Damned If I Don't *Matt Murdock* (book two of Damned)

6) Welcome to Allentown

"Mmmm, just a minute... miss... uhm. Machackova?" she read hesitantly and Vera jumped at her name. Ms.Walker apparently noticed, because she eyed her with a careful smile.

Vera awkwardly waved and stood up. "Hi."

Pleased by her reaction – or maybe non-reaction? – the blonde smiled, taking few steps to her, extending her hand. "Hi. I'm Patricia, but people just call me Trish."

Vera thought she heard someone behind her whisper Patsy. Trish bit her cheek as she heard it too. Yeah, Vera should probably know who she was. Dammit. She shook her hand, smiling as well. "I'm Veronika. People call me Vera."

They let go. "You look familiar," Trish noted, surprising Vera completely. Huh. She was like ninety-percent sure she never saw this woman in her life. Also, that should probably be Vera's line.

She shrugged awkwardly, expression apologetic. "Sorry. Can't say the same."

But Trish didn't seem to mind – one corner of her lip raised higher, eyes growing bigger. "I think we're gonna get along just fine."

---

Trish was right. Vera only spent two hour with her, accommodating, grabbing lunch in the hotel restaurant (and no, she would not do that mistake again, it sucked), packing up a backpack for the rest of their day, heading to the gym. Vera learned they were both from New York, both from Manhattan, both actually pretty much from Hell's Kitchen and she had to reconsider her certainty about never meeting her. Vera told her she was working at the café, so she might knew her from there – Trish eyed her thoughtfully, shaking her head, no, that's not it, never mind. Trish apparently worked in a radio, having her own show ("I'm sorry...I never...uhm, never heard..." – "It's okay, seriously. You have no idea how liberating this is. Fans are great and everything, but it's refreshing to meet someone who doesn't ask you an autograph before he even says hi.") and was a former child star. Despite that, Vera found out Trish was down-to-earth person and a great company. Her wry, but not necessarily mean comments about food, her kind offer to Vera to choose her bed, her hilarious face expressions – she had a very distinctive mimics – and more details that persuaded her that they would indeed get along just fine.

In the fitness centre they changed, discovering they had one gym for their group, totems standing by the wall for the moment, foam mats in the middle of the room, arranged in a circle. They joined the rest of their classmates (she guessed), surprisingly seeing two other girls they hadn't met before.

Jake - please, call me Jake, not Mr.Dillard or teacher or whatever – wanted them to introduce themselves, tell where they were from, why they came here and add something they would like the others to know about them. Vera was relieved when she found out not all of them were already fitness trainers (experienced in tabata, TRX, jumping, bosu and some stuff she never heard about), gaining their first licence as well as her. Trish openly admitted she was not about to teach and she just wanted to be good at it so she could be training by herself properly. Then they had regular fit-box lesson, Vera sharing totem with Trish (and holy shit that woman was strong), gaining a murderous glare from her diehard gasping supporter – Nancy.

Jake released them early, offering a pub meeting later – Vera went there more to fulfil her duty if anything else, determined to leave early, because she was exhausted. It was nice though, learning more about the people she would spend the next days with.

Thomas was a charmer, real ladies-man, handsome, flirty and humorous, TRX and tabata (and women) obviously being his life. Dylan wasn't exactly his polar opposite, but he was less extrovert, rather a silent type, kind listener – he was one of those who was gaining his first licence, being a sportsman on his own so far. Then there was Nancy, crushing on Patsy, the only fact that was worth remembering. Frankie and Paula came together, best friends since high school, always late and laughing, crazy people really, both aerobic trainers. Jill was a licence collector, healthy food maniac and sports freak. She was local, obviously knowing Jake in person before the course. Lucy lived in Allentown too, actually working in their fitness centre, bosu instructor. Vera liked her, because she only engaged in the conversation when it was on point, not excessively gesturing and laughing affectively to catch attention, smiling rather shyly, unlike some others. Erica and Allison were a little shy too, something that slowly drifted away with alcohol. Trish tried to lay low, not avoiding a short conversation about her childhood and show though – she seemed honestly relieved when they started talking about something else. (Thomas was her saviour, asking her whether she was single – she said no and he continued asking around.) It was about ten when Vera called it a night, gaining weird looks. She gently explained (with red cheeks) that she had morning shift at work, getting up at four thirty, last day off barely remembering when. Trish joined her, supporting her. It was nice.