you for telling me that. I won't tell anyone else."
Lupa nodded to her. She kept the smile as they both rolled out of the ring. Annabeth followed with a smile on her face. It felt great that Lupa trusted her that much, and it also told Annabeth that she had managed to integrate herself in the gym. Annabeth wouldn't be leaving for a long time, even if Reyna got mad at her when she learned the truth.