CHAPTER 8

It was Friday, close to the weekend. Most people disliked school days and adored weekends, but I was the opposite. Because with my latest foster family they would be gone on weekends and I would be stuck with two teenagers taking care of the kids white trying to make something only with the very limited amount of food given was tiring. I didn't really get a chance to hang out with anyone because I learned early on that making friends goes nowhere when you are constantly moving. Now it wasn't so bad because I got Facebook and could connect with some of my classmates and acquaintances from other schools, but at home I wasn't allowed on their computer so I would have to use the one at the schools.

But today I actually was going to school. Well, kind of. Jax and Tara were enrolling me at the local high school, the one that both of them went to. There was another high school, but obviously this was their first choice and if something happened then their back-up plan.

It was just after one o'clock and I just finished getting ready, putting my hair in a side braid and put on a white beanie while wearing a white t-shirt with a large black heart on it and a pair of dark red shorts. I spent some time working on my eye make-up and giving myself a little smokey-eyed look. Although it wasn't my first day of school, it was still during school hours and people I would be going to school with later are the people I will be seeing today, so it was today where I would really make my first impression.

So I'm not sure how that impression will go when I walk into the school with a guy wearing a Sons of Anarchy cut.

I went on a hunt for my sandals, stepping out of my room and going to the front door. I saw Tara walking around with Thomas in her arms, purse in her hand but her brows furrowed. She saw me and said with a sigh of relief, "oh Sidney, can you take Thomas for a moment? I can't find the keys. Jax is getting Abel ready. They should be out soon."

I smiled and gently took the baby from her arms and gave him a smile, "of course I can," I gave Thomas a large smile before saying in a high pitched happy voice, "hi Tommy."

Tara was already in search for the keys and I smiled as I held my brother against me and moved like I was gently bouncing him. I heard Tara go to the kitchen and I head the bathroom door open and I saw Abel run down the hallway to me. I gave him a smile and saw Jax come down the hallway as well, dressed in blue plaid and wearing his cut. He gave me a smile and I smiled back to him as Abel began to put on his shoes. He reminded me to look for my own, so still holding Thomas, I looked at the grey shoe mat and saw my sandals laying there. Putting them on, I heard Tara call, "Jax I can't find the keys. Did you take them."

"I thought you put them on the kitchen table." Jax called back, moving to the kitchen.

"So did I but they aren't here…" Tara said in wonder before she moved into the living room and looked around, "Abel honey did you take the keys?"

The little blonde boy thought for a moment before he said, "I didn't want you to forget them, so I put them on the couch."

Both Jax, Tara, and my eyes went to the couch and sure enough, that's where they were. Tara leaned down and took the pack of keys before she told Abel, putting on her own shoes, "thank you for trying to help Abel, but remember to tell me, your dad, or Sidney if you take them."

He nodded once, but I'm sure that it was already forgotten. Jax explained to me as we walked out, Tara locking the door behind us after we all got out, "we have to drop the boys off at TM for the afternoon and then we will be on our way to the school."

I nodded, shifting Thomas to hold him in my other arm before I saw my dad move to his motorcycle and take out his keys. Tara's car wasn't exactly big and with two car seats, I would have been jammed in the middle with barely enough room for me to sit down and move to put on my seatbelt. At least this way I would be able to sit in the front.

Tara helped Abel into his seat while I put Thomas in his. Jax called to us, putting on his helmet as he got onto his bike, "I'll go behind you."

Tara was already moving to go into the driver's seat and she nodded, "okay."

I shut the back door and as I was getting into the passenger side, I heard the bike start up. I got inside and sat down, putting on my seatbelt when I heard Tara start the car and pull out. I sat quietly in my seat, looking out the window at Charming as it passed by, hearing my dad follow us on his bike. Even though I remember some of the streets, they still looked different, and I was completely lost when we got onto the roads I know didn't lead downtown. But soon I saw that Teller Morrow Auto Repair sign and I recognized that.

When Tara actually pulled into the lot, I looked around. The place looked a lot different than the rainy, dark night when I first came here looking for my father. I could actually see the garage and the little office that Jax and Opie took me to. And the garage and clubhouse part looked different too. It wasn't full in a party swing. It was calming, the guys I recognized from my dad's house talking, smoking, or beginning to work. This place sure looked different from night and day.

Tara pulled into the lot and she could see that I was still nervous. She gave me a weak smile and parked the car before she told me, "stay in here. We'll be quick. Just a quick drop off. Besides we have to be there at the time she gave us…so we have less than ten minutes."

I nodded, giving her a bit of a smile before I heard the back doors open. Abel had already gotten out of his seatbelt and out the door, running to the group of men excitedly, "Tiggy!"

The curly haired man I recognized from last night gave him a large smile. He was the closest to Abel from the point he got out, so I wondered if that was why Abel called for him specifically. I saw Tara grin before moving out of the vehicle and open up the back doors. She got Abel out of his seat and held him to her as she walked him to the group of men. My father was up to them as well, talking and giving a last goodbye to Abel and Thomas. I watched as Jax and Tara talked with the guys and how the guys handled the kids. The Scottish one with the scars took the baby and held him protectively, as if he were afraid it would fall, but still with experience that I recognized on a lot of parents. He had kids of his own and I guessed that most of the others did too. When seeing them like this with Abel and Thomas, they didn't look so scary.

I saw that two of them looked over at me, just observing that I was there, but it made me feel a bit uncomfortable. As much as my dad and Tara were trying to usher me into the group they were a part of, I was still an outsider. I saw Opie come outside with the old man I recognized as Piney. He saw me sitting in the car and he gave me a smile and waved over. I forced myself to give him a smile back before turning my eyes to Jax, who gave Abel one last kiss on the cheek before he and Tara moved back to me. I sighed and watched as Gemma came out now, Abel running quickly to her, screaming 'grandma.' That made me smile too.

Tara got back in and she put on her seatbelt, looking out the window beside her as we waited for Jax to get on his bike and put his helmet back on. Soon, Tara pulled out of the lot, giving the guys one last wave. I heard my father's bike as he followed us again.

Soon after going through different streets, Tara pulled into this large parking lot that was beside a two story square, red bricked building with a small rectangle part at the side of the same colour. It looked modern, the front had a couple of stairs and for a large part of the wall around it was glass like a very large window.

Tara parked the car and I saw Jax park in the spot beside me. He shut off his bike and got off of it as I looked around, slowly unbuckling my seatbelt and opening the door. There were a couple of kids outside on some picnic tables near the back fields. They were looking over at us with interest and I let out a breath before stepping out of the car, turning to look at my dad who was giving me a smile. Tara got out as well and shut her door, locking the car before saying before I could shut mine, "wait! Jax your cut."

He furrowed his eyebrows and asked looking down at himself, "what about it?"

"Jax there is a policy against clothing relating to gangs." Tara said.

He laughed, "good thing I'm not in a gang."

Tara raised her eyebrows and said in a warning tone, "Jax, think of Sidney."

To be with Tara's point, I'm not so sure going to the principal with a father sporting his cut would make a good first impression. Plus, it would make good conversation about me before I even started attending the school. I turned on my heels to look at my dad, giving him a small, pleading smile, "please?"

He looked at me before he looked at Tara, who I was sure was giving him a look as well. He looked down and sighed before shuffling off his cut. He folded it before placing it in the passenger seat. I shut the door and Tara smiled, "thank you."

"Yeah yeah," he grinned before he moved to wrap his arm around her waist. She grinned up at him as they began walking to the front of the school. I followed close behind, staying quiet. I'd done this many times and the best you can do, I find, is to pay attention to the atmosphere. Most people think all is the same when it comes to atmosphere's in high schools, that in the end there isn't much difference. And in truth there isn't structurally, but everything depends on the student body. I've gone to schools where every student was nasty to each other and I've been to some where everyone was very calm and nice while I've been to others who have had a bit of both.

As I entered the school, I noticed that most of the hallway was empty except for a few students, who immediately looked at the three of us. But I was use to the staring.

The energy of the school was showing me that this was the 'in-between school' the school that had a good atmosphere with some really bad apples. It wasn't the best, but at least it wasn't chaotic.

I looked around as I followed Jax and Tara around the halls. It looked pretty average. Older looking lockers, tiled floors, pictures of past students on the walls, plain walls. Nothing extraordinary, but it still seemed like a nice school.

Going down a hallway, we soon came up to a room that had lots of windows for the students to see inside. I guessed from the large desks and older computers and the older people inside this was the principal's office. Strangely, this never changed in any school either.

My dad opened the door and Tara gave him a smile as she walked inside and Jax gave me a wink as I went in after her. I gave him a nervous smile and walked in. Tara went to the front desk and Jax quickly followed after her. The lady at the desk was older, but not elderly. She was probably the same age or around it as Gemma. She had red hair that you could tell was dyed by the way you could see her starting to grey roots and was thickly curled and full of hairspray that it was hard on the top of her head. She was very thin, almost sickly and wore a black skirt with a yellow blouse.

She looked up at us and gave us a smile. She looked thin and sickly and something from a horror movie, but I could already tell she was nice. From basing your relations with people on first glances all your life, you get to see the personality behind a person's smile. Hers was genuine, not forced. I gave her a smile back.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"We have a meeting with Mrs. Peckham regarding enrolling Sidney Teller." Tara answered.

The woman's smile widened and she nodded, "oh yes. Mrs. Peckham is expecting you. It's good to see you two again. It has been a couple of years."

I saw Jax grin and Tara smile, "only a couple."

I looked between them, already putting two and two together before the woman said, "you can go to her office. She is just getting the forms and should be up here within a minute or two."

They nodded and gave her a smile before Jax looked back at me. I smiled to the woman as well before following Jax and Tara into an office right beside the front desk. The office was a medium size and it had a picture of a older lady, probably holding about five to ten years on Gemma and is probably close to retiring. She was a bit bigger, but not fat and had greying hair that made her almost look younger with black glasses.

The room was a regular grey and the desk was clean and there were four chairs in front of it with two off to the side. I sat down in a chair slowly while Jax and Tara did theirs more with ease. Jax, who was sitting beside me, turned to look at me and he said with a smile, "she was here when we went to school. Our last year. And Mrs. Peckham was our principal when we went here and she knew Clay from high school too."

Wow, the connections around here were deep and solid.

Before I could comment, I heard the door open behind us and all three of us looked to see who it was. I saw the woman from the picture come in, holding some papers and files and she gave us a smile, "Ah, Judy told me that you guys were in here. It's so good to see you again Jackson, and you as well Tara. I was overjoyed to hear that you came back to town."

They both smiled at her and the woman walked behind the desk, set the papers and files on it, and then sat down. She smiled at all of us before she turned to me and held out her hand, "and you must be Sidney, our soon to be new addition to this school."

I shook her hand, "nice to meet you."

She gave me another smile and she told us, "so the record of your past schools were transferred and I was able to look over them this morning. Everything seems to be in check except for a few classes and I was very excited to learn you were coming Sidney. We don't get students with GPA's as high as yours."

Jax looked over at me and I looked down, a little bit embarrassed. Mrs. Peckham continued, "now, to get with the forms. As I understand it, Sidney you are currently a ward of the state?"

Nodding I answered, "yes."

"And Jackson and Tara, both of you have been given guardianship by the state of California under the impression that she is still a ward of the state?"

Both of them nodded, "yes."

Jax continued, "I'm her father legally and biologically, but I'm on guardianship for a few months until the court decides to give me full rights and custody."

The woman nodded and asked, "and Tara you are still in guardianship position under the state?"

She nodded, "yes. I'm Sidney's guardian, in the same position as Jax, but Sidney is not my biological daughter."

Mrs. Peckham nodded, looking over a legal form, "and is the biological mother in the picture at all?"

All three of us shook our heads, and Mrs. Peckham asked, "does she have any legal rights to Sidney concerning guardianship?"

"Only as much as me. As I understand it, she put Sidney in foster care, or in a sense of a closed adoption that led to Sidney going to foster care when she was not adopted and has not since tried to contact Sidney or fight for her rights as becoming Sidney's mother legally." Jax answered.

Mrs. Peckham looked at me, "this true? Or at least as far as your knowledge?"

I nodded. She didn't contact me, I tried to find her and my father.

"Okay. I'm just trying to get an understanding of these forms and the ones that you two have to sign and fill out." Mrs. Peckham explained as she moved to look into some papers before picking up some forms that were stapled together and giving them to Jax and Tara, "so basically what you do is fill out these forms and you can do that with me or you can take them home and then give them to me at a later date. They will take a bit to fill out."

Jax and Tara were already looking over the papers and Mrs. Peckham looked over at me, "until then, I have a laptop you can use to make up a schedule, Sidney. Although it is into the semester, with your average I'm sure you will get caught up fast." I saw her move to the corner of the room and open a small cupboard space and she took out a normal, older school laptop and turn it on and giving it to me before getting a piece of paper that had boxes on it as in an unfilled schedule and a pen, "what you can do is I'll get you to the site that allows you to look over the course selections and then you can make your own timetable. Write the selections on here and I'll register them for you after I upload these forms to the database. On your first day attending, come to me to get the schedule. There should be no problems with what you give me, but it will also hold more information such as your locker number, your student ID, things like that."

I nodded and when the laptop was uploaded, she moved around online until she got to a website and took me to the course selections and selected items from grades eleven and twelve before giving it to me to look over. Mrs. Peckham explained as she looked into a file, "now, you are behind in a credit of science. To graduate from our institution you need three credits of science, you only have two, which I assume is what was needed in your old school board."

I nodded and she told me, "you can chose between grade eleven biology, physics, or a grade eleven and twelve split chemistry class. Other than that chose what you want with the exception that just like every school, you need a grade twelve English, which universities nad colleges also look at. We have a wide course selection here, and online classes as well that you can take. And with your GPA, if it is required for you to need it to get into a college or university, you are allowed an overload by only one class that you would have to take online. And college and university applications are coming up, so we will be quick to make you up to speed with that with our courses in relation to what you will send. Is there anything in mind already that you are interested in? Our academic advisor Mr. Jones is very informative on just about any subject."

Nodding again, briefly looking over the courses she could see on the screen without scrolling down, she looked back up at the teacher and at Jax and Tara. The two of them were looking over at her too. I shrugged and answered, "yeah…um, I'm looking at being a lawyer actually."

Jax and Tara's eyes widen in surprise, not shock but surprise. Probably because I never discussed it with them. Mrs. Peckham smiled, "well, you are lucky. We have a couple of different law classes you can take. One here at the school and one online. I see on your application you already have some under your belt. Anything in mind for a specific type of lawyer?"

I shrugged, "I'm thinking either a family and divorce lawyer or a criminal law lawyer, or something in trials. Still deciding."

She nodded and kept smiling, "any schools in mind?"

I looked down, a little embarrassed. It seemed like a far-fetched idea, something that a girl like me couldn't really just do. I answered a little nervous, "umm…yeah. Umm…Harvard actually."

Jax's eyes widen in surprise and a smile forms on his face, "Harvard?"

I looked down and nodded, shrugging a bit too. Mrs. Peckham told me, "well, you'll be on the other side of the country, but you will have a very prestigious and outstanding record for your job. And you have a high grades for it. And I'm sure your SAT scores will reflect that as well. Have you started studying and taking lessons for SATs?"

I shook my head, although I knew those were coming up.

The principal nodded and she told me, "we will help you get caught up with that and help you achieve a high standing, although I doubt that you need the help. I honestly don't think that Harvard is going to be a problem."

I nodded, still blushing a bit before Mrs. Peckham told me, "you look at your course selections. I'll take over these forms with your parents. When you are writing down the information, place the classes into the period slots. They will change every two weeks, but just in the order in a round. Also, please write the course title and code and the teacher's name."

Nodding again, remaining silent, I looked over the course selections. I first found the law course. It was for the first semester and the online one for the next, so I put those on my paper, giving myself a side slot for the online one that I could put in my spare as I heard her talking with Jax and Tara. I looked over the English courses and put down the standard Grade Twelve English course before looking at the mixed chemistry course and putting it on my paper as well.

After that, it's what they had for electives. I found they had a psychology and sociology course and put that on my paper while also using my last two spaces for gym and a philosophy course that I thought would look good for applications for a lawyer. I was done pretty quickly, filling out the timetable before I looked up and told her, "I filled out the period slots."

Mrs. Peckham looked over at me and gave me a smile, "excellent. And just in time. The papers have been filled out. I think we are done here then. Jackson, Tara I will call you when all of the forms have been put into the database and when Sidney is fully enrolled. You should hear from us within the week and we will tell you when your first day of school can be, Sidney. Before you three go, feel free to look around for a bit."

I nodded and smiled before all three of us got up and said our goodbyes before leaving the office. We waved to the front desk lady and once out of the office, Jax looked at me and asked, "do you want to look around?"

I shook my head and shrugged, "I think I'll be fine on the first day." I gave them a smile.