Part 5
"Shelby, let's go and talk," Scott said walking up to her.
"I'm busy right now," Shelby said. She and Auggie were assigned to fixing up the porch and at the moment they were pulling out stray nails from the wood.
"We really need to talk," Scott said. It had been a week since the quest and Shelby had been avoiding him most of the week. He knew she was upset about Sydney.
"Go ahead, Shel. I'm fine on my own for now." Auggie said.
"I'll be back soon," Shelby said putting down the hammer. She followed Scott to the gazebo.
"I know you're mat at me," Scott said sitting down on a bench in the gazebo.
Shelby sat down next to him. "I'm not mad at you," she said.
"Then why have you been avoiding me all week?" Scott wanted to know.
"I was just being stupid. I was so jealous of the fact that Sydney became friends with Juliette instead of me. And I was upset that you didn't even make the effort to help me get to know your sister." Shelby admitted to him.
"Don't you at least talk to her in the dorm?" Scott asked.
Shelby shook her head. "When we're all in the dorm together, she's either writing in her journal, talking on her cell phone in the bathroom, or talking to Juliette. There's never a chance to talk to her." she said.
"You had every right to be upset that I didn't try and get Sydney to talk to you. I didn't realize that I should have. I'm sorry." Scott said. "How about the three of us eat dinner together tonight?"
"That would be nice, but I don't think Sydney wants to be friends with me. She doesn't act like it." Shelby said.
"She doesn't seem to want to be friends with anyone. She's still uncomfortable being here. The only person she feels comfortable with is Juliette. Honestly, she's been avoiding me this week, too." Scott said.
"Do you think it's because she doesn't want to tell you why she's here?" Shelby asked.
"I think so," Scott said.
"Shelby, aren't you supposed to be helping Auggie on the porch?" Peter asked walking into the gazebo.
"I was taking a break," Shelby said.
"Break's done. Get back to work." Peter said.
"Yes, master," Shelby said mocking a salute as she stood up. She left the gazebo.
"Scott, before you go, I want to talk to you," Peter said leaning against the railing.
"About what?" Scott asked.
"I wanted to talk about Sydney," Peter said. "Have you been able to find out anything about her?"
"Even if I did, do you think I would tell you without her permission?" Scott asked.
"I hope you would if it's something serious," Peter said.
"Sorry, but she hasn't said anything to me. She's sticking to her story that she doesn't belong here." Scott said.
"Do you believe that?" Peter asked.
"No, I don't," Scott said. "Peter, she's different than when I last saw her. She's a lot sadder and more subdued. The sparkle in her eyes is gone."
"Well, I'm going to go and talk to her right now. Maybe if I talk to her one-on-one, she'll start to open up." Peter said.
***
"I can't believe that they make us take summer classes here," Sydney complained to Ryan. She was in the bathroom, sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall.
"You've always like school," Ryan said.
"But I liked summer, too. Besides, I liked school in LA with you and my friends. And do you know that I can't even go to church while I'm here? I can't believe no one here has complained about that." Sydney said.
"Then why don't you do something about it. Maybe if you say something, other people will follow." Ryan suggested.
"You know, I should," Sydney said. "It's not fair that I'm here in the first place but they shouldn't keep me from practicing my religion. I mean, that was one of the only things I could count on in my life to get me through it all."
"Tell that to your counselors," Ryan urged.
"Shit," Sydney said when she heard Peter calling her name.
"What is it?" Ryan asked.
"I'm in the bathroom! I'll be right out!" Sydney called through the closed door. "I have to go. I'll call you tonight." she whispered into the phone.
"I love you," Ryan said.
"I love you, too," Sydney said. She hung up, hid the phone underneath some towels, then opened the bathroom door and walked out.
"Hi, Sydney," Peter said. "Can we talk?"
"I guess," Sydney said sitting down on her bed.
Peter sat down in her desk chair. "How did you like your first week here?" he asked her.
"You're even asking me that?" Sydney asked raising an eyebrow.
"You haven't participated in group yet. I've let it go because you're still adjusting but pretty soon you're going to have to start taking part." Peter said.
"I told you already that I shouldn't be here. You should just send me home." Sydney said.
"I'm not going to send you home, Sydney, because I think you are hiding something. I think you have issues you need to deal with." Peter said.
"You don't know anything about me," Sydney said.
"But Scott does. And he said that you're a lot sadder now. He thinks something changed you." Peter said.
"People change. He knew me when I was a lot younger." Sydney said. Inside she was seething that Scott had told Peter that.
"Sydney, all we want to do is help you," Peter said.
"There is something you can do to help me," Sydney said.
"As long as it's not to send you home, I'll try," Peter said. "What is it?"
"I want to be able to go to mass every Sunday. Look, I've been a practicing Catholic all my life. I went to Catholic school since kindergarten. I went to church every Sunday. My faith has been the only constant force in my life. Please don't take that away from me." Sydney said tears coming to her eyes.
Peter was take aback by Sydney actually opening up to him, even if it was for something like this. How could he deny her something that was obviously one of the only stable things in her life? "No one has ever brought this up as an issue before and that's we never thought about it. However, I think I can work something out." he said to her.
Sydney actually smiled at him. "Thank you," she said.
"Is there anything else you want to talk about?" Peter asked.
"No," Sydney said.
"All right. I'll see you at dinner." Peter said standing up. As he left the dorm, he felt encouraged that Sydney would start opening up more.
***
"Sydney, come sit with us," Scott said to her as she was walking by the table he and Shelby were eating at.
"Why would I want to sit with you when you're talking about me behind my back?" Sydney asked angrily.
"What are you talking about?" Scott asked confused.
"Peter told me what you said to him. I really don't appreciate you speculating about me behind my back." Sydney said.
"Syd, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would upset you so much." Scott said.
Sydney softened a little. She knew he was only concerned for her. "Look, I'm going to go sit with the rest of the group. You can come join me there if you want." she said.
"That okay with you, Shelby?" Scott asked her.
"Sure," Shelby said standing up and picking up her tray.
"Hey, Sydney," Juliette said as Sydney sat down next to her.
"And the two lovebirds join us, too," David said leaning back in his chair.
Everyone ignored is comment. "Did anyone start reading that article we have to discuss tomorrow?" Ezra asked.
"I don't want to talk about classes during dinner," Daisy said rolling her eyes.
"Fine. I was just asking." Ezra said.
"This is actually good," Sydney said referring to the chicken she was eating.
"It's one of the best things they serve here," Auggie said. "Actually, the food here is good. I miss my mom's cooking, but this will do."
"Speaking of moms, my mother sent me this picture of her and her latest husband. What am I supposed to do with it?" Juliette said.
"Frame it and display it proudly," Daisy joked.
"I met the guy once. What do I care?" Juliette said annoyed. She turned to Sydney. "What about you? Do you like your stepfather?"
Sydney swallowed. "Why do you ask?" she said.
"Well, you're mother married him a few years ago so you lived with him and got to know him." Juliette said.
"Yes, do tell us about that rich stepfather of yours," Daisy said.
"What do you want to know?" Sydney asked.
"For starters, what's his name?" Daisy asked.
"Franco Castelli," Sydney said.
Ezra almost choked on his food. He took a sip of water and the said, "Wait a second. He's not THE Franco Castelli, is he?" he asked.
"Yes, he is," Sydney said.
"How do you know who he is?" Scott asked.
"Don't you guys know anything about current events?" Ezra asked. "Franco Castelli is supposedly this big mob boss, but the feds can never get any evidence against him. Everything on paper says he's legit, but the feds don't buy it."
"Whoa. This is getting good." David said. "So tell us, Sydney, is he a mob boss?"
"I don't know much about his business," Sydney lied. She continued to eat hoping they would let it go.
"Every time I saw him on the news, he always had bodyguards. Did you have bodyguards? Ezra asked.
Sydney took a sip of water, then said, "Only when I went to public events," Sydney said.
"And you're denying he's in the mob? Come on, you had bodyguards!" Auggie said.
"He just wanted protection," Sydney said.
"Was he very protective of you?" Juliette asked her.
"You could say that," Sydney said.
"Did you two get along?" Shelby asked.
"He was my stepfather. He loves me in his own way." Sydney said almost choking on her words. Her stomach started to feel as if it weighed a hundred pounds.
"That's so great. I hate my stepfather and he hates me." Shelby said.
"Yeah, my stepfathers never cared about me," Juliette added.
"Will you all excuse me? I have to use the bathroom." Sydney said standing up.
"I think you're just trying to avoid the subject of your mafioso stepfather," David said smirking.
Sydney just half-smiled at him and then walked to the bathroom. She went in and shut and locked the door behind her. She stood in front of the mirror and stared at herself.
Flashback
"So you learned my secret, Sydney. You now know what my business is all about." Franco said getting up from behind his desk. He walked around the desk so he was in front of it. He leaned back against it and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Does my mother know?" Sydney asked.
"Yes, she knows and she's perfectly fine with it. Hey, she gets the money and
that's all she cares about." Franco said.
"So that's why the house is always under guard. And that's why you have body guards and why you insist my mother and I have them too." Sydney said.
"Ah, now the pieces fall into place," Franco said smiling at her.
"What makes you think I won't go to the police?" Sydney asked.
"Because you know it would kill your mother. Besides, I know you've grown fond of me. At least I pay attention to you, unlike your real father." Franco said.
Franco was right to play on her emotion of s neglected child. "You promise that my mother and I won't get caught in any cross-fire?" Sydney asked.
"Nothing bad will happen to either of you," Franco said.
"Okay," Sydney said. "Then I won't say anything."
End flashback
"You were such a fool," Sydney said to her reflection.
She turned the faucet on full-blast, then moved away from the sink and kneeled in front of the toilet. She pulled her hair back with her left hand. She paused before taking her right hand and jamming her index finger down her throat.
When she had purged all of the dinner out of her body, Sydney got up and stood in front of the mirror again. "I hate you," she said. "I hate what you do to yourself."