Chapter Ten: A Trial and a Performance (part 1)

On the following day, Jack was called to the music class. It was both unsurprising and weird at the same time. Unsurprising because it was normal to Jack being called into the music class when he was having another. Weird because he had never been called in the middle of his Math lesson.

Isn't she having another class to teach?, he thought as he walked towards his music class.

His school's music class was better than the one he had in his old dorm, and the teacher was better as well. Her name was Miss Young, and she was pretty even in her early fifties. Her hair was tied tidily and she wore quite stylish glasses for a woman her age.

"Good morning, Mr. Merridew," she greeted, a small smile on her face. Her hand was holding a piece of paper. "Do you have any idea why I call you?"

Jack, realising the seriousness of the situation, shook his head. "No, Miss."

"I've contacted the principal of St. Daniel," she said. "And he approves of you."

"Really?" Jack's heart leapt in excitement and pride. "What should I do now?"

"He wants you to sing."

"Sing?" Jack asked, disbelief and underestimation clouding him. "That's all?"

"Yes," she answered. "I got the record of your solo on Kyrie Eleison from your old school. The one you sang before the War. That one is the best, and apparently he likes it too."

Jack nodded, although the irony made his insides colder. It was true that Kyrie was his best back then, but he swore he would never sing that song again, since it could trigger many memories from the island. And that song was the one that made him could go to his dream school. Nothing could be more ironic than that.

Miss Young noticed nothing and kept talking. "You can choose the song and have two weeks to practice. I'll help you."

"Thank you, Miss." He smiled.

She smiled back and patted his shoulder in an almost motherly way. "I'll tell you more tomorrow. Now scram."

Jack rushed out from the music class and was going to get into his current class when a girl called him. "Are you Jackson Merridew?"

"That would be me."

"You have a call," she said, her hand playing with her long hair. Jack sneered at the nervous gesture. He hated it when people went fidgety near him. He wouldn't bite them! "It's from your mother."

"Thank you," he said curtly before left to the teachers' room.

The teachers' room had a phone, which they called it as 'Student's Public Phone'. It was used by parents or people who needed to contact the students in a need of emergency and vice versa. When Jack arrived in front of the phone, he saw an elderly teacher who taught History. He stared at Jack intently before glanced at the phone.

"Your mother seems quite panicked," he said. "Pick it up, Merridew."

So Jack did, his heart racing.

"Mum?"

"Thank God! Jack!" she said rather dramatically. Her voice sounded distant. "I've been waiting for hours!"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Mum," he said. "Miss Young called me."

"About St. Daniel? She called me earlier, and congratulations! She said you have to..."

Jack couldn't bear to hear his story being told. "Sing in front of him," he said, smiling. "It'll be wizard!"

"Yes!" she said, her voice sounded more cheerful now. But then the happiness died down as quickly as it appeared. "But it's not the reason why I called, Jack."

Something cold gripped Jack's insides, but he stayed silent.

"I... Roger... we saw you two yesterday. You and Ralph," she said, and Jack's breath hitched. "It... I decided to talk to Mrs. Wilkinson. We... let's say we have a deal."

"What?"

"Ralph will stay with The Wilkinsons. You know her sons, right? The twins, Sam and Eric?"

"Samneric," Jack corrected instinctively.

"Yes. Sam and Eric."

Jack rolled his eyes again. "So he'll stay there," he said, barely could contain his relief. "Thank God."

"Until the trial for his custody comes."

"What? But you can't adopt another child!"

"I can't," Mum's voice cheered softly. "But Mrs. Wilkinson can."

Jack was feeling pretty content now. Ralph was taken to Samneric's house and he was free to visit him every day after school, since Ralph's new house was far from Jack's. Besides, Jack had his bike to use.

Samneric were still cold and fidgety towards him, but he pretty much ignored them. One day Roger came and they fled from their own house. Ralph was uneasy with that, but Jack and Roger understood how much those twins feared them, and decided to let it pass.

To Jack's shock, and dismay, Ralph's trial came exactly the day he had to perform for his scholarship in St. Daniel. His father insisted that he and his oldest sons didn't abuse Ralph, and Jack felt that this trial would be bitterly interesting. He almost cancelled his meeting to St. Daniel, but Miss Young had stated that the principal was a very busy man and he didn't have any more time, so Jack grimly accepted.

Uncle Gareth took him to St. Daniel before he went back to the court. The man was quiet, so much unlike his wife and so much like Roger. Jack wondered if they would speak when they were put in a room. Jack knew that was why he couldn't get really close to his adoptive father.

"So... you're going there?" he asked on their way to the art institute.

"Yeah," Jack answered, looking out the window. The sky was darkening, giving them a sign that it would rain.

Jack could hear Uncle Gareth inhaling deeply. "Good luck," he finally said.

"Well, okay." Jack said. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Awkward silence covered them once again. Then Jack broke it, as he snapped his head at his adoptive father. "D'you think Mrs. Wilkinson will win?"

Uncle Gareth didn't look away from the street. "Of course she will."

"What makes you feel so sure?" Jack asked.

"No parents will win for child abuse."

"But they're still his family! And you should hear what that social worker said about their house!"

"I know," Uncle Gareth's voice was quiet. "But not because The Foleys have bigger house and better income can make him stay there. The Wilkinsons aren't as rich as them, but Ralph likes them, and that's the important thing."

Jack sneered. "That worker gave better score to his abusive family," he said bitterly.

Uncle Gareth suddenly stopped the car, and Jack wondered how come he didn't realised that they had arrived to his will-be school. "Listen, Jack," he said quietly but firmly. "It's all up to Ralph. It'll be his choice eventually. All you need to do now is sing."

Jack tightened his grip on his backpack. Uncle Gareth was right, as annoying as it was. "I don't want to come here today."

"Yeah," the man answered. "You want to go to Ralph's trial. We all know that."

"So why—?"

"Because we know this place," Uncle Gareth gestured at the huge building of St. Daniel. "Is your dream place and even Ralph wants you to go."

"He does?" Jack narrowed his eyes at him. "You're not lying, right?"

"What's the use?" the man shrugged. "Roger talked to him yesterday. He was quite angry, but he understood."

Jack didn't say anything. But Uncle Gareth did.

"Jack," he said in a voice that reminded Jack of a schoolmaster. "I know I'm not the best... father ever, and I can't be really close like Tanya, but I'm trying. You and Roger are great boys and we're proud to have you. My job," he paused, scratching his head. "Makes me go here and there for business trips, and... well, I've talked to my boss, Jack, and I decide to take more desk jobs. For you and Roger. I'm trying, really."

Uncle Gareth sounded like he had practiced before saying that, but Jack smiled anyway. When he was a little boy, he used to imagine if he were adopted. And those words came out from someone who would be his father someday.

"I can see that," the redhead said sincerely. "Dad."

A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! I love all of you! Review plz? :D