Chapter 4
The following morning Ali and Mariana make the now familiar journey to school, Ali's head still in a daze about what - or who - she saw yesterday.
"Ali are even listening?" Mariana sighs dramatically, tugging at Ali's hoodie sleeve. Ali shakes her head slightly and glances to her left to find a slightly annoyed Mariana staring back.
"Sorry. My head was in the clouds." Ali laughs, the phrase had almost become her catchphrase over the last few years; a subtle way to let others know how her head was doing.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Mariana whispers slightly as Anchor Beach comes into view, "I heard moms talking to you the other day."
"I'm fine, honestly." Ali smiles slightly, her head still heavy, "It's just…" She pauses, hoping that Mariana will interrupt her but of course she doesn't, "We're nearly at the ten-year mark. I thought it would be better, easier by now, you now?"
Mariana pulls Ali into a hug not caring that her sister wasn't a big fan of them.
"I do understand, Ali." Mariana whispers as she pulls away, "My birth mom hasn't shown her face once in at least ten years. I know it's different but…"
"Mine have a pretty good excuse," Ali laughs slightly, always one to turn to humour in uncomfortable situations.
"Exactly. Mine certainly doesn't." Mariana nods her head firmly before moving slowly towards the school doors.
Ali quietly leaves Miss Porter's classroom and walks out into a completely deserted corridor. Miss Porter always let her leave ten minutes early to have some time alone, for some reason her tutoring periods always left Ali exhausted, unlike any other class she's been in.
Giving herself a gentle shake, she pauses to look into her next classroom - Biology - and finds that it too is empty. Ali tiptoes into the lab and places her bag down onto the table before resting her head down on it. However, before Ali can even close her eyes she hears the door handle turn.
Ali bolts upright, not wanting a teacher to think she's sick again and tell Lena. Only it's not a teacher but a pupil.
"Sorry is this 10th-grade biology?" A quiet voice asks, a small nervous smile forming on thin lips.
"Yes," Ali answers, returning the smile while she pulls out her textbook and notepad from her bag.
"Thanks, I thought I'd get lost," The girl laughs nervously, her flushed cheeks showing through her pale skin, "It's my first day. I'm Rachel by the way." She adds, stepping towards the front bench Ali is sitting at.
"I'm Ali. I remember being new here. It can be rough but once you settle in you'll be fine." Ali speaks confidently, laughing internally at herself, My rough and her rough are two completely different things, she thinks.
"I hope so." Rachel wrings her hands nervously, "Is there a seating plan? Should I wait for the teacher?"
"Actually, the only spare stool is beside me." Ali lifts her bag from the seat and tosses it onto the floor.
"Are you sure?" Rachel's smile grows as she walks around the bench to Ali's side.
"Well, if you don't sit there then you'll be on the floor for the rest of the year." Ali jokes shifting her books over to her own side before beginning to dig around the bottom of her bag for a pen.
Rachel laughs as she sits down. She pulls out a large notebook just as the bell for 5th - and last - period rings and the door swings open.
Ali begins to dry off the glass beakers in front of her as Rachel quickly fills in the answer sheet for today's practical beside her.
"Hey, what's the rush?" Ali asks, glancing down at the scrawled and almost illegible handwriting.
"I've got to get to soccer try-outs. I've no clue where they are and I really don't want to be late." Rachel explains as she stuffs the page into her binder.
"I can show you if you want. I'm going there too." Ali places the last beaker into its cupboard and closes the door before turning to face Rachel.
"I didn't know current players had to try-out," Rachel whispers and then immediately regrets it, her cheeks becoming flush again.
"It's Coach Masters' way of keeping us on our toes." Ali politely ignores the new girl's clear embarrassment.
"Right," Rachel mumbles as she slowly follows Ali out of the lab and into the busy corridor.
With all the bustling in the kitchen that evening, no one heard Stef's car pull into the driveway or the front door closing behind her as she made her way into the kitchen, glad to see her happy - even if slightly dysfunctional - family after the day she'd had.
"Hi honey," Lena smiles widely, moving towards her wife and hugging her gently, "How was work?"
Stef's lips part but no words come out, slightly shocked by Lena's sudden and unusual interest in her job. How do you know? she thinks, raising a single eyebrow.
Lena smiles nervously, ignoring Stef's confusion and goes back to the table. Without another word, she begins to pass full plates around to everyone.
"So Ali how were try-outs?" Lena asks, wanting to divert attention away from herself.
"I made the team." Ali modestly announces.
"That's amazing! We're so proud of you." Stef places a hand gently on Ali's shoulder as she passes, still making her way to her seat.
"I'll be playing striker again." Ali continues, glad to finally have some good news to tell, "I was a bit surprised that Rachel tried out on her first day."
"Rachel? As in the new girl?" Mariana quizzes.
"Yea, she got a defending position for this season," Ali smiles slightly.
"I hear that's not the only news." Jesus pipes up, "Rumour has it that Maddie is off the team." Ali's smile widens into a smug grin. "I knew it!" Jesus almost yells.
"Hey turn the volume down." Stef darts her eyes to Jesus who quickly settles himself.
"I'm glad she's off the team. I never liked her." As Mariana speaks her hand waves dramatically in the air.
"That's not very nice," Lena mutters her, although she's all too aware of Maddie Richmond's record.
"She's made Ali's life a living hell since she joined Anchor Beach. Some people get what's coming to them." Mariana glances over to see Ali's shocked expression and gives her a small wink.
As all four teenagers make their way upstairs to start on their homework, Lena walks back into the kitchen to find Stef leaning against the sink, staring out into the garden.
Lena quietly moves over and wraps her arms around Stef's waist from behind, resting her head on Stef's shoulder. She feels Stef tense in her arms.
"I know," Lena whispers, barely audible so that only Stef can hear her. She feels Stef's chest expand as she finally takes a deep breath and allows herself to relax slightly.
"How?" Stef whispers back, allowing their hands to intertwine.
"Mike called before you got home. He said that you'd need to talk to me." Lena moves Stef's hair away from her neck and kisses the soft skin.
Stef turns around, still in Lena's arms, to face her wife. Gazing into her eyes she finally lets her walls crumble. Tears begin to escape down her cheeks as she nestles her head into Lena's chest.
Lena quickly wraps her arms tighter around Stef, "Shhh my love. It's okay. She can't hurt us now. Rose can't touch Ali."
Stef nods before pulling back from Lena, allowing Lena to wipe away her tears before beginning to explain the day's events.
Stef and Mike had responded to an antisocial behaviour complaint. When they arrived they found Rose staggering through the street with an empty wine bottle in one hand and a half-full vodka bottle in the other, yelling angrily at anyone who dared look at her.
"I froze, Lena." Stef whispers, shaking her head, "All I could do was white knuckle the steering wheel and stay in the car. I'd have killed her if I'd got my hands on her."
"So what happened?" Lena prompts her wife, whilst gently rubbing her back.
"Mike got her into the car and we took her to the station. You should've seen how she reacted when she saw it was me driving." Stef's head dropped, embarrassed, "Turns out that's the fifth complaint this month."
"Come on, let's go to bed early. You look like you need it." Lena finally breaks the silence after a few minutes. She leads Stef upstairs, neither leaving the other's side for the rest of the evening.