You will need to have read Lisa's story to understand some of what is happening. Lisa's story was always my favorite and I always wished that they went deeper into what happened at TREVOR HOUSE and how the group became a family and so I decided to try writing it. Hope you enjoy!
Lisa looked at the building in front of her in dismay. Ten concrete steps led up to a tall wooden door. The words TREVOR HOUSE were nailed above the door in big black letters. Behind Lisa, Miss Stutson, Lisa's social worker, dismissed the cab that had brought them and started up the steps, motioning for Lisa to follow. They walked through the door and found themselves in in a small room that looked a lot like a hotel lobby. The woman in charge, Mrs. Grindle, sat behind a desk that was covered in papers. A small computer sat on one side of the desk. Lisa was still standing in the doorway so Miss Stutson grabbed her upper arm and pulled Lisa farther into the room.
"Bit shy, is she?" Mrs. Grindle's voice was deeper than most women and it was rough like her throat was sandpaper. When neither Lisa nor Miss Stutson replied she continued, "You must be Lisa. I'll get Mrs. Kelly to show you to your room. Now girl, you need to remember our most important rule is no fighting allowed whatsoever!" To Miss Stutson she said, "Mrs. Kelly is one of our many volunteers." Mrs. Grindle moved out of the room to find Mrs. Kelly while Miss Stutson said goodbye to Lisa.
"Lisa, this is a new chance for you. Be a good girl and try to make some friends. Please." Miss Stuston searched Lisa's face hopefully but Lisa kept her face void of emotion just as she had taught herself after Miss Stutson took her away from Knolls Park a year and a half ago. They were interrupted when a short woman with light brown hair and blue eyes walked in. Mrs. Kelly took Lisa's suitcase from Miss Stutson and headed back out of the room. Just before Lisa moved to follow the woman, Miss Stutson could barely hear Lisa whisper,
"Thanks." Lisa followed Mrs. Kelly down a long hallway to a huge room with a very high ceiling. There were three long tables in the middle of the room. A curving staircase ran along one wall going up and down. There were a couple wooden benches against the opposite wall. There were a few children in this room. They were either reading, playing board games or just taking with friends. One girl was sitting on the stairs drawing. Some of the kids looked up as Lisa walked past but quickly lost interest. Kids were always coming in or leaving TREVOR HOUSE so a new kid was nothing to gawk at.
Mrs. Kelly led Lisa up the stairs to the next floor. This hallway was lined with rooms. The doors were all the same except for the number painted on. Mrs. Kelly led Lisa to a room on the right side labeled 245. She knocked on the door and then opened it and stood aside so Lisa could walk in first. This room was not very different from other rooms Lisa had stayed in. There were two beds, each neatly made with a pink bedspread and one pillow. There was one small window on the wall opposite the door with white curtains. There were two small wooden dressers. The beds and dressers took up almost all the floor space in the small room. On the bed on the left side sat a well-loved stuffed bunny and a pink blanket. Suddenly a girl with long brown hair appeared from behind the bed. She was wearing a white shirt with pink and purple stars on it and a blue jean skirt. Her sneakers were a dirty white. She had brown eyes and freckles dotted her nose and cheeks.
"You must be Lisa!" she said excitedly. "I'm Rachel, your roommate!" Lisa managed a quiet "Hi." But then they lapsed into uncomfortable silence. Mrs. Kelly had put Lisa's suitcase on the other bed and headed out the door calling after her,
"The lunch bell rings at 12:30. Rachel can show you around." Lisa walked over to her bed and started to unpack. Rachel sat on the edge of her bed and watched with wide eyes, slightly unnerving Lisa.
"Ohhh!" What a pretty dress!" Rachel cooed as Lisa pulled out the cotton dress Mrs. Richards had made her. The cloth was dark blue background with lime green frogs scattered around.
"So what is there around here to do?" Lisa asked as her curiosity finally got the better of her.
"During the summer we can do almost anything as long as we stay in town. We just have to come back for meals. During the school year we go to school at a public school that is close and then we have homework to do before free time." Rachel replied. Suddenly a loud bell rang, making Lisa jump. "There's the lunch bell. Come on." Lisa followed Rachel and the two girls joined the crowed that was surging towards the lunch room.
Lisa had finally made it through the line with her lunch but she had lost Rachel along the way. It was difficult to navigate through the crowd with a full lunch tray but Lisa was managing so far. She found an empty spot at the end of one of the tables. It didn't talk long for the chairs around Lisa to fill but no one tried to talk to her. Lisa spotted Rachel sitting a little ways away. She was talking and laughing with three boys and a girl and they looked close. Lisa had to look away. When she had finished eating, Lisa threw away her garbage and headed back upstairs. In the privacy of her room she lay on her bed and closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears before they could fall.
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