Station 2-14: Chapter Fifteen

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Tessa had hope that the words would come to her on the way back to the penthouse. That she would somehow, miraculously, work out how to tell Ley that her mother was dying. But the moments slipped by and when she couldn’t work out what to say, she started to hope that Avery had been over-reacting. That even though the medicine wasn’t working anymore, that there was still plenty of time to try other options.

But Avery never exaggerated and when she they arrive they find a team of doctors leaving her mother’s room. Ley rushes to her side, and all of them refuse to meet her eye or answers her pleas for more information. They must have been told not to engage with Ley. Avery would have instructed them that it was Tessa’s responsibility to let her know.

If it wasn’t for their presence, she might have been able to convince her that she was okay. But the chorus of machines keeping her alive betrayed her. There was no avoiding it now,

‘Ley…’

‘She’s going to be okay,’ says Ley. ‘She has to be okay.’ There was no easy way to tell her but she couldn’t let her believe the lie. It was better to know the truth; she had to know what she was fighting for.

‘Ley…’

‘No, I don’t want this. She has to be okay.’ Ley turns to her, eyes glistening with tears that threaten to break. ‘Please, tell me she’s going to be okay.’ Every part of her was screaming to tell Ley the truth, but it was a defiant whisper that escaped her:

‘She’s going to be okay.’

‘You promise?’

‘… Yes.’ She hears movement behind her and turns to finds Pangere in the shadows of the hall. She waits for Tessa to meet her.

‘Did you tell her?’ She asks.

‘... I couldn’t but I think she knows… how can she not? I just don’t understand how this could have happened so quickly? She was fine this morning.’

‘I need to know if she can cope,’ says Avery firmly.

‘Just give me some time. Let her take this in and then I’ll tell her.’

‘Fine - but she has to know before her next match. Like you said, we don’t want her finding out some other way.’ Tessa returns to the room to find Ley holding her sleeping mother’s hand.

‘I have to win,’ she says. ‘What are we going to do about the water?’

‘Don’t worry, we’ll work it out tomorrow.’

‘Do you hear that mum?’ She says, brushing back her mother’s hair. ‘Tessa’s going to teach me how to swim.’

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The only way Ley could convince herself that her mother was okay, was to focus on the Games and her goal. She was competing to save her mum, so if she could win her next match then she would be one step closer to achieving her goal.

One step closer to making sure that she survived.

There were plenty of opportunities for Tessa to ease into the conversation. To steer her towards the possibility that winning wasn’t enough. That sometimes, life simply dealt an unfair hand. But she didn’t take any of them, and found herself believing the lie as well.

They arrive at the pool in Avery’s penthouse to find it transformed. What was a large lap pool before now holds two floating platforms and a fixed island in the centre to match the new arena. Tessa barely reacts at the change, at this point, she wouldn’t be surprised if Avery had organised a private session in the arena itself to get Ley ready for her next match. But she has to admit, it’s impressive to behold.

On the screen in the corner, the match between Ellis and Ellah is about to begin. There’s not a whisp of fear on their faces at the sight of the water. Tessa quickly switches it off while Ley takes in the room. She inches towards the pool, peering over the edge into dark water that reflects her face like glass. She stiffens at the sight and everything in the room shifts in response.

‘It’s okay,’ says Tessa, but she can’t hear her. She’s transfixed by the pool. ‘Hey! Look at me - it’s okay.’

‘I can’t swim,’ says Ley.

‘That’s why there’s an island,’ says Tessa.

‘And how am I supposed to get to that?’ Ley peers into the water once more, which starts to move in response to her nerves.

‘There’s also the two platforms - they’re mobile.’ Ley quickly steps back.

‘Nope.’

‘What?’

‘No, I’ll just do it in the regular arena.’

‘Ley, that’s not an option.’

‘Then I’ll quit.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘Yeah, I’ll quit. I just can’t - ‘ Everything in the room begins to shake as Ley gets more anxious. The water starts to visibly swell like in the midst of the storm which only makes Ley more nervous, she struggles to breathe. ‘I can’t do this.’

‘Hey, it’s okay.’ Tessa kneels down in front of Ley so that they’re eye-to-eye, blocking her view of the water.

‘Listen to me, it’s going to be okay.’

‘If I can’t swim, I can’t fight and then my mum - ’ The room begins to shake violently.

’Hey, stop it. Listen.’ The room quietens as she slowly regains control. ‘You’re thinking too much. This is the same as everything else. We’ll just take it one step at a time.’

‘But how? I can’t swim.’

‘Then don’t.’ Tessa steps out and starts skating across the water like it’s ice. She reaches the island in the centre. ‘Easy.’

‘Show off,’ says Ley. Ley looks into the water again, and sees a tremor of movement in reply.

‘Hey! Look at me.’ Ley tears her eyes away from the water to meet Tessa. ‘You have to get from there to here.’

‘I can’t do what you just did.’

‘Then don’t.’

‘But how am I supposed to -’

‘Your powers, Ley. Use your powers! Geez, you think being able to move cities with your mind would make you a bit more -’ Using TK, Ley brings the platform to her in a single tug, knocking Tessa over. ‘Right - good. Now step on.’ Ley steps on and the platform wobbles beneath her and she stiffens at the movement.

‘Careful... Got it?’ Ley nods. ‘Okay, now we’re going to play a game.’ Using TK, Tessa brings over a second, smaller platform over to her and steps on. ‘So. You have to try and stay on that platform. And I’m going to try and kick you off.’

‘WHAT!?’

It doesn’t take Ley long to work out how to handle it. It never does. Once she’s overcome the initial idea of falling in and after Tessa explains that dragging the platform across the water is no different to dragging it across moving sand, she master’s it.

After hours of practice, she can move her platform in circles around Tessa, dodging her attacks while creating a myriad of distractions with the water around her. The water becomes her second self and she uses it to her advantage to find different ways to sneak up on Tessa and push her off the platform.

Tessa’s dripping wet when she calls it a day, eager to warm herself up now that Ley has overcome her fears.

‘See? You’re a natural,’ she says, as Ley leaps off the island to the ground, completely dry.

‘It’s just... what if I fall in?’

‘Then the match is over and I’m jumping in right after to make sure you’re okay - got it?’

‘Got it.’ This would be the perfect moment to tell her the news. She was confident about tackling the next arena and her nerves had settled. But now that she was calm, Tessa couldn’t bring herself to unravel her. Maybe it was too early to know whether the medication was working or not. Why trouble her when there was still hope that she would be okay?

‘Final game?’ Says Tessa, avoiding it all together. Ley groans. ‘Come on - one more.’ She steps onto her platform and Ley moves it from underneath her before she has a chance to steady herself. She crashes into the water instantly. When she comes up for air, Ley’s laughter is bouncing round the room.

‘That’s cheating,’ she quips with a smile.

‘You seem to be doing well?’ Says Pangere, as she wanders towards them.

‘Avery?’ Says Tessa. ‘We were just finishing up.’

‘I’m going to win, for sure.’

‘Good to hear,’ says Pangere. ‘Ley, darling, may I speak with Tessa for a moment? I think I heard your mum waking up - why don’t you go check on her.’ Ley rushes out the door, leaving the two of them alone. Tessa notices Avery’s stiff composure and can tell what she’s waiting to hear.

‘I haven’t told her yet,’ she says.

‘That’s… disappointing.’

‘I’m sorry, I just, I think she’ll be fine for the Semi’s but she’s still a little nervous. And then she was just having some fun, and I wanted her to enjoy that. I thought I would tell her after - ’

‘So be it,’ she says, dismissing the idea. ‘I wanted to talk to you about the other night.’

‘At the arena change? What about it?’

‘Tessa, you made a scene with Jin.’

‘A scene? What the hell are you talking about?’

‘There are already rumours - ’

‘About what - we were talking. Barely even that - it was what, two minutes?’

‘That’s not what people are saying.’

‘This is ridiculous.’ Tessa shoves past Pangere towards the door.

‘Wait.’

‘I did nothing wrong!’ Tessa whirls. ‘Besides, we’re adults - what does it matter who I talk to?’

‘People are now saying that you’re the reason Ley’s doing well.’

‘Oh bullshit! She’s doing well because she’s better than they are. Simple. If you’d let her show that, then maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation.’

‘Well that’s not what people are saying. And, I think you need to go.’ Tessa laughs but Pangere doesn’t join her.

‘Oh come on, Avery, you can’t be serious?’

‘I am... I’m sorry Tess, but you need to leave.’

‘No. I’m not going. This is bullshit. This is the same crap all over again.’

‘Tess, don’t make this about you.’ Tessa goes to speak but Pangere raises a hand to stop her; this isn’t a discussion. ‘I’ll tell Ley that you’ve decided to leave. That you’ll try and come to her matches but that you’re not sure if you can. I’ll tell her that it’s an emergency.’

‘You can’t do this. Not again.’

‘I’ll pay you for the work you’ve done, at a discounted rate of course because you haven’t completed the job.’

‘Please, Avery, I’m good at this.’ She can feel the tears biting at her eyes. There was never any point to arguing with Pangere. Once she had made her mind up about something, there was no changing it. She knew this but still wondered whether she should drop to her knees and beg. She was so close and she was telling the truth. She had finally found something that she could do, finally found someone that she could help. ‘Please. I could be great at this. And Ley’s a good kid, I can help —’

‘I know, but again this isn’t about you. She can win Tess. But to do that we need all eyes on her. No rumours. No distractions.’

‘I won’t -’ Pangere raises a hand, and once again, forces her to be quiet.

‘Gather your things and leave the property, your work here is done.’

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