Higher Ground

Painted Black

Chapter 3: Secrets Revealed

The next morning the girls had woken earlier than usual and they had all decided to go to the cafeteria before everyone else and snag the best of the food. Shelby had stayed in the dorm, seeing this as an opportunity to get the pills back to the infirmary. She opened the top drawer of her bedside table and was angry by what she saw. She dug further into the drawer hoping they would be there somewhere. But they had gone. And she knew who had taken them. She was furious. She stormed out of the dorm and to the cafeteria, knowing Scott would already be there with the guys. As she walked in, she saw him chatting away to all the Cliffhangers, acting like he'd done nothing wrong. Which angered her more.

"Hey Shelb", he called her over after seeing her in the doorway, "I was wondering when you were gonna show".

Shelby had a good mind to yell at him right then and there, in front of everybody, but soon thought better of it.

"Yeah, we need to talk", she said blandly.

"Ok, sit down", he said unsuspectingly pointed to a seat next to him.

"Alone", she said subtly.

"Ok", he said suspiciously, "What's this about?" he asked once they were outside.

"Where are the painkillers, Scott", she asked straight out.

"What are you talking about?" he said.

"Don't play dumb with me, I know you took them", she told him.

"I didn't take the painkillers, I don't even know where you put them", he suddenly got defensive.

"Yeah, they just disappeared out of nowhere, right?" she said sarcastically.

"Maybe you lost them, did you ever think of that?" he told her. He couldn't let her know he took them. She would hate him. He figured it was time to play the trust card. "You really think I took them? You have that much trust in me, that you think I'm lying to your face?"

"Oh, don't you dare turn this around on me. I know you took them", she was getting angrier by the second. Scott decided to put an end to the argument.

"You know what? I don't need this from you. If you don't believe me so be it. But I'm not gonna stand around here and be accused of something I didn't do", he turned to walk away. But before he walked off he came back to plant more thoughts in her head. "You know, maybe one of your roommates took it, maybe they found it and got worried and took it to Peter". He hated what he just said. If he could have he would've taken it back right then, but it was too late. Now he was hoping that Shelby wouldn't figure out that if the girls did actually take it, Shelby would be expecting a visit from Peter. But of course that want going to happen.

Shelby watched him walk off, thinking about the last thing he had said. Maybe he was right. Maybe the girls had found them in her drawer and taken them to Peter. She felt like an idiot to accuse Scott when she knew so little.

"Hey Shelby, You coming to eat", Anna's voice behind her asked. Shelby turned around to face her. But she wasn't in the mood for eating now. She had lost her appetite.

"No, I'm not hungry", she told her before walking off in the other direction.

Later in the mess hall, Anna sat reading on the couch, when David came by.

"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Anna, how's it hanging", David sat down beside her.

"Its going fine", she said bluntly. She was sick of David. He really was an idiot, not to mention she hated how he gave the others such a hard time. She wasn't going to show him any degree of friendliness.

"Oh just fine? I thought you'd be beaming", he told her in his usual sarcastic tone.

"Why?" she asked not really caring.

"Well, other than my excellent company, you've been here for a whole 2 weeks. Congratulations", he said.

While Anna was trying to discover what planet David had come from, she gave him a thanks anyway.

"You know, I don't understand why where not better friends, you and I", he began. "Why is that? Do I intimidate you? Do I make you nervous?"

"You make me nauseous", she quipped.

David smiled. He liked that he could get such a reaction out of someone. He used to be able to get a good reaction from Shelby, Scott and Ezra but that had kind of worn off since they had been back for the new year.

"You know? I think you really like me", he told her.

"I'd really like to hit you", she said turning the page of her book.

"Oh, don't be ashamed, honestly, I'd be happy to fulfill your desires", he joked, the last three words sounding sleazy.

"Why are you still here then", she asked him.

"Fine", he got up off the couch, "But just remember when your finally ready to admit it, I'm here all year round".

"Oh, now that does make me nervous", she said.

Scott was at the door of his room when Shelby yelled out to him from behind.

"Shelby, I'm really not in the mood for round 2, all right?" he told her opening the door.

"Look", she sighed, walking up to him, "I wanted to apologize, I was wrong ok?"

Scott didn't know what to say. He was sure he was screwed. He figured she was giving him the benefit of the doubt without actually asking the girls about it. "What do you want me to do? Get down on my knees and beg?"

"It's a start", he teased.

"Forget it", she turned away.

"Shelby, I'm joking, come on, course I forgive you", he yelled after her. She turned back and he reached out to give her a hug.

"You know I'm only worried about you, yeah?" she told him, his arms wrapped around her.

"I know. And I get why you thought I took the pills. It was stupid, I never should have asked for them in the first place", he said. "Coming in?"

"Yeah".

"Come here", Scott said as he sat on the bed. Shelby did as he said and sat down next to him. He bent down and gently kissed her.

"Hey, just curious", he asked breaking away, "Have you asked the girls if they found the pills?"

"Who cares right? Its over", she said as she went back for another kiss.

"It's just, you know, maybe you shouldn't ask them. I mean, you don't know if they took them, and if you ask then you gotta tell them everything", he explained. "Are you sure you didn't just lose them? Why would the girls go through your drawer?"

Shelby looked up. "Scott, I didn't tell you they were in my drawer".

"Yeah, yeah you did. H-How would I know otherwise", he said nervously. He knew he'd blown it.

"I don't know, why don't you tell me. Why are you so desperate for me not to ask the girls if they found them huh?" she was on to him. He said nothing. He dint know what to say. "You asshole! You absolute asshole! Where are they?" she turned around and opened his drawer, digging through it.

"Shelb, what are you doing, I didn't take them ok?" he panicked. "Shelby, what are you doing in my drawer, they're not there". As he finished his sentence she picked up the bottle from his second drawer. She was ashamed right now. There was no other way to describe it. He had lied to her so many times in one day. First saying he had no idea where they were, then trying to pin it on her roommates, and then making her feel guilty for not trusting him. "Shelb?"

"Go to hell, Scott", she walked out of the room with the bottle in hand. Scott sat in the room, in silence. He had ruined everything with one bottle of pills. He had only taken 3. He had to get out. He got off of his bed and left the room. What he didn't realize was that David had been in the bathroom the whole time. He had heard everything.

Sophie was in a good mood today. She had been making progress with Anna and she had the feeling nothing could burst her high spirits.

"Hey Peter", she walked into his office and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Whose files that?"

"Toms. I'm just trying to figure this kid out, you know? We've never had someone like him before, he's reluctant to get to know the others, he wont talk to me or you, I mean, he barely says anything ever", Peter explained. "It's like somebody's just come by and shaken every word out of him".

"Tell me about it", Sophie agreed. "Yesterday I tried talking to him; he wouldn't even lift his head up to say Hello".

As Sophie finished, Shelby burst in to the office.

"Guys, I need your help, there's something up with Scott".

"What? Is he hurt? Is he in trouble?" Peter stood up.

"No, no, well, see he's been having these headaches lately, and they're getting worse and worse and I told him to go to the doctor but he wont, and then when I found some painkillers outside of the infirm…"

"Wait, wait, wait, painkillers?" Sophie interrupted.

"I was going to return them, they were just lying on the ground and I picked them up and knocked on the door but no one was there and when Scott came by and saw them, he forced me to give him some", Shelby hadn't taken a breath.

"You gave him painkillers?" peter said.

"It was just one, I was going to give them back as soon as the nurse was there but she hasn't been…"

"Why didn't you give them to us?" Peter asked.

"Well, I didn't want you to get suspicious and think I stole them", Shelby explained.

"Where are the pills now?" Sophie asked.

Shelby reached into her pocket and pulled them out. "Here", she handed them to Sophie. "I don't think he took a lot, the bottle's still full".

"Well, I thought you said he only took one", Sophie asked.

Shelby hesitated. "See, yesterday, he snuck into my dorm and stole them from my drawer".

"Oh no", Peter sighed.

"Please don't punish him, I just want him to get some help and go see a doctor", Shelby pleaded.

"You should have come to us first. We can't make him do anything", Peter told her.

"Peter, please", she continued.

"Look, we'll talk to him, ok, that's the best we can do", Peter said.

After a long day most of the Cliffhangers had gathered outside. They sat on the bench as a car pulled up.

"Newbie alert", Daisy said. They were curious as to who would step out. As an older man stepped and opened the back door, a bulky kid stepped out.

"Oh my god, it's the Thing", Ezra joked.

"The Thing?" Juliet had clearly never read comic books.

"You know, Fantastic Four", Ezra told her. The kid was about 6 feet tall and very muscly.

"I pity the group they put him with", David said.

"Well, its only right to return the favour, I guess", Ezra smiled.

"Freaken, do you even know what you meant by that?" David asked.

"I think what Ezra meant is that everybody at Horizon already pity's us because we have you", Daisy explained in he usual tone of blandness.

"Aw, but you still love me, don't ya Dais?" David laughed with daisy.

"I love that you choose 23 hours a day to make a fool of yourself, sure", Daisy said,

"Oh-hoh, you kill me", David chuckled fakely.

"I try", she said. As the Cliffhangers continued to laugh and joke around Auggie noticed another car pull up.

"Jeez, there rounding them up today", he commented. "Another newbie". As the Cliffhangers looked Daisy seemed to get a little uncomfortable.

"That's not a newbie", she said standing up. "That's my dad".

Scott had been called to Peter's office and there was only one think he was thinking. Shelby had told Peter.

"Peter, you wanted to see me", he said as he walked in.

"Yes. Look, I'm guessing you know what this is about. Shelby has come forward and brought to my attention that your getting a lot of headaches."

"She's exaggerating, ok? There's nothing wrong with me", Scott sighed.

"So, why did you take those pills?" Peter asked.

"She told you that", he scoffed angrily.

"It doesn't matter, the point is where worried about you Scott. All of us. And if your headaches are bad enough for you to got into Shelby's room and steal those painkillers from her drawer, then I think you need to see a specialist", Peter explained.

"I don't need a specialist, I'm getting a few headaches, I'm not dying", Scott was a little louder.

"Just think about it, ok?"

"So, what's my punishment? Shuns?"

"About that. You can thank Shelby. She pleaded with us just to let you off the hook", Peter explained.

"She did?"

"Yes she did. You can go now".

As Scott walked out of the office he saw Shelby sitting on the stairs, obviously waiting for him. When she saw him come out, she stood up.

"So… you told Peter", Scott said.

"I'd rather you hate me than something happen to you", Shelby explained.

"Shelb, I don't hate you, I could never hate you", he reached out to tough her shoulder but she pulled back.

"Scott you lied to me", she told him.

"I know. I'm an idiot ok? I am really sorry", he was genuinely sincere.

"Are you?"

"Yes, come on", he said.

"One condition", she stated.

"What?"

"You go see a doctor", she told him.

"I'm not going to see a doctor", he said boredly, tired of all this doctor talk.

"Fine", she said and walked away.

"What, so its us or some lousy quack?" he yelled after her.

"No, its us or your health", she called back not even turning around.

Scott didn't want to see a doctor. That much was clear. But not even he knew why? Maybe he was subconsciously scared of what the doctor might say.

Daisy was not yet over the shock of her dad being at Horizon, even though she had been walking with him for about an hour. She knew one thing. She wasn't gonna make it easy for him.

"I was in town for business, I thought I'd come by", he explained.

"Yeah, right", she didn't believe him. "So, what's up, daddy? You sober?"

"6 months now. I'm doing good", he stopped for a second. "6 months since that terrible accident".

"What? You mean the one where mom ploughed into a tree", Daisy said sarcastically.

"Daisy, don't be like that about your mother. I know you miss her. You know, I wanted to be there for you when she died", he began.

"Well, guess you failed there", she laughed.

"Daisy please, its true. I did want to comfort you, and make you understand. I didn't know how. And instead I pushed you even further away".

"Well, where already in a whole different country, how much further can we get? You know Australia's nice this time of year", she joked.

"Will you stop being so facetious", her father snapped. "Look, I have to go take care of some things. I'll be back tomorrow, maybe we could go for a burger or something"?

Daisy thought about this. She would kill for a real burger. "All right what the hell".

The phone was going off in Peter's office as Sophie approached the door. Peter had been in the mess hall with the kids while she was supposed to be in there answering the phone. She got to it in time.

"Hello, Peter Scarbrow's office, how may I help you", she spoke.

"Sophie? Its Katherine" the voice said.

"Katherine? Kat, that's you", Sophie said excitedly, "How are you?"

"Um, yeah, I'm good", Kat said not sounding to sure about her answer.

"How's college going?"

"Uh, its not. That's sorta why I called. Sophie, some things have happened here, uh and I was advised to quit college and come back next year", Kat said.

"But I thought you were on top of your grades", Sophie was confused.

"It wasn't my grades", Kat said carefully.

"Then what?"

"Like I said, some stuff happened, anyway the point is, I wanna come back, I've talked to my parents and they think it's a good idea. My dads gonna ring this afternoon. Please say yes", she said all in one breath,

Sophie couldn't see a reason why not, but she had to discuss it with peter first. "Tell ya what, I'll discuss it with peter, before your father rings this afternoon and we'll have your answer then ok?"

"Thank you Sophie", Kat said before hanging up the phone.

David was in the mess hall doing his debate. His partner was Scott and he was sure he was going to win this, knowing what he did. He couldn't believe the good prodigal son had stolen painkillers and gotten himself addicted. It would be so easy to beat Scott now as Scott was supposed to be on the defense side of the debate, saying how there shouldn't be harsher punishment for drug users. All he had to say was some crap about how Scott would obviously be saying this, because he's been scoffing down the pills since he'd gotten back. He didn't really want to reveal Scotts secret like this but he needed the grades and he figured it was the best way to go. He actually felt kind of bad about what he was going to do. He had done worse stuff in the past but he had to admit that Horizon had softened him.

It was later in the day and Shelby was getting some rest in her dorm when there was a knock on the door. She got up to open it but when she did, she was surprised by what she saw.

"Alright", Scott said simply.

"Alright? Alright what?

"Alright, I'll go to the doctor. I'll get checked out, whatever you want I'll do it for you", he said lazily.

"Don't do it for me, do it for yourself", she was annoyed that he wasn't taking this seriously.

"Whatever alright. Peter's got me booked in for an appointment in an hour at St Agnus. I've just been to the infirmary, they told me I should get a cat scan and a blood test", he told her.

"A cat scan and a blood test? Its not that serious is it", Shelby asked a little worried.

"No, no, its just a precaution. I'm fine", he explained. He could tell she was still annoyed with him. "Shelb, I'm sorry, for everything ok? I was told you I was an idiot. You shoulda run while you had the chance", he smiled.

She smiled back. "I've still got that chance".

"No you don't", he said.

"Oh, I don't", she laughed playing along.

"Nope, you couldn't live without me, know why?" he asked smugly.

"No, I don't. Why?"

"Because ya love me too much", he joked.

"Oh-hoh, now that's questionable", she smiled as he hugged her.

"We good?" he asked.

"Yeah, we're good", she replied.

"Good", he kissed her forehead.

Finally it was becoming near to the end of the day and Peter sat in his office, catching up on some work. He was expecting a phone call from Katherine's father. Peter was curious as to why Katherine wanted to come back, after all, she had graduated last year. As if on cue, the phone rang and Peter picked it up.

"Peter Scarbrow, how may I help you", he greeted Mr Cabot.

"Hi, this is John Cabot. I understand my daughter called earlier".

"Yes, she did. She said she wanted to come back to Horizon", Peter led the conversation.

"Yes, that's right and I think it would be a good idea. See, Kats been having some problems", Mr Cabot began. "She hasn't been coping very well at school or at home".

"Mr. Cabot, could you tell me what kind of problems she's been having?" Peter asked.

"Well, I'm sure she told you that she was advised to drop out of college until next year. The Dean thought it would be in her best interest. Look, lately she's been taking anti depressants again and I'm afraid she's having a relapse", Mr. Cabot explained. "Please Peter, we need your help".

That's it for today. Hope you like it. Please review. Next up we find out what's going on with Scott and more on Tom as well. Plus another newbie with an Aussie accent.