[005] all grown up

                              "Don't take forever. I want to be fashionably late but not too late, of course," Courtney replies, turning to look over at Suki with a smile.

                              "Don't worry. I already have my bags packed. I just need to pick them up and then go from there. I should be no more than five minutes," Suki assured.

                              If Suki was lucky and her dad was drunk, then she'd be able to slip in and out without being noticed. Although she was still a little nervous about going on a plane, Suki tried to swallow down her feelings of dread. Suki tried to chalk it up to her nerves. But it felt like much more than that. It felt like if Suki stepped onto that plane, something bad would happen. Since she had never been on a plane before, it was likely that she was just scared from watching one too many movies. 

                             Nothing bad was going to be happening to her or her team. They were going to Nationals and they were going to be coming back home, making their entire town proud.

                              "Do you want me to go in there with you?" Courtney asks.

                              Suki shakes her head. "No, I'll be fine. Just stay here."

                              Suki then climbs out of the car, making her way towards her house. It wasn't anything impressive. In fact, the front of it looked like a mess. Her mom had started a garden a year before she died, back when her mind was still perfectly intact. Maybe it had never truly been intact but she had done a better job at hiding it then. After she died, of course, the little garden had completely went to ruin. The flowers were all dying but neither Suki or her dad knew what to do with them. So it was simply left there, Suki stomping on them as she made her way to the front door.

                            Suki found the spare house key hidden underneath the doormat, unlocking the door. She quickly entered inside, running straight to her bedroom. Suki found both of her bags, slinging the both of them on each shoulder. She paused for a moment just so she could look at her bedroom. It felt a little surreal that she was going to be leaving it and the town of Wiskayok for an entire week. 

                            It almost made Suki feel a little emotional, truth be told.

                            Remembering that she needed to focus on leaving before they ultimately missed the plane, Suki left her bedroom and began heading out towards the door. But before she could grab onto the doorknob, shuffling noises made Suki quickly turn around. It was her dad who looked as though he had just rolled out of bed. Maybe he had and Suki had disturbed him from his slumber.

                           "Hello, stranger," he greets her, scratching the back of his neck.

                           "Hey, Dad," Suki nods.

                           "Where are you going?" her dad questioned, looking at the bags she was carrying before looking back up at her.

                           "I'm going to nationals, remember? I'm going to be gone for a week with the team," Suki reminded him.

                           He furrows his brows for a moment, trying his best to remember the news Suki had excitedly told him about right after they had won the big game. But eventually he does, smiling down at her. "Right, right, now I remember."

                           "I really should get going now but -," Suki began to say.

                           "I'm so proud of you, Suki. Really I am. I know I haven't said it enough but I'm really proud of you. You're all grown up now, making something of yourself. You're doing a lot better than I ever did at your age," her dad continued.

                           "Thanks, Dad," is all Suki could say. It was the first time that he had told her anything remotely close to this in a long time. Suki didn't even realize how much she needed it until she heard the words out loud.

                           "I know if your mom was still here, she'd be proud of you too," he added, the words feeling like a stab in the heart.

                           Suki feels the tears beginning to prick the corner of her eyes. This was the last thing she needed to hear right now. While she knew her dad was trying his best to encourage her, the mention of her mom was enough to make her emotional all over again. Plus, with the dream Suki had the night before, that made Suki miss her even more.

                           "I'd hope so," Suki sniffles, blinking away her tears so her dad wouldn't notice.

                           "I know things haven't been easy ever since she passed. I... I messed up a lot. But I - I promise that when you get back home, things are going to change. I promise you that, " he then promised.

                           Suki isn't sure how to respond to that. The pessimistic part of Suki doesn't believe him. She had a sneaking suspicion that when she came back home after Nationals, she'd find the man drunk as a skunk on his favorite chair. The only change would be the clothes on his body. And even then, he hardly changed that much. He had completely given up once his wife died, not realizing that he had to keep going for his only daughter.

                           So needless to say, Suki wasn't too sure if she wanted to believe him so quickly.

                           Before Suki could even think to form a response, car honks from outside interrupted their conversation. Suki quickly remembered that she had to leave and she held onto her bags a little tighter.

                           "I'm so sorry. I have to go but, uh, we can talk when I get back from Nationals," Suki shakes her head. She couldn't do this right now. She needed to focus on Nationals, not her own tragic life.

                           "Yeah. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," her dad quickly agreed.

                           The two of them look at each other for a moment before Suki suddenly leaves the house, running back out towards Courtney's car. Tossing her things in the back, Suki quickly rushed back into the car and put on her seatbelt. Courtney immediately noticed that something was up, despite Suki trying her hardest to act normal. It was useless for Suki to lie to Courtney since she could read her like a book, pointing out every lie Suki tried to throw her way. Suki hated it most of the time.

                            "Should I bother asking what happened in there?" Courtney tries her luck anyways, focusing her bright and intense blue eyes directly on Suki.

                            "We're going to be late," Suki responds, as expected. "Come on. We need to go if we're going to make it with the others."

                             Courtney clicks her tongue, lightly shaking her head, before she starts driving to where they were all supposed to meet up for the private plane. The ride is thankfully silent, allowing Suki to think about what had just happened. Was she expecting her dad to suddenly sober up and want to do better? No, although she had been hoping he would. Suki wants to believe that he would change. He was the only parent Suki had left. But the longer her dad continued with his same old vices, the smaller her faith had gotten. Now there was only a little bit left, and Suki wasn't so sure that she wanted to waste it all on him.

                             All thoughts about her dad were put on hold, however, once she and Courtney arrived at their intended destination.

                              Lottie's dad had arranged for them all to fly privately which was actually pretty cool. The Matthews family was loaded with money so buying private jets and things like that was probably nothing to them. And the plane looked pretty impressive, Suki admiring it as she and Courtney joined the line of girls now boarding the plane.

                           "This is so awesome," Suki gasps, turning to look at Courtney with a small smile, "Don't you think it's awesome?"

                           "I think we're going to miss out on the best seats if we keep waiting on everyone else. Come on," Courtney ordered.

                            Suki doesn't have time to say anything before Courtney grabs her hand, leading her towards the entrance of the plane so they could climb on. Travis Martinez, one of Coach Martinez's sons, was ahead of them. That was until Courtney practically pushed him out of the way so they could go before him.

                             "Hey!" he frowns, glaring at the both of them.

                            "Watch where you're going, Flex," Courtney glared at him from over her shoulder before she kept walking, leading Suki along with him.

                            Suki swears she can hear him mutter bitch underneath his breath but if Courtney had heard it, she didn't care to respond. Besides, it wouldn't be the first time someone would call her a bitch. It was just a title she simply wore with pride. Suki just follows Courtney until they find two free seats for the both of them to sit at. Making sure to put their bags up first, Suki took the window seat while Courtney sat next to her. As she looked out the window, she could feel her chest tighten all over again. She felt that familiar sense of worry and dread but it was intensified by a hundred. Courtney feels Suki hold onto her hand again, tightening her grip.

                             "Hey, are you alright?" Courtney asked. "Don't tell me you're getting all freaked out now. Everything's going to be fine."

                              "I know," Suki quickly responds.

                              "So why are you nearly cutting off the circulation in my hand?" Courtney teased, brows raised as she waits for Suki's response.

                              "Sorry," Suki answers, beginning to pull her hand away from Courtney's so she wouldn't keep hurting her. But Courtney was the one to grab Suki's hand this time, keeping it in place.

                              "No, keep holding onto it. Only let go when you don't feel so scared anymore," Courtney assured her. 

                              Suki nods. She probably wouldn't let go until the plane landed.

                             "I can't believe your dad paid for a private plane," Van remarked.

                             "It's pretty much his only form of parenting. I guess I'll take it," Lottie answers with a shrug.

                             "I definitely would," Courtney replies with a chuckle, earning one from Van as well.

                             "Well, thank you, Mr. Matthews!" the ginger exclaimed, some of the other girls joining her.

                             "Thank you, Mr. Matthews," Suki chuckles, turning to look at Courtney again. "This is pretty awesome. We have an entire plane to ourselves. Lottie's the best."

                             "Big deal," Courtney rolled her eyes.

                             Suki smiles, nudging the blonde next to her. "You're the best too."

                             That's enough to work a smile onto Courtney's face. But that smile would quickly be wiped away when she saw Nat. She had decided to take the seat across from theirs, appearing to be sitting on her own. Suki looked at Nat too, sending her a small smile. Nat smiled back at her, also sending Courtney a venomous look. It was clear she wasn't going to be listening to Courtney's warnings and Courtney knew that the Scatorccio girl was going to be a problem.

                             "You're not going to be hanging out with Nat, are you?" Courtney questioned.

                             "Nat? Well, uh, maybe. Why do you ask?" Suki shrugged.

                             Courtney frowns. "Since when did you become best friends with Nat?"

                             "Does it matter? She's really cool once you get to know her," Suki answered.

                              "She's also a gigantic slut. I wouldn't be surprised if being ten feet near her gives you chlamydia or something," Courtney scoffed.

                              "You don't seriously think she slept with all those guys, do you?" Suki frowned. You know how the boys are at our school. They'll make up stupid rumors and say anything to bring another girl down. She doesn't seem like a... like a..."

                              "Slut?" Courtney says for her. "Even if she didn't sleep with all of them, she definitely slept with most of them. Besides, it's not like she's denying it or anything. If the rumors aren't true, she could've said something but she didn't."

                              Suki looks away from Courtney, looking out of the window once again. "I don't want to spend the entire plane ride fighting about Nat. I don't want to fight with you at all. Can you please be on your best behavior? For me?"

                             "Only if you promise not to hang out with Nat. We may be going out to Nationals, but this is supposed to be our trip. I don't want Nat to have anything to do with that," Courtney remarked.

                             "But -," Suki began to say.

                             "Look, I'm not forcing you to do anything, Suki. Just remember who was there for you when everyone at school turned their backs on you. I was there for you when your mom died. Not Nat 'the Whore' Scatorccio," Courtney quickly reminded her.

                             Suki realizes just how right Courtney was. Courtney had been the only one there for Suki when everyone else worried that she'd end up as crazy as her mom. Suki certainly didn't help to prove them wrong, becoming withdrawn and barely managing to hold herself together. If she wasn't on the verge of tears, she'd just stare off into space and completely zone out. If her dad hadn't turned to alcohol and completely checked out himself, he probably would've sent her away to some sort of mental asylum.

                              But Courtney had been Suki's saving grace. If it wasn't for her, Suki wasn't exactly sure where she'd be. She'd probably be trying to join her mom in death. Courtney was the only reason Suki kept going, besides soccer. And even then, that had been because of soccer too. Suki would forever be grateful to Courtney. She'd forever love Courtney for as long as she lived. Courtney was a part of Suki, just as she was a part of Courtney.

                             It was hard to tell where Suki began, and Courtney ended.

                            "So let me ask you this again, who would you prefer to spend this amazing trip with? Someone who thinks you're a basket case or the one person who knows you better than you know yourself?" Courtney asked a moment later.

                            Suki looks at Courtney before holding onto her hand, already making her decision. "I'll always choose you, Court. You know that."

                            "I'll choose you too. Every time. It's always going to be you and me," Courtney smiles, satisfied with Suki's answer.

                            "Until we die," Suki responds.

                            Courtney's smile grows as she raises Suki's knuckles to her lips, giving them a gentle kiss. Suki feels her cheeks heat up the longer she looks over at Courtney, deciding to look away before her face could get any redder. It felt nice to have Courtney pay so much attention to her and take care of her, doing little things to make her feel happy. But it felt so cruel at the same time, knowing that it could never mean anything more.

                            She was completely unaware of Nat noticing all of it, feeling upset. Nat knew that something was wrong with Courtney. Something dark. She was more than just your typical pretty, popular bitch. She was manipulating the fuck out of everyone around her, but especially Suki. And Nat really liked Suki. She wanted to help her get out, no matter what Courtney said.

                            When the plane took off, Suki tried her best to not focus on all of her worries. She tried to remain calm and remind herself that in a short while, she'd be in an awesome hotel room in a new city. She'd be with Courtney, and everything would be right again. Suki had rested her head on Courtney's shoulder for just a moment, but she ended up falling asleep on her shoulder. Courtney allowed her to be comfortable, running her fingers through her hair.

                            But Suki's peaceful slumber would be interrupted the moment she felt the first shake.

                            Stirring awake from her slumber, Suki quickly sat up and felt the plane beginning to shake. The turbulence had started off pretty normal at first and Suki planned on going back to sleep so she could ignore it. But then it grew more and more intense, the plane beginning to shake violently. Suki looked outside the window and she saw that they weren't flying in the sky anymore. They were beginning to fall, crashing straight into a wilderness which seemed to stretch on for miles and miles and miles. 

                             Suki's gut intuition had been right along. She never should've stepped on this fucking plane. But this was only the beginning of her nightmare.

(🌲🔪🦌)

word count: 2811
notes: chapter five! episode one is over with and we'll move on to the other episodes pretty quickly!!