Memories

LXXXIII

LEGEND

'Here we go, here we go
It's my turn to make history
Here we go, here we go
When I'm gone they'll remember me'

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When Thalia and Kevin stumbled into Kevin's dorm room in the early hours of Friday morning, Kevin could hardly stand, he was so drunk. Thalia had to hold him up and fish his keys out of his pocket. Neil was pacing the room when Thalia entered with Kevin falling to the ground. he came over to help her put Kevin on one of the beanbag chairs. She closed the door and sighed. She'd had two drinks, needing to drive home and knowing Kevin needed the alcohol, but Thalia was still feeling the effects of it like a truck.

"What happened?" Neil asked, looking between Thalia and Kevin, but, more specifically, the bandages on their cheeks. Kevin motioned to his face and Neil pulled the gauze off his cheek. It still shocked Thalia, even after she'd seen it being put onto his face. Neil looked back at Thalia in disbelief and expectation. Thalia sighed and removed her own bandage.

"You did it," Neil said to Kevin. Kevin rolled his head lazily and looked up at Neil.

"Let Riko be king." he said, his words slurred. "Most coveted, most protected. He'll sacrifice every piece he has to protect his throne. Whatever. Me?" he gestured himself. "I'm going to be the deadliest piece on the board." Kevin quoted what Thalia had written on the painting she'd made him months ago. She smiled at the realisation.

"Queen," Andrew said from the doorway to the bedroom. He was leaning on the doorframe and had his arms crossed, a passive look on his face. He flicked his gaze over to Thalia. "And Bishop. Why Bishop?"

"They were second to the King and Queen in medieval times," Thalia said, shrugging. "Kevin was a little more sober when he told me that." Andrew nodded once and crossed the room to Kevin. He grabbed his chin in his hand and tilted his face so he could see Kevin's new tattoo.

"Riko is going to be furious."

"Fuck Riko," Kevin spat. "Waste of time to be angry. Fuck all of them. They should be afraid." There was silence as Neil replaced Kevin's bandage, and Thalia did the same with her own. Andrew's lips curled into a smile. It was different to the ones he'd had when he was on his medication. This was the real Andrew. The one Cass had seen and wanted to adopt. 

"Now it's finally getting fun," Andrew said.

"Finally," Thalia spoke. "You guys got him? I'm going to head to bed." Neil nodded. "Alright, goodnight." she slipped out the door and put her key into the lock of her own dorm. Thalia quietly turned the knob and stepped inside. Nobody was up, luckily, but Thalia didn't want to bother the other girls so she walked over to the corner she'd slept in on her first night at Fox tower, and curled up into a ball, closing her eyes and falling asleep.

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"This is the second time she's done this, oh my god," Allison's voice said from above Thalia. "Thalia, get up! We have to get ready to go." Thalia blinked her eyes open and found all three girls standing over her like they'd been that first morning. She smiled.

"Alive," Thalia said, hoping to bring back the memories to the other girls. It did, and Dan smiled, while Allison rolled her eyes playfully and Renee chuckled.

"What happened to your face?" Dan asked. She'd guessed, by now. Thalia could tell. But she didn't let Dan say anything more, and instead pulled away the bandage, showing off her new tattoo. Dan's eyes widened and she clapped loudly, getting Allison's attention.

"Oh fuck," Allison said, a smile creeping onto her face. "Oh shit, this is going to be fucking hilarious." she laughed. Renee didn't comment, but Thalia could tell she was happy.

"Wait, what about Kevin?" Allison asked. Thalia shrugged with a smile on her face and Allison's eyes widened. She flew out the door and down the hall. Thalia and the other girls followed her as she knocked on Kevin's door. Nicky opened the door and Allison pushed past him into the room. "Where's Kevin Day?" she demanded. Kevin stumbled out of the bedroom a few minutes later, rubbing his eyes and holding his head. The gauze had fallen off in his sleep and Allison laughed.

"What the fuck?" Nicky asked. Thalia turned and showed him her tattoo. He widened his eyes in surprise and made a sound of excitement. "Oh my god," he turned to Kevin. "Oh my god! Are you serious?" Matt ran into the room, followed by Aaron, both looking concerned.

"What happened?" Matt asked. Thalia showed him her tattoo and then he looked over at Kevin and saw his. "When did that happen?" he asked slowly.

"Last night." Thalia replied. The whole team was in the room, and it was a tight fit. "Alright everyone. Things to pack, demonic summonings to perform. Let's get moving!" that got the team moving, and soon enough, they were all on the bus, ready to head to the game of their lives. Thalia knew a lot was resting on this game, and she didn't want to disappoint, but she couldn't help but feel nervous. She was scared to face Riko again, but figured Kevin, sitting next to her, was feeling almost exactly the same way.

It was comforting, knowing someone was in a similar situation to you. It was why Thalia and Andrew had gravitated towards each other after learning they'd both lived under the influence of Drake Spear, and why Thalia suddenly felt comfortable around Neil and Kevin once she found out the past they shared.

Thalia couldn't get the image of Ichirou Moriyama threatening to kill her if she didn't make the pros after graduation, though. But that was three years away, so Thalia decided not to dwell on it too much. Instead, she closed her eyes and envisioned every possible situation she could be put in that night on the court, and how to get out of it. It was comforting. She enjoyed it. If this were to be her last game ever, Thalia was going to enjoy it, and play as well as she possibly could.