Memories

XI

CALIFORNIA

'Why can't you see
That I am ok 
You take more drugs than me'

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That Friday was Thalia's first game. Her name hadn't even been released by the ERC yet, so it was going to be a surprise when she stepped on in the second half, or if Neil or Kevin were hurt. It was an away game, and Thalia couldn't care less who they were playing, only that they won. This was her only chance to be away and rid of Cass and her family in California, though she'd have to return the next day to appear in front of the judge. 

Thalia had written her letter on Thursday night and used her time on the bus on Friday to edit and finalise it. She thought that her closed off attitude would make her teammates take a hint and leave her alone. However, Dan made it her life's work to see what Thalia was writing, just as she had since Thalia had first brought it up.

"Dan, can you just leave me the fuck alone," Thalia said, getting fed up of her captain's attitude. Dan looked startled but turned around in her seat and stayed quiet for a moment before joining into Nicky's conversation about defense. 

She was glad that they were heading back to Palmetto immediately after the game and weren't staying in a hotel overnight, so that she could travel from an airport she'd been to before. Nobody asked why Thalia had a weekend's worth of clothes with her, but she'd spoken to Wymack about going back to California for the weekend, so he wasn't bothered about dropping her off at the airport before he took the rest of the team back to the campus.

When they arrived at Belmonte, Thalia was taken aback. She wasn't used to seeing a different stadium up close, or at all, for that matter. The colours were slightly annoying for Thalia, seeing as she'd grown used to the orange and white of the Foxhole Court over the past two weeks. 

Thalia didn't get much game time, though she wasn't disappointed. Kevin raised his stick with twenty minutes left of the first half, and Thalia frowned in confusion. She didn't expect to sub on for Kevin at all that night, so when he jogged over to the door with no real injuries, Thalia became suspicious.

"What are you doing?" She asked him as he stepped closer. Kevin quickly explained that the reverberations of being hit were too hard on his hand, though Thalia doubted it was the full truth. Nevertheless, she stepped onto the court and filled Kevin's place. The crowd were shocked for a moment, but then cheered at the sight of a new player.

A few moments before the dealer of the opposing team passed it to one of his backliners, and as the referees shut the doors and locked them all in the box, Thalia heard the commentators finally release her name. 

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They won the game, though it was clear Andrew had gone into withdrawl and played the game off his medication. Thalia realised that every game she'd watched of the Foxes with him in it, he always played the second half. Wymack had probably offered him a deal. Thalia noticed Andrew worked on deals and such. He clearly didn't trust anyone fully. Deals were his way of making sure people went through with whatever they'd told him they would do. 

On the bus ride back, Thalia became nervous. She didn't know what waited for her in California, other than Pig picking her up from the airport and taking her to a hotel where she'd stay until the next day when her court appearance would be.

Wymack turned onto the road towards the airport, and Kevin noticed. "Hey, coach. Why are we going to the airport?" Wymack didn't answer and continued driving. Most people were asleep, but those who weren't - Kevin, Renee, Matt and Neil - stopped their conversation to turn to the coach. 

"We're dropping Thalia off. She has business back home to attend to this weekend." Thalia didn't like the attention and wished she were at least sitting at the back of the bus, though Andrew had quickly claimed that seat and promptly fallen asleep. 

"Why are you going back to California?" Matt asked, looking behind him and trying carefully not to wake his girlfriend who had her head on his shoulder. Thalia realised that Matt must have been slouching, because he was much taller than Dan, and she wouldn't usually be able to reach his shoulder like that. 

"I have to go to court." Thalia said, blank faced. They were pulling into the airport when she said that, and Wymack pulled into the drop-off lane. Before her teammates could understand what she'd said, Thalia was already grabbing her things and walking down the bus to the front. Then they started yelling out questions, waking everyone but Andrew, still blissfully unaware at the back of the bus. 

She turned to them before walking down the steps off the bus and held up her hands, asking for silence. "I'll be back on Monday." was all Thalia said before thanking Wymack and walking away. She didn't look back at the bus, but knew they were pulling out of the lane and driving away because the bus wasn't exactly quiet.

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Thalia walked out of the doors in front of officer Higgins, who she'd promptly ignored as she spotted him waiting for her. She'd walked right past him, ignoring the calls for her to stop walking. Thalia out into the California heat and looked around for Higgins' car. She saw it and headed towards it. Higgins unlocked it from a distance and Thalia climbed into the passenger seat.

Higgins got in moments later and the two sat in silence. Thalia stared blankly out of the front windscreen, and Higgins had his hands on the wheel. "Thalia," he started, before realising she wasn't going to say anything and decided to start the car.

When they arrived at the hotel, Thalia got out of the car walked in, followed by Higgins yet again. She sat down at the waiting area and let Pig deal with the booking. He beckoned her over to the elevator once he'd sorted out the rooms and got the key cards. She followed, clutching the duffel bag she carried. 

In the elevator the awkward silence continued and Thalia took the key card without question as she walked out of the elevator car. She walked down the hall and opened her room door with a swipe of her key card. The room wasn't anything nice - just a double bed, desk where those travelling for business could do work, a bathroom, and a small kitchenette. 

Thalia pushed the bed against the wall and curled up under the covers. She hadn't slept on the flight over since she'd sat in the middle of the plane, and was tired due to time zone differences. Thalia promptly fell asleep and only woke when there was a knock at her door. 

"Thalia? Do you want to go out for dinner or should I order room service?" Pig's voice carried through the room. Thalia groaned and got out of the bed. She rubbed her eyes as she walked to the door and opened it. Pig looked startled at her appearance. "Oh, you were asleep? Sorry, I didn't think about time differences." 

"I'll have a pepperoni pizza." Thalia said, knowing officer Higgins would take the hint as she closed the door in his face. Then she stalked back to the bed and turned on the tv that sat above the desk. She watched the rerun of an exy game that was playing, and eventually there was a knock at her door again.

Thalia paused the tv and stood, walking to the door once again. She opened it and took the pizza from Pig, closing the door once again. There wasn't much for Thalia to do, but she read over her letter once she'd finished eating. She read it again and again until she had it memorised and found herself reading it in her sleep.