Memories

VI

RELAX

'You just gotta learn to relax
Gotta get off my back
Nothing wrong with my intentions,
You just gotta learn to relax
You just gotta sit back
Nothing wrong with imperfection'

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After seeing her practice the night before, Wymack had given Thalia a set of keys to the court the next day when she came in for her physical examination. The exact reason she hadn't joined a team at any of her schools was the physical. The idea that someone would see the scars littering her body terrified Thalia, and made her want to scream.

But she had no choice. If she didn't do this, she'd have to go back to the Spear's for the rest of her days as a legal teenager, and she didn't know if she could deal with that. So Thalia went to the court on Sunday afternoon and did her physical with Abby. It was the first time Thalia had met the nurse, and she seemed friendly, but Thalia trusted any new person as far as she could throw them.

"Alright, now I'm going to need you to take off your shirt," Abby said once she'd taken height and weight, along with other things like blood. Thalia tensed, though she knew this would happen. She didn't do it at first, and Abby sighed. "I just need to see if you have any track marks or anything."

"I'll do it," Thalia said, her voice even, though she was worried about what the woman's reaction would be. "But I have three rules." Abby frowned but nodded. "No comments, no pity, and no touching." Abby nodded again, and Thalia peeled off her shirt. Abby looked startled, but didn't say anything, as Thalia had asked.

"So do I have any?" Thalia said with an expressionless voice and an emotionless face. Abby swallowed hard and shook her head, turning away. Thalia put her shirt back on without a word. Abby told her that the blood work would be back in two days, and Thalia left without another comment.

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"Hey kiddo," Drake called from the living room. Thalia tensed her shoulders and sucked in a breath. She had been dreading this moment for the past few days. "Come down here. There's someone I want you to meet."

Thalia slowly made her way from her bedroom on the second level of the house to the living room. Drake was sitting on the sofa with his back to Thalia. Someone sat opposite him, so Thalia saw the man's face immediately. He was probably a little older than Drake, but something about the feel of the room made Thalia know that Drake was the superior one in this situation. He always was.

"Sit," Drake said. Thalia perched on the edge of the sofa next to the big man, her feet ready to jump into action if she needed to get away. "This is Mister Bates. He's going to be the product supplier of my new company. You know, the one I told you about." Thalia only nodded, knowing Drake's rule of only speaking when told to. He hadn't told her to speak just yet, though Thalia figured he would soon.

"And you'll take me up on that offer?" He asked. Thalia nodded again, much more hesitantly this time. Drake wanted Thalia to integrate more with his friends. Cass would see it as a way of brother-sister bonding, considering Thalia didn't many of her own friends.

"It was lovely meeting you, Miss Warden." Mr. Bates said as he stood and walked out the front door. He was acting polite, though Thalia knew it was an act. Mr. Bates seemed smart enough to know what was going on with the two, but was smart enough not to speak, all the while. When he was gone, Drake turned on Thalia and brought his hand out, slapping her across the cheek.

"I could see you wanting to speak," he hissed as he walked away. "come on, you bitch." Thalia swallowed and followed him up the stairs to her bedroom. She didn't want to. But she knew what would happen if she didn't.

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Thalia stared at the piece of paper in front of her, not knowing what to write. She was drafting her letter to the judge, and so far, all she'd written was 'Dear Judgey, here's my three year plan.' She'd edit it later.

"Hey, you alright?" Dan's voice asked as the door closed behind her. Thalia sighed and put her head in her hands. She'd spent three days in this dorm now, and was beginning to feel comfortable around the girls. The boys weren't as welcoming, however, and apart from Matt, Dan's boyfriend, she tended not to associate with anyone outside her dorm.

"I don't know what to write." Thalia grumbled and put down her pencil. She stood and walked to the kitchen where Dan was getting out things to make a sandwich. Thalia stood in the doorway, leaning on the frame with her arms crossed. "I have to write a letter to a judge with a three year plan of my life." Dan looked confused.

"What?" she asked. "Why do you have to do that? Oh my god, have you been to juvie?" she seemed startled by the fact, and Thalia snorted. She shook her head and Dan calmed enough to spread butter over her bread. "Then what's it for?"

"You don't want to know, trust me." Thalia said. Truth was she just didn't want to tell her. She didn't want her team knowing what little of a past she had, so she told them lies. Something she was so used to doing by this point that she didn't even have to blink before spitting out another lie or half-truth. It came naturally.

"Well if you tell me I might be able to help you." Dan said, obviously wanting to build some sort of relationship with Thalia. It wasn't going to work. There was a knock at the door and Thalia went to answer it. As far as she knew, Allison and Renee were still in class, and Dan was only back at the dorm to get her books for the next class. So or was a surprise seeing Nicky at the door.

"Hey Thalia," Nicky said, voice and smile equally as bright as the other. "I was wondering if you wanted to come out with the twins, Kevin, Neil and I on Friday. You know, to get to know each other better." Thalia looked at him with a blank look, but Dan came into the room shaking her head and making noise.

"Nicholas, you are not taking her there. Not after what you did to Matt last year." Dan said around her sandwich. She pointed at Nicky and he recoiled a little. Thalia was confused as she looked between the two. "We are not having a repeat of that. And we're not having a repeat of Neil, either. That boy shouldn't have felt the need to hitchhike back to campus." Dan shook her head, obviously disappointed.

"You know none of this is my idea, Dan," Nicky looked sad. "I didn't want to do that to Matt. You know I didn't. But Andrew thought he needed to do that he could get Aaron clean." Thalia's eyes widened.

"You have drugs on campus?" she asked. It was a serious question, but the two older people seemed to have forgotten Thalia was there, and both looked surprised to hear from her. "I'm serious. Do you have any?"

"What? no, are you crazy?" Nicky said, and it was his turn to frown. "Why? would you tell on us, or are you asking because you want some?" Thalia smirked and shrugged. She knew where to get some stuff if she needed it, but having another supplier would be nice. 

"I've gotta go, anyhow." Thalia said, grabbing her keys from the side table by the door and pushing past Nicky into the hallway. "Sure, I'll go with you to wherever, just tell me what time, and I'll be ready." she didn't stay to listen to Nicky's answer as she walked down the hall and down the stairs to the outside of the building.