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Ch. 9 Living In Another World Tryin' To Get Your Message Through
(CLARE)
"Here her dress is in there and everything she'll need for tonight and tomorrow morning. Our parents are at a party tonight they'll be home very late since the party is in London. I'll make it look like she's sleeping and then tell them she left early," Jake tells Fitz handing him my overnight bag.
It's Friday morning and tonight is the homecoming game and dance. I'm of course attending both with Fitz and then sleeping at his apartment tonight. Jake is attending with Katie but he'll sleep at home tonight. We arrived at school a few minutes ago and waited for Fitz and Bianca to arrive before going into the school so that we could put my bag in their car.
"Thanks," Fitz smiles locking the bag in the trunk and then we all walk into school together.
Jake leaves us to go find Katie as soon as we're inside. Bianca, Fitz and I walk to their lockers. Fitz and Bianca open their lockers and start getting out books and Owen joins us. He starts getting stuff from his locker and they all come with me to mine where we find Adam and Drew. Bianca greets Drew with a kiss and I hug Adam before opening my locker.
"You excited about the dance tonight?" Owen asks.
"I love dances," Adam smiles.
I don't know how to dance. I type on my phone after closing my locker.
"Don't worry I'll show you dancing is easy," Fitz assures me and I smile.
The entire day the whole school seems to be excited about the game and the dance. It's just about all anyone talks about and the school is totally done up in the school colors, there are banners, posters and balloons. When school lets out Owen and Drew leave for the locker room and I walk out to the bleachers with Adam, Fitz and Bianca. I see Jake and Katie in the stands and I wave to them. The cheerleaders are cheering and the band is playing, there's excitement in the air, more than for a normal game. I watch Drew and Owen and clap for them but mostly I enjoy being with my boyfriend and friends. DeGrassi wins and the DeGrassi students go crazy, screaming and cheering, jumping up in the stands. Several students including Bianca run out to the field to congratulate the players. The band starts playing a victory march and people are dancing and hooting for DeGrassi. The dance starts in an hour so most of the girls begin to filter into the school to get ready.
"Hey Clare you want to get ready with us?" Jenna asks coming over with Alli. Bianca's still making out with Drew on the field so I nod.
"I'll get your bag from the car," Fitz says.
We walk with Fitz and he gives me the overnight bag with my dress. I follow Jenna and Alli into the school and the washroom which is already crowing up with girls changing into their dresses. I've never been to a dance before so after I put on my dress and shoes I start to leave the washroom but Jenna and Alli stop me and insist on doing my hair and makeup. They pull my hair back and pin it up and put some makeup on me, not too much but it's still more makeup than I've ever worn. When I leave the washroom I find Bianca about to come in.
"Hey you look great. The boys are changing, you can stash your bag in your locker and we'll get it after the dance," Bianca tells me and I nod.
Jenna and Alli also have bags to put in their lockers and we walk together. I put my bag in my locker and then I text Fitz to tell him I'm ready. He says to wait by the auditorium entrance and he'll be there in a few minutes so I do. Jenna and Alli are waiting for their boyfriends too but Fitz shows up first. He's wearing the same black jeans he wore to school but he has on a white dress shirt and a suit jacket.
"You look gorgeous," Fitz smiles when he sees me.
You look handsome.
He smiles and kisses my cheek before offering me his arm. He gives our tickets to the kids taking tickets at the door and we walk into the dance. It's decorated with streamers and balloons in the school colors. Fitz puts his arm around me and we walk over to Jake and Katie.
"You look beautiful Sis," Jake says and I smile.
"Hey guys," Adam greets us.
You look very nice. I type on my phone and show it to Adam.
"Thanks you look great. The football team is getting ready to come in and Bianca should be here in a moment," Adam tells us.
"You called," Bianca smiles putting her arm around Adam's shoulders.
Suddenly the music stops and Coach Armstrong announces the football team and they all walk in. Everyone cheers and claps for them, the coach says a few more words and then the music starts back up. Owen and Drew come join us and Jake and Katie go to the dance floor. We talk a few moments and then Adam asks Anya to dance. The rest of us go to the refreshments table and then sit on the bleachers.
"You want to dance?" Fitz asks after we've eaten a little and he's disposed of our trash. I bite my lip because I don't know how to dance, never been to one and my parents never took me anywhere there was dancing. "It's easy come on, I lead and you follow," Fitz says standing up and offering me his hand.
I take his hand and we go out to the dance floor. I look around at the other girls; most of them seem to have their arms around the necks of their guys so I do the same. Fitz puts his hands on my waist and we just sort of sway back and forth to the music. I'm not sure this is actually dancing but I do like being so close to Fitz and having him hold me. Our eyes stay locked and I smile at him the whole time. After the slow song is a fast one, this is a bit harder to dance to and when I look around at everyone it seems like everyone is doing their own thing and dancing in their own way. Fitz lets go of my waist but takes my hands, I follow his lead and we dance. We spend a lot of the night dancing; I enjoy dancing the more I do it. The dance ends at eleven, we say goodnight to our friends and talk with Owen and Adam for a bit while Bianca and Drew share a very long kiss goodbye. Then I leave with Fitz and Bianca to go to their place.
"Do you need anything?" Fitz asks when we're in his apartment and he's locked the door.
I'm not tired can we watch a movie or something?
"Sure," he grins, "let's get ready for bed first."
Bianca says goodnight and Fitz and I get ready for bed. When I come out to the living room I see he has pillows and blankets so he can sleep on the sofa tonight, he said he was giving me his bed. Fitz turns on the TV and we find something to watch, I cuddle up to him and he puts his arm around me.
Tonight was fun I love dancing with you. I type on my phone during a commercial.
"I love dancing with you too," he smiles kissing me gently.
I love being with you, I always feel so good when I'm with you.
Fitz smiles and kisses me again. When I start falling asleep on Fitz he says it's time for bed. He kisses me goodnight and I go back to his room. I fall asleep as soon as I'm in his bed and have happy dreams all night of me and Fitz.
(JAKE)
"I need your help getting the table ready son," Dad says knocking on my bedroom door Thanksgiving morning.
I get my shoes on and go down to the garage to help him get the leaf in. It's usually only the four of us for any holidays except on the rare occasion that the grandparents come out or we visit them. We always put the leaf in the table at Thanksgiving though so we can put the good table cloth on the table and Mom always makes a ton of food, I also eat a ton of food.
Dad and I get the leaf in the table and I start chopping veggies for the salad when the doorbell rings. Dad answers it and I look over when I hear him walk in with someone. It's Uncle Norman and I've never given him much thought but since finding that note from him about Clare's treatment I'm suspicious of him and now he's here. He's come to holidays before of course as he's the only relative that lives close but he doesn't come often and I've never paid much attention before.
"Hello Jake," Uncle Norman says giving me a smile. Clare sees him now and she freezes and then begins shaking slightly. "Hello Clare," Uncle Norman smiles at her. She was tossing vegetables in oil to roast them but she's just frozen now and chewing her lower lip so much I think she's going to bite through it.
"Kids aren't you going to greet your uncle," Mom snaps at us. "Hello Norman glad you could make it," Mom smiles at him.
"Me too, how have you been feeling Clare? You've grown a lot since the last time I saw you," Norman says approaching Clare and she shrinks away from him.
"Clare finish those vegetables please. You boys can get the table set," Mom says.
I get the table set while dad and Norman sit down to watch the game. I watch Clare closely; she has been so happy these last few weeks. Having friends, school that challenges her, a boyfriend and a social life, she's begun to open up, to be happy and normal. Of course she was always sullen and more like her old self around our parents but I knew it was because if they became too suspicious they'd keep her in the house more and watch her more closely. But now just seeing Norman seems to have sent her back the shy frightened girl she had been for the last eleven years. She has this fear in her eyes and this look of shame or something, I'm not really sure. She's barely moving, she's gone quiet it's like she wants to disappear.
I've seen this from her before, this is how she always used to be and I just thought it's who she was. I mean I knew she wasn't as timid or quiet as she was around Mom and Dad because I would talk to her. She's always come to me after nightmares and stuff but in the last few weeks she's totally come out of her shell and been this new happy person. All it took was to see Uncle Norman and she's regressed back to that quiet, timid, scared little girl.
I need to shower. Clare writes on the chalkboard as soon as she's done with the vegetables.
"Alright Clare but don't take too long it's Thanksgiving this is family time," Mom replies.
Clare pretty much runs up the stairs. After a few minutes I hear the shower come on. It runs for a while and then I hear it turn off and I hear her bedroom door close.
"Where is that girl? How long does it take to get dressed? I guess I better go check on her, help her get dressed," Mom huffs when Clare doesn't come back downstairs after half an hour.
"I'll check on her Mom I need to get dressed anyway," I tell her. Mom just nods and I go upstairs and opening Clare's door. "It's me," I call in as I open the door so she knows I'm coming. She's still wrapped in her robe, huddled on her bed and sobbing. "What is it Clare?" I ask sitting on the bed and putting my arm around her.
I don't want to be here. I want to go to Fitz's.
"Is it Uncle Norman?" I question but I know it is. Clare nods and curls up a little more. "I can't sneak you out to Fitz's place now they'll get suspicious. Sit next to me at dinner and I'll sneak you over to Fitz's tonight after our parents have gone to bed. You can stay the night and come to school with them in the morning. Get dressed and come downstairs or Mom will come up looking for you. I'm going to get dressed in my room, wait for me and we'll go down together."
Clare nods and I leave her room closing the door behind me. I change into darker jeans and a nicer flannel which I button up. I wait in the hall for Clare to emerge from her room. She wears a long black skirt and a white blouse with roses embroidered on it. I'm sure Mom picked out her clothes earlier. Clare goes into the washroom and brushes her hair then we go downstairs together. Dinner is almost ready and Mom is upstairs dressing, Clare stays as far from Uncle Norman as she can and I make sure we sit together at the table.
"So Clare how is this new school?" Uncle Norman asks her when she starts eating.
Great I love it. She writes on the chalkboard.
"It's not too challenging? What about the kids?"
It's nice to be finally challenged and the kids are nice.
"How are the nightmares Clare? Your parents said you were having nightmares again," Uncle Norman comments and Clare shakes her head.
"Clare don't lie we know you've been having nightmares," Dad says.
"We can put you on medication again," Uncle Norman says and Clare shakes her head vigorously.
"She doesn't need medication she's fine, better than she's been in years. She's had a couple of bad dreams it doesn't mean she needs medication," I speak up.
"We're just concerned for her Jake, Clare has special needs her anxiety disorder is severe and she could have a break if we don't keep an eye on her," Uncle Norman says.
"She doesn't…" I begin to argue in a sharp voice but Clare grabs my hand under the table. "She's doing great she doesn't need to be closely monitored, she's not a little kid she's a young adult," I tell them but keep my voice calm and soft.
"Well of course she is we just want what's best for her," Mom tells me.
"Did they tell you I have a girlfriend?" I ask to get the attention off of Clare.
Clare eats a little and no one else asks her questions for the rest of dinner. Uncle Norman does have three glasses of wine with dinner. We all clean up after dinner and then sit down for dessert and Uncle Norman has two cocktails with dessert. After dessert Clare goes upstairs to use the washroom and we start cleaning up from dessert. Dad and Uncle Norman make themselves drinks and go outside. I go up to my room to call Katie but my window is slightly open and I hear Dad and Uncle Norman talking below it, they're talking about Clare so I set down my phone and listen.
"Any progress with her speech?" Uncle Norman asks Dad quietly.
"She hasn't talked," Dad replies. It's odd the way he says it though it's not like he's said or worried that she hasn't talked. No it's more like he's certain she hasn't spoken and he's not just happy but comforted by this. His reaction only assures me that he and Mom not only know why she stopped talking but they are the cause and I'm certain Uncle Norman is in on it whatever it is.
"Do you think she needs further treatment? It has been a few years since the last one," Uncle Norman says.
"If she doesn't now I know she will. I think we should have some medication on hand too just in case," Dad comments.
"I have some with me I'll leave some."
"Good you know you've had a lot to drink, maybe you shouldn't drive back to Kingston tonight. And if you're here while Clare has a nightmare all the better," Dad says.
I send a quick text to Katie saying Happy Thanksgiving and I'm thinking about her and then I go into Clare's room. I know she's in there because I never heard her go back downstairs.
"Stay in your room I'll tell Mom and Dad that dinner isn't sitting well with you and you're lying down. Uncle Norman is staying the night," I'm saying and Clare looks frightened again and grabs her chalkboard to write.
We won't be able to sneak out! I want to be with Fitz. Not SAFE! She writes furiously on her chalkboard as she begins to shake and tear up.
"We will we can go out the window in my room. I promise you I will get you to Fitz and keep you safe. Just stay in your room and stay quiet okay?"
Clare nods and I leave her room, I go downstairs mostly to keep an eye on the adults. Everyone has work or school in the morning so I'm shooed up to my room at ten. I get ready for bed and then go check on Clare, she's made it look like she's sleeping but I know she's awake. I wait until midnight and when I'm certain the adults are asleep I go into Clare's room. She's awake, dressed in jeans, tennis shoes and a sweatshirt with a t-shirt underneath. Her backpack is packed and ready and I bring her into my room opening the window.
"I'll go first, watch me and then climb down. The trellis is right below my window it will hold you but wait until I'm down first."
Clare nods and I climb down, she watches me then swings her leg out the window and starts climbing down. When she's close enough to me I reach up and lift her down. We run through the back yard and to my truck and I start it then drive as fast as I can to Fitz's place. We go up to their apartment and I bang on the door, in hindsight I probably should have called first but I guess Clare might have texted.
"FITZ IT'S JAKE OPEN UP!"
Again sorry for the short chapter but Sundays but it was another busy Sunday. The update next Sunday will pick up from here in Fitz's pov as tries to figure out what's wrong. I may also jump ahead to Halloween and some sexy Flare fun in that chapter.
