Memories

XXXIX

REWRITE THE STARS

'You know I want you, it's not a secret I try to hide
I know you want me, so don't keep sayin' our hands are tied
You claim it's not in the cards 
And fate is pulling you miles away, and out of reach from me'

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Getting back to campus was a nightmare. Thalia just wanted to crawl up in her bed and fall asleep, trying to forget what Drake's body looked like with one eye bashed in and Thalia's deadly hits against his side. But he'd already been dead. So she'd plagued herself with more nightmares for nothing except maybe her own selfish reasons.

The others waited in the hallway. Nobody said anything, and eventually Matt stepped aside, revealing Aaron's girlfriend, Katelyn. He practically pushed Nicky out of the way to get to her, and Katelyn made her way down the hall once Aaron had started moving. Thalia understood why Andrew hated her - she was a distraction and possibly a force that could harm Aaron. She didn't really care about Andrew's twin, but understood his feelings to Aaron.

Kevin put his arm around Thalia's shoulders in a show of support, and Thalia reached her hand up to lace her fingers in his. Everybody noticed the action and figured out what it meant. Thalia was staring ahead straight-faced and leaned up to Kevin's ear.

"I just want to go to sleep," she whispered in French. They were far away enough from Neil that he wouldn't hear her. "I don't want to have to deal with them tonight." the team probably assumed she'd said something else, because Allison smirked. Kevin only nodded and announced he was taking Thalia to sleep in his living room because she was tired - which was the truth - but still, nobody seemed convinced that was all they were going to do.

As it turned out, it wasn't. Kevin pulled out his stash of vodka and whiskey, and gave a bottle to Thalia. "Thanks," she said gratefully. Kevin sat down next to her on the sofa. The two of them drank through his whole stash that night, not caring when Nicky eventually returned back to the dorm, and not noticing that Aaron didn't.

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"Mmmm, I told myself I'd help you with your alcohol problem," Thalia murmured, eyes half closed and drinking a glass of water. "Not make it worse." Kevin grumbled.

"There's nothing you can do about that, especially when you're almost as bad if not worse than I am." he said. Thalia smiled, headache pounding in her skull. Neil banged on the door a few minutes later and the three followed him down the hall.

Once they were at the stadium, coach Wymack sat them all down. "Let's talk about the season," he started. Thalia massaged her temples and wished she had more aspirins.

"Let's not." she said, speaking for everyone in the room except maybe Neil and Renee. The two sober drivers looked tired, but definitely not hungover.

"Thalia, I know you're also directly involved in this, but you still have to be here." Wymack said. "You still have to play, and you absolutely still have to listen to what I have to say." Thalia glared at him.

"Thanks for outing my relationship to the deceased, Wymack." she said. Kevin, Nicky and Neil were the only ones in the room apart from Wymack who knew Thalia had legally been Drake Spear's sister, and since Aaron was missing - rightfully so, Thalia thought, he was probably passed out on Katelyn's couch - the others stared at her with gaping mouths and wide eyes.

"Thalia?" Renee asked. "Is there something you want to say?" Thalia sighed, knowing Renee would get the answer out of her either way, and that the others had a right to know. She stood on shaky legs and looked at the group through slitted eyes. She still wasn't used to the bright lights.