Sorry this chapter took so long! I have been very busy this past week with sports tryouts and what not. I hope you guys like it! Please review! :)
It's like waking up from a really good sleep. One of those sleeps where your body feels like a brick that hasn't moved and when you wake up your ears turn on first and then your eyes kick in, but you don't want to open them because it may ruin this really nice feeling you're experiencing, but you do anyway. That's what it felt like as my eyes fluttered open. For a split second I thought I was waking up for the first time this morning, ready to see my room, but instead I see Stef's concerned face staring down at me and I realized I fainted. Great.
"Lena stop dialing, she's coming around." I hear and see Stef say. I gather my bearings. My head was on Stef's lap, cradled within her hands. I was on my back and my legs were folded to the side. Stef had moved me because obviously I had not passed out like that. Lena was on one side of me and everyone else was on the other. I am so glad I could be entertainment for everyone because that's what all of their faces showed, interest. Ok, it's time to get up. Enough of the spectacle. I start to move, but Stef pushes me back down.
"Whoa Cor, take it easy." Stef says kindly.
"I'm fine Stef, I want to get up."
"Cori, you just passed out give your body time to catch up."
Seriously Stef? I don't want to be the elephant in the room anymore, let me get up. I do not want all this attention.
"Stef really I'm good." This time I tried a little harder and I got myself up into a sitting position. I looked around the kitchen, Lena was nervously fiddling with the phone in her hands, Brandon, Marianna, and Jesus, were all staring at me from behind the other side of the table and Callie was staring at me from the doorway. When did she get here? Well I guess that doesn't matter that much. She probably just thinks I put on this show I'm an effort to get everyone's attention or make people feel bad for me or something. I take a breath and stand up, Stef mimics my moves and stands up herself.
"See I'm perfectly fine. I'm not going to pass out on you I promise."
I actually meant what I said. I still felt kinda crappy, but a lot better than how I had felt before. It was almost like passing out was actually some reset button or something. Stef and Lena still weren't convinced though. They both stared at me like statues until Lena decided to speak up.
"There is no way you are going to school today missy."
There was really no use in fighting her, but then again I wasn't too thrilled about spending my whole day with one of them looking after me.
"But-"
"No buts, sit down and everyone else go get ready for school. You guys still have to leave in an Half an hour," Lena says to all the occupants of the kitchen. I resentfully take a seat on a stool and lean on the kitchen table.
"Really I'm fine." I tell both Lena and Stef.
"Fine people don't pass out young lady." Stef says as she rummages through the medicine basket.
"Stef, I told you we could have sent her back to the hospital." Lena says rather quietly. I heard her, but I don't think Stef did and if she had then she chose to ignore it.
"Lena honey where is the thermometer?"
"It should be in there." Lena says as she places a glass of water down in front of me. "Drink."
"Oh found it!"
I take a sip of the water and Stef comes over to me. "Open." I give her a look and reluctantly open my mouth. She sticks the thermometer under my tongue. "Close." She says and I do. They both watch as the number on the thermometer climbs. Personally, I could barely make out the numbers from my angle, but I could tell it was getting higher and higher. Five seconds later it beeps. Stef pulls the thermometer out of my mouth.
"Absolutely no way you're going to school today kid." She says nicely.
"103! Stef I'm calling the doctor."
"Is that really necessary?" I ask. I hated being watched over and cared for like this. It made me feel weird, slightly uncomfortable. I had always taken care of myself and for the last few days I had been too. I didn't need or want their help.
"Yes it is." Lena tells me. "Before I call what do you feel?"
I shrug.
"Come on Cori work with us here." Stef says as she goes to the sink and washes off the thermometer. I look at both of them and sigh, this was not going well. All I wanted was to be left alone and now that's far from happening.
"Umm well I don't know, I'm hot? My head hurts and my shoulder throbs," I wished I hadn't said that. Lena immediately raised her eyebrows at that. I try to backtrack a bit. "But like its been hurting for the past couple of days, its a side effect of being stabbed you know."
"With the meds the doctor gave you it shouldn't be throbbing. You have been taking them right?" Lena asks. I nod my head.
"Twice a day, everyday." I mumble.
"Then you should have no pain." Stef says, chiming in.
"Let me take a look at it." Lena says. I roll my eyes and she gives me the look. When Lena gives you the look you don't mess with it. I slide my t-shirt down my shoulder along with my bra strap that was placed over the bandages. Thankfully I didn't have to pull it too far down because the stab wound was pretty close to the top of my shoulder. Lena gently peels away my white bandage and takes a look.
"There is your problem, it's infected." She says lightly pressing down on the tape that held the white gauze patch in place to cover it back up. I fix my shirt and look at both of them.
"That would explain the fever." Stef says.
"I'm going to call the doctor now, you are going back to bed missy." Lena tells me.
"I will escort you upstairs, I have to check on Jude anyway." Stef says. I get up from the chair and she motions for me to go in front of her. I grumpily walk up the stairs with Stef in tow. She follows me all the way to my bedroom where she opens the door for me.
"Bed now." She says. I walk in and flop down on my bed. She smiles, I don't smile back. I guess being sick means Stef automatically is nice to you.
"I will be back once Lena is finished talking to the doctor. Get some rest." She closes the door gently, leaving me alone in my room.
She came back to my room fifteen minutes later and I was still in the same exact position as she had left me in.
"Lena is just about to leave with the other kids, I'm staying home with you in Jude, but I am going to go out in about an hour to go get some Antibiotics from the pharmacy for you. The doctor also wanted me to remind you that you still have that concussion from your reckless headbutt, so you should be taking it easy anyway. Ah and do you need anything in the meantime?" She asks.
Reckless headbutt? Excuse me? I'm pretty sure that reckless headbutt saved my life. I wanted to say that to her, but I know better. Instead I just nod my head.
"Well if you need anything, just call. I'll be down stairs getting some paperwork done."
I nod and she leaves. This is just spectacular, I'm going to have Stef looking after me all day, how wonderful. I mean Stef of all people? Why couldn't Lena, the one who actually likes me, stay home? I know Stef said she wanted to keep me, but I just keep thinking about what she said at the hospital. I can't help thinking what she said at the hospital was the truth and what she told me the other day was a bit of Lena's influence. I could see it on her face too, practically every time she looked at me I could see this 'i still think your trouble' face. It bugs me so much because I wish she would just say it.
After probably about an hour and a half of lying on my bed and staring at the ceiling I decide to go take a freezing cold shower. When the water hits my skin it feels so refreshing. I could have spent all day in there, and I almost did too. I spent a solid hour in the shower and then went back to my room. I found the antibiotics Stef had gotten on my bed as well as a glass of water on my nightstand. I take the pills and decide to take a nap. I crawl under the covers and soon I'm asleep which was just a bad idea. When ever I am sick my nightmares are always worse and always more frequent. It actually sucks a lot because when you're sick all you want to do is sleep, but then you can't because of all of these awful things waking you up.
This time my nightmare was one I hadn't had in a long time. Normally, I won't even wake up during this one, I'll just go through it, but this time it was different more intense more twisted. It took me back to when I was about 12, living with the Bradley's, the one with the psycho foster brother Mark. He was the one that gave me blueberries and then refused to give me my epi pen. Anyway, this nightmare as about the time he locked me in a closet for two and a half days when our foster parents decided to go somewhere over the weekend. Only three hours after they left he stuffed me into the tiny closet under the stairs and left me there. I remember that as he pushed me in he said we were going to play Harry potter, but last time I checked Harry potter wasn't starved or deprived of a toilet for two days. Usually the part that gets me awake, if I do wake up, is when I go through the point where I try taking the screws out the door and my fingers start to bleed. I didn't wake up at that this time though, I keep dreaming. This time the dream changed though and instead of Mark opening up the door and letting me out it was Kenny and he had a gun. He yanked me out and instead of being in the hall way of the Bradley's we were in the warehouse where everything went down. He pulled me close to him and put the gun to my head. Nathan stood in front of us and it was weird because I knew what was going to happen next, but I couldn't stop it and I couldn't wake up. He shoots Nathan, I scream, I run to him, and this time I hear another bang and I'm on the ground. Then I was looking at myself, bullet to the back of the head, eyes wide open. Next thing I know Jake is standing next to me and Nathan gets up from the ground and walks over to me. In unison the say, "This is how it should have happened."
I immediately wake up. I take a breath, realizing I'm in my room and I get out of bed. I look at the clock, 3:34. I was asleep for that long? Last time I checked it was just about eleven. I close my eyes and try to get all the images out of my head I just saw. I cover my face with my hands and rub my eyes. I had this awful feeling, guilt. "This is how it should have happened." It lingers in my head. I decide to take out my box if memories. My scrappy old shoe box that holds everything important. It usually made me feel better looking at that stuff. I take it out of my dresser and dump all the contents gently onto my bed and then sit. I go through it one by one.
My foster dads police badge.
My parents wedding rings on a chain.
The legal papers my real dad made for the police.
A note, handwritten by him, telling me about my life from day one till I was four, when he left me.
An old family photo of my real dad, I assume his girlfriend, a younger boy, about 10 or 12, my brother I think, and I assume my other biological brother holding me. My older brother, who I named Nick, was dressed in a military uniform and was looking down at me because I was grabbing at his uniform. Everyone else was in black, meaning it must have been the day of my moms funeral. I have never met my brothers and sometimes I wish I had, but I have never gone looking for them.
Next is a picture of myself and Jake and Nathan.
There is a key chain I got from crazy Lucy, the fat old lady who had watched over me my first year alone homeless.
There is a beaten up copy of to kill a mocking jay that Marty had given me.
There is pocket knife Kenny gave me.
There is a small notebook containing information about the gang I was apart of, stuff I gathered for the police.
There is roll of cash.
There are a few more pictures of me and my friends from the gang.
There are three keys I have kept. One belongs to Kenny's office, the other an apartment he gave us to live in, and the next a safety deposit box key Kenny had. He had entrusted me with key and I had never shared that with the police or anyone. This was my insurance, hopefully, if I ever got into anymore trouble. This was one of the most important things in the box.
The last thing that was probably the most important was a picture of my real mom. She is pregnant and smiling down at her stomach, me. The picture is taken like she had no idea she was being photographed. I liked it like that though, it was true, genuine, not faked or forced. This picture always makes me feel better because its the proof that someone did want me. Someone was happy I was in their life and I wasn't burden. Too bad that is all gone now.
After about twenty minutes of just moping over my old things. Stef calls me to come downstairs. I had a bad feeling, but I comply. I walk down the stairs and l almost literally felt my heart drop into my stomach. There in the entryway was the police officer and detective from before. Shit. I stop dead in my tracks and just stare at them. This obviously could not be good.
"Cori they need to talk to you. Why don't we go into the living room." Stef says. I don't reply, I just walk into the living room without a word. I sit in the chair and they sit on the couch. Stef takes the other chair. Detective Ross, the one that visited me before, speaks.
"Cori, we looked into Tyler Grasso after the information you gave us." He stops for a second and I don't know if he wants me to say something or what, but I just stay silent. I have learned it is better to be quiet in these sort of situations.
"He denies the allegation of attempted rape." I think my mouth slips open. I was shocked, but I probably could have seen this one coming. Ty was almost positively a douche, so it wouldn't surprise me that he would lie. I started to get that angry feeling in my gut, but it was also mixed with anxiety because they wouldn't have just come over here to tell me that. There must be something more. Something that I probably did not want to hear.
"Is that it?" I ask, becoming restless in my chair.
Detective Ross looks at me and for a second I feel like he feels bad for me, but then he starts talking and I think that expression was just disbelief or something.
"When he recounted the events of that night, it was very different from what you told us."
There it was, that is why they came. They needed to get the facts straight. For some reason I look at Stef, and I just see a face filled with disapproval. Right now she was not in foster mom mode, she was in police mode and I swear ready to interrogate me.
"Mr. Grasso had some interesting allegations himself."
"Oh did he?" I blurt out. I guess I was getting mad.
"Cori." Stef says, but I ignore it. Detective Ross continues to speak.
"He says that you came there by your own free will and you knew you were coming to see him. He told us that you were looking for a job and you wanted to get back in the Calle del Rey Gang. Apparently you brought him some cocaine to show you were serious and you inhaled some. You even offered some to him, but he refused. Then you came onto him and he said," he pauses and looks to the police officer next to him who had a small note book out.
"Quote, 'that crazy little bitch came onto me and when I said I didn't do that sort of stuff with girls her age she got violent and then ran off. She is one crazy psycho kid.' End quote," the officer says and looks back over to Detective Ross.
"That is bullshit." I say, looking directly at him.
"Cori watch your language." Stef says sternly. Obviously she was not on my side. I look at her now. I was getting very frustrated. "Oh I'm sorry Stef," I say sarcastically and then turn back towards Detective Ross, "His allegations are complete and utter nonsense."
"Cori it does not look like they are." Detective Ross says calmly.
"What do you mean they don't look like they are? Why would I want to go back into a gang that I already rated to the police on before? This is crazy. I am done with all that crap! The only reason I went there was because I didn't want Kenny to come here and hurt them! And I most certainly did not bring cocaine there or come on to him!"
"And are you sure all that is true?"
"Cori don't lie to us." Stef says.
"What you don't believe me either?" I turn towards her. "Of course you don't! You think I'm trouble and just want me out! Who wants a kid who leads gang members to there house right?" There was an idea. I turn back towards Detective Ross and the police officer.
"What about the guy that attacked me and Jude? He is totally connected to Ty."
" said he had never seen this man before and the people he was with when we questioned him had never seen him. He has no relations to ."
This couldn't be happening. Was I honestly going to get in trouble for all of this?
"He is lying. He is lying about everything." I tell him angrily.
"Cori, there are people that back up his account. There is no one to account for your version."
Of course there isn't. I close my eyes and take a breath. I have to get under control.
"What does this mean for me?" I say calmly, but I probably still had an attitude.
"Well you have broke your probation on multiple accounts. First, you were not suppose to connect anyone who could have affiliations with any gang in San Diego. Although it is not definite it looks Ty Grasso is apart of the Calle de Rey Gang. Also, you also were in possession of illegal substances, the cocaine-"
I cut him off. "I did not have any cocaine!"
"Well, we have a warrant to search you room and belongings and if you do, you will be automatically sent back to the Juvenile detention facility."
My heart begins to beat faster. I didn't have any drugs, but just thought of Juvie made me nervous. I did not want to go back there. I was in for a year last time, what would happen if I stayed more? I would probably go insane. Juvie is awful.
"You can't be serious?! I didn't do anything!" I practically yell at him.
"CORI!" Stef yells at me. "Watch it. Be respectful." I think I wanted to slap Stef. I was just so mad. I cross my arms in front of my chest and let out a big breath.
"You're not going to find anything. I am clean and I have turned my life around, I swear. I don't know how Ty did it with all the witnesses or whatever, but I swear on my life that he is lying."
Detective Ross does not say anything in reply to that. He turns towards Stef and talks.
"Can you please show us to her room, Stef? We have the warrant for the search if you want to see it."
Stef gets up. "Nope that's ok, please follow me." Stef was definitely not on my team. She was totally helping them which just made me more angry and frustrated.
They both get up and follow Stef upstairs. I follow too. This day was just going fantastic. When they get to my room, Stef makes me wait in the doorway well they search. They start with my bed, looking under and on, taking off all the sheets and covers. They both move around my room searching in my closet and in the chair in the corner. They dump everything out of my book bag and onto my bed. Then they go to the dresser and start searching through that. It was weird to just watch people ransack your room and not be able to do anything about it. Everything goes still when they pull the shoebox out of the back of my dresser.
"What's this?" the officer says, giving it a little shake.
"Personal stuff."
He opens it and does a quick search through by hand. Detective Ross just watches. He then walks over to my bed and dumps it all out without a care. I sigh, but say nothing. It would just get me in more trouble. The officer hold up my foster dad's police badge.
"Why do you have this?"
I roll my eyes and give him an answer. "It was my first Foster dad's. He was an officer in the Boston Police Department. I was given it after he was shot. It is rightfully mine. Please put it down." The officer looks at Detective Ross who gives him a little nod and he tosses it onto the bed. He then picks up the roll of cash I had. It wasn't much but not nothing either, maybe like four hundred dollars was rolled up. He looks at me, holding the cash up.
"Is it a crime to have money?" I ask. Why were they going through all my stuff if they just wanted to search for drugs. This was unlawful.
"And I'm pretty sure you only had a warrant to search for the cocaine? Not anything else, so I would appreciate if the questions about things completely unrelated would stop. Search for the drugs, I don't care, but asking about my personal items needs to stop. Is that ok?"
Detective Ross looks at me and then exits my room, walking past me.
"Stef we have to do a quick sweep of the house, if you don't mind." He utters while he walks past. Stef nods and she walks out with him. Me and the officer are let in the room, well I was in the doorway.
"Are you going to help him with that?" I ask.
"I don't like smartasses kid. Watch what you say." He begins to walk towards the door leaving the cash on my bed. When he reaches me, he looks right into my eyes. "Troublemakers like you need to be taught a lesson and go to Juvie because you guys will only get worse. We will get you for something. I know you guilty of something." With that he leaves and I slam the door shut behind him. I slide down it and sit on the floor. I just breakdown. This wasn't fair.