Memories

XII

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

'Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat'

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'After appearing for the first time on the Palmetto Foxes striker line, Thalia Warden cannot be found by anyone. People are starting to wonder why the new player played only twenty minutes of last nights game against Belmonte, and has promptly disappeared from existence.' the news reporter droned. Thalia found it hard to listen to, and simply turned off the radio. She was sitting in officer Higgins' car as he drove to the court the next day, and the two were sitting in silence like the day before. 

"Thalia," Pig said, seemingly picking up from where he was going yesterday. "Cass wants to see you. I know I told you about what's happening with Richard, but she knows you're in town. She'll either show up to the court today or you can go to her house." Thalia stiffened beside him.

"I don't want to see her." Thalia said, though she knew she didn't really have a choice. She sighed. There was no way she was going back to that house. She didn't know if Drake would be there, and if he was, things were bound to go terribly wrong. It was either that or see Cass at the court. "Tell her to meet us there."

"Ok." Pig said, and that was the end of the conversation. They'd been in this position before - Pig driving Thalia to court, them sitting in his car, not speaking. Thalia was the first to get out and walked up the steps into the courthouse. She knew Pig was following her, but wanted to feel his presence so she knew if he'd be a problem. He hadn't been for the year, but things could change. Thalia knew that more than anyone she'd ever met. Except maybe Andrew.

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After she'd presented her plan to the judge, and it had been agreed to - she'd play for the Foxes for the five years in her contract and meanwhile have a job on-site - Pig took Thalia outside to meet a woman she hadn't seen in two weeks. 

Cass stood on the side of her car, smile appearing on her tired face when she saw Thalia. She stubbed out the cigarette she'd been holding under her shoe and walked towards them. Thalia froze in place, and Higgins turned to look at her a few steps ahead. He nodded towards Cass and Thalia shook her head, swallowing hard. 

The only thing she could see was his face in hers. Drake looked so much like his mother it was scary. It was mostly why Thalia hated Cass so much. She was a nice enough person, but looking into the face of his mother was terrifying, and Thalia could hardly bring herself to take another step forward. 

"Thalia, darling," Cass said, undeterred by the fact that Thalia was folding in on herself. She'd only been rid of the Spear's for two weeks, but the Foxes had already shown Thalia what was wrong and what shouldn't be okay. This relationship with the Spear's was not okay. It was wrong. But Thalia still had a month before she was legally rid of those people.

"How's South Carolina been treating you?" Cass asked. Pig looked at Thalia with encouragement in his eyes, though she found her mouth dry. She couldn't open her mouth. She felt as if she was going to throw up. 

"Okay." Was all Thalia managed to get out. Cass still didn't seem fazed. She was used to Thalia's short answers, and had grown accustomed to her rudeness. Thalia made the mistake of looking back to Cass's car, and she tensed up, ready to run, as soon as she saw who was in the driver's seat.

Cass followed her gaze and then turned back to Thalia. "It's alright, darling. Drake just wanted to drive me here. I wasn't sure if you wanted to speak with him. Do you? he'd love to see you again." Cass said. 

"No." Thalia choked out. "Pig, can we go now." she said, looking at the ground. He tried to convince Thalia to stay, and she didn't miss the look of disappointment and sadness on Cass's face, but Thalia needed to get out of there. 

"Sorry, Mrs. Spear. I'll see you soon?" Pig said to Cass, who nodded sadly and tried to reach out for Thalia, but she was already making her way to Pig's car. 

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Andrew picked Thalia up from the airport and they sat in his car for ten minutes before either said anything. Thalia counted in her head. It was the only thing that was keeping her from breaking down in front of him.

"Was she there," Andrew asked. Thalia knew he meant Cass, and only nodded a response. "What was it like." Thalia looked to the side. It was clear to Thalia that Andrew had liked Cass, even thought of her as his own mother. He was staring ahead, over the top of the steering wheel. She looked back ahead.

"I told her I was doing okay here." Thalia answered. It wasn't much of an answer and she sighed, knowing that wasn't all Andrew meant. "She asked me if I wanted to see him. He drove her to the court house. I said no." Andrew stiffened up. Thalia didn't know why. It was clear to her that Drake was what he really wanted to know about. 

Neither said anything more, and Andrew pulled out of the airport carpark, driving more recklessly than he had any other time Thalia was in the car with him. When they stopped at the next traffic lights, Thalia spoke up.

"Did you kill Aaron's mother?" she asked. Andrew didn't say anything, and she took that as the yes it was. "Why?" Andrew didn't answer still, but Thalia was content to wait. The light turned green and Andrew sped through the intersection.

"I made him a promise." he eventually said. "And I don't break promises." Thalia hummed, showing she understood. Once they arrived at Fox Tower, they sat in the car, once again. "What did the judge say?" 

Thalia was surprised Andrew was showing any interest in her, so she turned to look at him. Hazel eyes stared blankly at Thalia, and she knew he was off his meds, but it was still unnerving. "She agreed to my plan that I would play here for the five year contract and have a job on campus." Andrew nodded once and turned to get out of the car.

Thalia got her things and followed him into the elevator which they rode to their floor, and thanked him for picking her up at the airport before going to her own room. The girls were watching something on the tv when Thalia entered, and they turned when the door opened.

"Why did you go to court?"

"Is that what you were writing?"

"Are you okay?" 

Thalia was uncomfortable with the attention from Allison and Dan, and even more so by Renee's knowing smile. She sighed and walked into the bedroom, ignoring the girls' incessant questions. She closed the door and dumped her bag up on her bed before climbing into it and curling her back against the wall and falling asleep.