The wind whipped hard against my face as I pumped my arms as fast as humanely possible. Or should I say Mateo-possible. Which probably wouldn't be setting any track records but it was nothing to sneeze at.

I think.

I kept my eyes on the finishing line and dispersed any idle thoughts from my mind as my feet ate up ground. Still, I realized that I hadn't let loose like this (while not in a drug-induced daze) since I was a kid aspiring to be a track athlete, basketball player, astronaut and rocket scientist all at the same time. It was an exhilarating feeling of freedom to reach your top speed and float down a track.

Maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through my veins or I was actually having fun, but I felt the intoxicating feeling of my problems being washed away as I neared the finishing line. Had I been focused on winning the race, I probably would've noticed Wyatt gaining on me and probably panicked as any self-respecting amateur would do. Instead, I finished strong, even dipping my head at the line for the heck of it.

As it turned out, that act of showboating was what granted me the inch needed to edge out Wyatt and finish in first place.

And people said you shouldn't showboat. Not the smartest fellows in my opinion.

I turned back to a dumbfounded Wyatt who looked like he had woken up from a nightmare to another one, "That's Mr. Captain Underpants to you."

Wyatt seemed like he was considering attacking me right then and there in the view of everyone, so I wisely walked away before he decided to tackle me to the floor. As I walked away, the last of my adrenaline must have run its course because I felt a wave of exhaustion, and the lactic acid made its intrusive presence known, causing my figurative high to plummet.

I managed not to collapse with much effort and sighed. The rest of team Delta advanced with varying degrees of excitement.  Atlas and Nellie acted like they'd just witnessed a game-winning World Cup goal. Even Thor seemed caught up in the festive atmosphere, wearing a grin that was dangerously close to splitting his cheeks open, while Amir watched us with a look of pride on his face.

Creepy, if you ask me.

Indigo predictably stood off to the side, her body language reserved and under control as usual, but I had learned something when she passed me the baton. Her tell was her eyes. Now, they brimmed with relief as she watched the scene with a neutral expression. 

I grinned inwardly at understanding her more. She'd become more useful to my motives now that she wasn't unreadable.

With my unforeseen adrenaline high gone, Amir made sure that the crash was as intense as I'd felt within those shoddy tracks. He brought on something so nauseating a suicidal thought threatened to break the surface.

Therapy.

Thirty minutes later, still drunk on our victory, we found ourselves again in room Delta for an evening therapy session, which was just code for legal torture. 

"Congratulations are in order for earning the title as the first team to win an event with the most cumulative points earned at this sobriety camp. Your names will be etched in the future history books for sobriety seekers everywhere," Amir said, his emphatic voice imbued with pride.

He sure knew how to be a downer.

"I taught our MVP everything he knows," Atlas said with a huge grin in my direction from his usual spot next to Nellie. He had called my performance the greatest athletic feat he had ever seen and I deemed him qualified to say that.

For egotistical purposes, of course.

"I'm quite enjoying being able to brag myself," Amir said with a chuckle. "You might not guess it, but it gets pretty competitive behind the scenes, too."

"Then what's stopping you from rigging the games in our favor?" I asked.

"Besides the fact that it defeats the whole purpose of the system I created?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, besides that."

He shook his head. "Points are to be earned, not given. Besides the games are only loosely organized and supervised by me, I don't actually run them. We as a whole decided it was best persons who didn't have stakes in the games ran them."

"And what's stopping someone from bribing them?" Thor questioned, to my surprise. I didn't even know the boy was capable of thinking corruptly.

"How about we stay on track for what we've come here for before I have to cut into your dinnertime?"

That shut us up. I noted his hesitance to respond, though. It meant that he wasn't sure bribing wouldn't work.

"Amidst all of the festivities, this is the first day of sobriety for many of you and in a long time. That game was strategically set up to take your mind off the complications you may be going through as well as provide a sort of replacement adrenaline as your body yearns for what it has begun to consider essential, but of course, that was just temporary."

I felt the atmosphere shift from lighthearted to somber.

"And let me guess; you're going to suggest we talk about it because when all else fails, words are the cure," Indigo said with palpable distaste.

"Words and talking through your feelings are only one piece of a puzzle that will take significant time and consistency to complete," Amir began. Seems like he was getting used to Indigo's comments. "I'll take this opportunity to remind you all that everyone here is going through a variation of the same thing. There's no judgment here and thus it is a safe space. You guys looked like a real team out there today and hopefully you feel comfortable enough not to hold back right now."

Basically the whole blah, blah, blah, safe space talk.

"Now, I'd like to go around the room and have everyone speak with complete honesty about how they're feeling. The first few days of sobriety are typically the most painful ones and you need to realize you don't need to go through it alone," he continued.

He nodded at Thor to start first.

"W-well..." Thor started, twiddling his thumbs nervously, "I can feel all the eyes on me again. It's like lights pointed at my skin that...burn. When I was using drugs, it didn't hurt as much --peoples' eyes I mean."

"I'm so glad you felt safe enough to share that Thor," Amir said. "Does the burning happen only when you're in a public space with unfamiliar lingering eyes?"

He nodded.

"It's important that you overcome this or you will suffer socially. I think it's important to note that the drugs you took didn't fix this issue, since it has returned, only hid it for a while."

The mighty Thor looked scared but he acknowledged Amir's words with another nod.

"Next."

Atlas smiled, meeting everyone's eyes. "I feel alright for the most part. Early on, I had a bad headache that worsened as the day went on, but seeing Teo run like that really knocked it out of me." His compelling eyes focused on me. "I guess Teo cured me already."

"If only it were that simple," Amir interjected. "However, I'm glad your body and mind are holding up well. Or so you say." He motioned to Nellie to go next.

I realized she hadn't said anything for a while, just staring at us talking blankly. I had written it off as her wallowing in well deserved despair because of her lousy performance that cost us a perfect sweep but I now noticed her hand shaking slightly.

"Nellie?" Amir asked with concern.

"I don't feel very good," Nellie admitted. "I'm nauseous and my hand keeps trembling. It started after the race, but I thought it might've calmed down by now."

Amir reached across and held her hand. "As I said, for most the first days are the most painful, and though the events bring some excitement it can be a double-edged sword when that excitement disappears and your body crashes, unsatisfied with the...dosage. We've taken measures to protect you guys of course, with doctors on stand-by with-"

"Painkillers?" I asked. 

Heads turned to look at me. Oh yeah, forgot we were supposed to be doing that whole worried about Nellie thing.

"As I was saying, doctors who can provide care without the use of psychoactive substances. From what I understood they use beverages to lessen the pain as well as massage therapy. When the pain is too much, you are allowed to stay in their care overnight and try to overcome it. It will be a process and they'll limit your intake of their special beverages so no new reliance is formed but it is an available option. Do you want to-"

"No," Nellie replied before he had finished. 

 "It's only the first day and it feels like there's a catch behind that."

Amir nodded, "There is. Every nonsevere visit to the doctors will cost a total of 10 points."

Hold up. Is it possible for someone to go for an overnight stay without agreement from the entirety of the group?" Indigo asked.

"If he or she so pleases, yes."

Indigo surveyed us with narrowed eyes. I didn't need to be a psychic to know what she was thinking as her eyes landed on us each in turn.

Liabilities.

Nellie held up her hands defensively. "I said I'm fine, I don't need it."

"Indigo, if you're so worried about harboring the points I suggest you help everyone through their problems by being more open-minded and opening up in these sessions so they won't feel helpless enough to go," Amir said.

"Again, your job and not mine."

Amir sighed but didn't push the issue. "Your turn, Mateo."

I shrugged. "I've never been better. Apparently, even taking away my drugs doesn't stop me from being a track star. Guess I'm not an addict after all."

"Same as Mr. Captain Underpants, I've never been better. Winning can fix anything," Indigo said.

Amir looked confused. "Mr. Captain Underpants?"

I groaned. I didn't realize that Indigo had heard me call myself that. For some reason, it was more demeaning now that I wasn't on the track, riding the high of having kicked Wyatt's ass.

Atlas started to laugh as he saw the look on my face. He had this weird sounding laugh that made it ridiculously contagious, if only because of how stupid it sounded. Nellie soon joined in, her hand's tremors residing.

I almost wished she vomited.

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better," Amir said to Nellie. 

"I know it might seem harsh but it's important for you to consciously decide to fight." He cleared his throat. "On a more cheerful note, you guys are 15 points richer and likely knocking on the door out of the negatives. Good job."

Atlas stuck his hand in the middle of our little gathering. "Delta on three!"

Everyone kind of awkwardly paused, unsure what the hell he was talking about.

It seemed these idiots had never been on a sports team (or in my case, watched sports), which wasn't surprising at all. I piled my hand on top of Atlas' and finally realizing what a huddle was, Nellie and Thor joined in a beat later. Indigo hesitated, but even she added her hand to the pile.

Atlas nodded at Amir, "You too, Gramps."

Amir shot him an irritated look at the nickname but he too added his hand.

"One..Two...Three"

"Delta!"