GREENE | CS55

33 - You Against Yourself

When she woke up the next morning, with no less than an unrelenting pounding against the inside of her temples (begging her to lay back down against the cloud-white pillow), Tatianna Scott had a feeling prodding at her gut that something wasn't right.

She hadn't bothered peeking into Pierce's room last night when the girls all returned together, minus Greene herself. Tatianna assumed that the door being shut was a sign that Pierce, whether she was in there alone or not, did not want to be disturbed. Even though she was curious as to why her friend had vanished without a trace last night, she figured the least she could give her was space.

Until the morning, that is.

While it was a striking find, something about the way Pierce left last night explained to Tatianna why instead of finding her friend curled underneath the covers behind the closed door, she found a empty, spotless room. The curtains drawn, the bedding punched in where her luggage had been. Other than that one marker, it was as if Pierce had never even been here in the first place. All of her stuff; gone. Not even a stray sock remaining.

The early morning light crept through the apartment, still and void of life save for Tatianna, paused in thought, gnawing at the skin around her thumbnail. Sydney and Ale would find out eventually, but how could Tatianna lessen the blow?

She'd seen Pierce leave last night. She'd seen Carlos rapidly on her tail, thanks to Sydney always having an eye on Pierce, no matter how inebriated. Tatianna glanced back at the baron room. There had to be a sensical reason Pierce stopped here to grab her things before disappearing into the night.

The least Tatianna could do was make sure she was okay. Maybe she left on good terms. Maybe there was nothing to Lando's glazed look of worry, watching his teammate leave with Pierce.

Tatianna patted her pajama bottom pockets for her phone. It was early, but Pierce always woke up early. Finding out where she was, that she was okay, would be all the information Tatianna needed for right now. She'd find a way to deal with Sydney and Ale from there. Mainly Sydney.

When Sydney realized Lando knew something about Pierce that she didn't, her entire demeanor changed. Even under the flashing lights, offering a minute second of visibility in the darkened room, Tatianna noticed the change. And she didn't like it. Most importantly, Tatianna knew Pierce wouldn't like it. Especially when she would inevitably find out that Lando had probably shared too much.

She thought about texting him as well, Lando. Maybe he knew something. He wasn't as slick as he thought he was, slipping his number into Tatianna's phone before leaving, his eyes narrowed in a bashful smile. Tatianna shook her head at the thought, no matter how enjoyable the moment was.

The line rang once, twice, three time. Finally, after a brief pause and a click, Pierce answered.

She had gotten up before the rays of spring sun crested over the horizon to hit the trail along the Monegasque seawall, early enough that she knew she didn't run the risk of running into anybody on the popular route. Hopefully evading any Monegasque residents— particularly the other drivers. Pierce blasted a nostalgic playlist over her headphones, tucked nothing more than a bottle of water and her phone into her weighted vest, and slipped out of the hotel room before Holden could even think to stir.

Padding one foot before the other, Pierce successfully had lost herself in the wild strum of an Indie guitar when her music was interrupted. She scowled at the innocent view before her, realizing in the most blatant way that her phone wasn't on Do Not Disturb.

Pierce slowed her pace to a jog, readying herself to feel all the emotions of last night crashing into her once she looked down at the name on the phone. Carlos hadn't tried to text her last night after leaving him against the half-stone wall. After he whimpered his acceptance at the choice she'd made, a moment she replayed over and over in her head until she fell asleep.