Memories

XIII

SITTING INSIDE MY HEAD

'You might think I'm dense,
Laughing at my expense
Let's fill the cup
let's wash away the ghost'

⥎
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It would be difficult to explain without explaining to the team what had happened in California that weekend, so the next day at practice, Thalia had everyone sit down, and told them her past. Parts of it, at least. She was good at keeping secrets. At lying. And she was using that to her advantage now more than ever.

"Almost a year ago, I was put in the foster system." She started. "I had fourteen homes in five months. The last one is technically still my home. I got into a lot of trouble, and so that, along with the obvious fact that I was in the system, meant I had to write a three year plan of what I wanted to do with my life once I was eighteen and out of the system." realisation and understanding appeared on some faces. 

"But Andrew didn't have to do that," Nicky said, looking slightly confused. Thalia explained that was probably because he'd been Andrew's legal guardian at the time, and Nicky suddenly seemed appreciative of the fact that he was the reason Andrew was out of the system. His cousin just looked bored.

They hadn't pried, and Thalia hadn't shared anything more than that, though Neil seemed as if he didn't quite believe her. They got to practice, and at their break, when Thalia was sitting by herself in the stands, still not trusting her teammates intentions, she heard a conversation, which, if the person who was being talked about had heard, things wouldn't go so well.

"I know you're kind of part of their group now," Dan was saying to Neil. Matt stood with them, too. "But don't forget us. Be the bridge that connects the two groups. We need this." Neil nodded, and Thalia didn't hear what he said in response, but Matt shook his head.

"I don't know why the Monster always says yes to anything you ask." he said. Thalia clenched her jaw and resisted the strong urge not to smack Matt across the face. She looked to where Andrew and Renee were walking laps around the inner court. He wouldn't have heard Matt's insult, but Thalia was sure he knew that's what they all thought of him. If only they knew why he acted the way he did.

Once Neil had walked off, and Thalia knew Andrew was out of earshot, she walked up to Matt and the captain of the team, knowing what she was about to say would not go down well with anyone.

"Hey Matt," she asked in a sickly sweet voice that anyone would have been able to tell was not a good sign. He frowned but said hi back. "Can I ask you something?" Thalia said. Matt nodded and took a drink of water. "How would you like it if someone called you a druggie?" he spat out his water and tried not to choke, but Thalia watched with an unimpressed look on her face.

"Sorry?" he asked, obviously not sure he'd heard right. Thalia tilted her head, showing she wasn't going to ask again. Matt looked around and Dan frowned at Thalia as she patted her boyfriend's back to get him to breathe properly.

"It was a serious question," Thalia said. "I'd like a serious answer. Do you need me to repeat it?" Matt shook his head quickly. "Then answer." 

"The fuck, Thalia," Dan said incredulously. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Thalia turned her attention on the captain then. 

"How would you feel if someone exploited the fact that you used to be a stripper, Dan?" Thalia asked. Dan widened her eyes and floundered for something to say. Matt's jaw clenched. He seemed more affected by the questioning of his girlfriend than himself. 

"How do you know that?" Dan asked eventually. She didn't answer the captain's question however, and Thalia turned instead to Allison, who'd been quiet the whole break. She was sitting a little further back. Allison seemed to shrink in on herself.

"How'd you feel if someone insulted Seth, huh? What if they said he deserved what he got?" Thalia was riling them all up on purpose. Allison just seemed mad. Good. "Or said you were the disappointment of your family?"

"The fuck, Thalia," Matt said, repeating Dan's words from before. Thalia made sure that Andrew and Renee were on the other side of the court, though they were inside and probably wouldn't hear any of the conversation anyways. Nicky, Aaron and Neil had stayed silent the whole time, obviously knowing it wasn't wise to stand up to Thalia now. 

"I can guarantee you, that is how Andrew feels when you call him a monster, or a sociopath, or a psychopath. He is not." Thalia said, getting angry now. "He has been through shit. He's had a shit life. That does not make him a bad person. If you tried to understand him, like Renee has done, then you would see how wrong you are." Nobody said anything and watched Thalia walk out of the stadium, not for the first time.