Vanessa
Back at Aspen Springs,
Dr. B called me into
Her office. She said
She needed to talk about
The camping trip. I could
Only imagine what the
Conversation would really
Be about.
Vanessa. she began.
I know how hard losing
Conner must be for you.
It is hard for me too. He
Was such an intelligent
Boy that had so much
More to offer this world.
I looked into her eyes
And saw tears running
Down her cheeks. She was
Telling the truth. I didn't
Know if she was upset because
She had been attracted to
Conner like Tony and I
Suspected, or if she had
Just really cared about him.
Vanessa, Dr. Starr as well
As Sean, Raven and I have all
Discussed what happened up
There and have decided,
Considering the circumstances
And how much this must have
Affected you, we are going to
Move you up to Level Five.
I didn't know what
To say. This was
Such a surprise. I
Had thought, that if
Anything, they would
Bring me down a level
Because they thought
I had something to do
With what Conner did.
Vanessa, do you
Understand what
This means?
"Yes." I replied.
"I'm not in any
Trouble."
Yes, but this also
Means that you
Get to leave Aspen
Springs and go home.
"Thank you." was
All I could think
To say.
Tony had gone to see Dr. Starr
When I was in Dr.
B's office. I didn't
Know what was going
To happen to him. Maybe
They would think, that
Because he had been
Conner's partner on
The trip, he had
something to do
with Conner's
Death.
I waited outside Dr.
Starr's office for
Him, wanting so badly
To tell him my good
News and at the same
Time, hoping he had good
News to tell me as well.
It was a good twenty
Minutes before he
Emerged from the office,
A sullen look on his face.
It made me fear that something
Bad had happened.
"What happened?" I asked.
He looked up at me and I
Saw the true sorrow there.
They put me up a
level. They said I
can go home anytime
I want.
"That's great." I said.
Somehow, no matter how
Great it was, I was unable
To show how happy I really
Was because of Conner. I
Knew I would never get over
That. How easily I could have
Prevented it. That I
Would never forgive
Myself for.
What about you? What
Did Dr. B say?
"The same thing. She
Said I could go home."
Tony and I left the next day.
We promised each other
We would get together
Soon. In fact, we were
Both going to Conner's
Funeral the next day.
It would be held at a
Church Tony remembered
They went to on Easter,
So he would be taking me
So Grandma wouldn't have
To try and figure out where
It was.
When I got home, Bryan
Was just as happy to
See me as ever. He gave
Me a huge hug and then
Followed me around the
Whole rest of the night.
Grandma and Daddy were
Both happy I was going
To the funeral. They thought
It might make me feel better
And keep me from cutting in the
Future.
To tell you the truth, I
Had never wanted to cut more.
I could imagine the way the
Warm blood would roll down my
Arm, like a teardrop falling
For my lost friend. In fact, I
Didn't think that one would be
Enough. Surely Conner
Deserved more than one
Tear. The letter his mother
Had sent to him on our hike
Made me shed many tears; enough
To make a nice puddle on the
Front of Tony's shirt.
I could only imagine
What he would think
Of me, if he came the
Next morning and found
Many new sorrow marks
On my arms. I would feel
Like I had let both Tony
And Conner down.
Tony came the next
Morning, just as we
Had planned. I was
Surprised that he had
His drivers license,
When he showed up at the
Front door. But when I
Looked out the front window,
I saw that he had brought a
Cab.
He was dressed in a
Nice, black suite, he
And his father must
Have gone shopping
For the night before.
I looked silly in
My outfit. It wasn't
As dressy as Tony's.
Just a simple black
tank top and black skirt.
To be honest, Tony looked
More like a sexy vampire
Than a drug abusing
Teen.
Are you ready? He
Asked. If we don't
Get going, we'll be late.
"I'll be back later!"
I called over my shoulder.
Daddy came around the
Corner from the kitchen.
See you later honey.
He said and gave me
A ginger kiss on my
Cheek. Then he turned
To Tony. You take care
Of her, you hear?
Yes sir. Tony replied.
I gave Daddy a kiss on
The cheek, just as he had
Done to me and then followed
Tony out our front door.