Chapter 26
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Disclaimer:
The Dumping Ground and Tracy Beaker belong to Jacqueline Wilson
The characters belong to the BBC
Erin Walker belongs to Zebralover4578
Sam Carter (mostly) belongs to me
Arietta Rosenberg belongs to me
Jemima Anderson belongs to me
The quote used from the song For Good belongs to the owners of Wicked
"Last day on the Dumping Ground minibus," Johnny reminded Sam, who sighed before grinning.
"We're first on the minibus," she said,
"so..." Johnny asked, then he paused, brain whirring.
"Back seat," they said together, then sprinted to the back of the bus.
Kitty glared at her ex-boyfriend and Sam for taking her seat, while Erin just nodded politely and sat down next to Kitty.
"Are you crazy?" Tee asked her brother and Sam,
"evidently so," Sam replied, "but hey, it's my last day. Might as well make the most of it."
Tyler nodded, before making his phone blare music.
"Minibus rave," Sam declared, waving her arms crazily in the air.
It was fair to say that the entire Dumping Ground got told off when Mike entered the mini bus.
Xxx
Children are very impressionable.
One moment can change them forever.
On the 14th of February 2009, when she had just turned 9, in the late hours of the night, she went to get a glass of water and to check on her science experiments.
Instead she found something that changed her life forever.
Xxx
"Mike," Ari called, when she saw her care worker enter the ward.
"How are you?" he asked,
"Am I going to miss seeing Sam?" she asked him, he paused for a second before nodding, the teenage girl sighed, "can you give her this?" she produced an envelope.
"Of course," Mike told her.
He pocketed the letter.
There was silence for a moment.
"I had my first meeting with my psychiatrist earlier," Arietta told him,
"how did it go?"
"good,"
"good."
Silence.
"How is Sam?" Ari asked,
"well she's excited about moving in with her grandparents," Mike told her, smiling, glad that one of his kids was getting adopted.
"so she isn't feeling upset?" Ari asked, though in her head she carried on: that we'll never see each other again.
"Why would she be?" Mike wondered,
"no reason," Arietta sighed, feeling crushed and regretting her letter.
Xxx
"So are you telling me that...?" Robbie asked,
"YES!" Sam yelled, "I mean I thought, that but... well... I couldn't believe it that..."
"Miss Carter, this is an ICT suite, not a zoological society, so can you please shut up?" the teacher asked.
"Wow," Robbie whispered,
"I know right," Sam replied.
Xxx
Violets are blue
Roses are red
If I had never met you
I would now be dead
Erin looked up, Rick was watching her, Erin looked away.
She looked back down at the note he had sent her.
The bell rang, she grabbed her bag and headed straight for the door, but then tripped over a chair leg.
She was falling. Falling. Falling. Then she wasn't. Rick had caught her.
"Are you ok?" he asked, looking concerned.
"I'm fine," Erin snapped, before storming away through the door that Rick held open for her.
Xxx
"Why should we be partners?" Jemima asked, hands on her hips, looking at Johnny unimpressed.
"Consider it an early birthday present for me," he told her, "my birthday's on Sunday."
"But I wasn't getting you a present," Jemima told him honestly.
"Ok," Johnny sighed, "I don't want to have to go with Kitty. She'll either pretend I'm invisible, or spend the whole time bitching about me, to me."
"Finally the truth," Jemima muttered, "ok," she told Johnny, "let's investigate the Lithium Chloride."
"Why can't we to do the bleach experiment?" Johnny asked,
"we're not doing the bleach experiment," Jemima replied immediately.
"Why not?"
"We're not doing the bleach experiment," she snapped, "now get me the Lithium Chloride, or fuck off."
Johnny didn't bother arguing, he just nodded and obeyed the Welsh Girl's wishes.
She was scary when she was angry and he had appeared to have hit a nerve.
Xxx
"I think he's trying to make me jealous," Kitty told Erin,
"uh huh," Erin replied, not paying attention to her best friend, instead she was watching Rick who standing on the other side of the canteen.
"Like going with Jemima is going to make me jealous," Kitty paused, "you don't think there is something going on between them?"
"Yeah," Erin said, wondering if Rick was serious about his poem.
"You think there is something going on between Johnny and Jemima?" Kitty asked,
"yeah," she repeated, remembering how good things were when she was with Rick.
"But, why would he like Jemima? She isn't even pretty, or is she pretty? Do you think she's pretty?"
"Yeah," Erin's phone vibrated:
One message from Rick:
Heyyy x
Heyyyy xxx
She typed back.
"Do you think Jemima is prettier than me?" Kitty asked, Erin scrolled through her photos, smiling at the numerous selfies including her and Rick.
"Yeah," she replied.
"WHAT!?" Kitty almost shouted, "I'm miles prettier than Jemima."
"I'm sorry... what?" Erin asked, finally paying attention.
"You said that Jemima's prettier than me," the younger girl snapped.
"Oh I..." she trailed off, Rick was grinning at her, making her feel all gooey.
She barely noticed when Kitty grabbed her tray, and stormed away.
Xxx
"Do you think Erin and Rick will get back together?" Tee asked,
"I don't know," Tyler told her honestly, "I just want things to go back to how they were."
"Back when everyone got on?" Tee asked, Tyler nodded.
"Everything feels so strained at home," he added,
"everything is changing,"
"everyone is changing," Tyler added,
"I'm sorry," Tee apologized.
"Not you, Kitty, what has happened to her?" Tyler asked rhetorically, "ever since Ari arrived she has gotten so much bitchier, and hostile. Very hostile. She is so different to the girl that used to be my friend. So different to the girl who went to Burnywood. She used to be scared, now she's just mean."
"I'm glad things ended between her and Johnny," Tee said,
"he seems to be doing quite well," Tyler commented, looking over to where Johnny was laughing with Sam and Robbie.
"Sam has helped him so much," Tee pointed out a moment later, "it's tragic that she's being adopted tomorrow."
Tyler nodded, "they would have made such a great couple."
Xxx
For the year 10s it was music, and they were rehearsing for the Christmas concert and Erin had just remembered that Rick was playing accompaniment to her singing, so she would have to face him.
Deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breath.
She opened the practice room door, "hey," she said,
"hey," Rick replied, looking up from his guitar, grinning his trade mark grin, all while strumming.
"What song is that?" Erin asked,
"it's nothing you would have heard of," he told her.
"Try me," she replied, he paused before grinning and starting the piece again, then starting to sing:
Yesterday I said things I didn't mean
And it was really mean
I didn't mean to be cruel
But your so cool
I just want you back in my arms
Away from harm
We'll together forever
And we'll break up never
Because I love you
He sang.
The song itself was cringy, and he had evidently tried hard on it, but song writing was evidently not his forte.
That didn't bother Erin though.
Unless passionately kissing now meant that you didn't approve of someone's work.
"I'm so sorry," Rick whispered,
"you better be," Erin replied, smiling.
"I love you Erin Walker," he told her, "and I love you baby."
Xxx
Her last journey home on the minibus.
Her last dinner at the Dumping Ground.
Her last shower.
Her last time of watching reruns of reruns on Dave Ja Vu.
Sam counted the things she would miss about the Dumping Ground.
Then she fell asleep in the Dumping Ground for the last day.
Xxx
Johnny rolled over, the clock read 2:53AM, he pulled himself out of bed and pulled on a hoodie.
He crept down the stairs, making sure to avoid the creaky step. He had stolen the Office keys earlier, he needed to look through the files.
Through Jemima's file.
He went to place the key in the lock, but the door just opened, he considered it a bit strange but thought nothing more of it.
He closed the door, and switched on his torch. He walked over to the filing cabinet where he knew Mike kept the personal files. It was locked.
He sighed, and went over to the Mike's desk looking for the key. After a minutes searching Johnny gave up, and sung down into Mike's chair, then his feet collided with something solid. But not the desk.
Something that was moving.
So Johnny instinctively kicked it.
And it yelped.
"Jemima!" Johnny exclaimed, "what are you doing here?"
"Here the office, or here under Mike's desk?" Jemima questioned.
"Both, wait is that Erin's file?" Johnny asked,
"yep," Jemima admitted,
"but..."
"shut up," she snapped,
"what is..."
"seriously just shut up," Jemima repeated,
"I..."
Next thing Johnny knew Jemima had grabbed him, and pulled him under the desk, then switched off his torch.
"SSH," she whispered, placing a finger on his lips. Then he heard the footsteps. "Mike," she whispered,
"how do you..." Johnny started, but Jemima simply covered his mouth, not seeming to phased by the fact that Johnny was practically lying on top of her.
The door opened. Mike walked in. He looked around the room for a minute. Then turned round, walked out, locking the door behind him.
Johnny went to move away, but Jemima held him in place.
"1, 2, 3..." she mouthed.
Johnny waited for what seemed like forever.
"98, 99, 100," she whispered,
"can I get up now?" Johnny asked,
"yes," Jemima told him, he stood up, looking awkward. "You should go,"
"why? I have something to do,"
"I won't have sex with you," the Welsh girl told him, readjusting her fluffy dressing gown.
"What?" Johnny asked,
"I'm not blind," Jemima said, looking pointedly at his... area.
"Look it doesn't mean anything," he said in attempt to defend himself. Jemima nodded, slowly, and rather sarcastically.
"So came to look at my file?" she asked,
"no, of course, why would I do that?" he stuttered, Jemima walked over to the door unlocked it,
"good night Johnny," she told him, opening the door for him.
"I..."
"good night Johnny," she repeated, he sighed and walked away defeated.
Xxx
Then it was Wednesday, the day of Sam's departure, but all the others had to go to school.
They all hugged Sam (apart from Kitty, who just glared) but then they were gone.
"Sam," Mike said, as she was sat in the lobby, surrounded by bags waiting for her Grandparents, "Arietta gave me a letter to give you," he said, handed her the letter and before she could read it, the doorbell rang.
Then she carried her suitcases out of the door.
For the last time.
Xxx
Tee sat thinking, wishing Tyler was in her maths class, but mainly thinking.
She didn't feel as numb as she once did, but she still wasn't as happy as she once was.
She wished that she could turn back time, not run away, not fight with Johnny, not hurt Tyler.
But she couldn't.
Xxx
When she was a kid she wanted to save the world. By Wednesday the 27th of November 2013, she didn't want to save the world any more, instead she wanted to save all the people on the world.
Xxx
Sam sat on her new bed, fingering the envelope, Ari's last message to her. She sighed, before prising the envelope open.
Dear Sam,
Firstly I apologize because I'm not the most word-y person, well I can be when I'm speaking but I'm the best writer.
Ok, now I wish you happiness and hope you live a long, fulfilling life, maybe give your old friend a call once in a while.
Now you need to understand what you mean to me, how much you have changed me.
The following quotes from the hit West End and Broadway musical, Wicked, seem to sum up how I feel:
"It well may be, that we will never meet again, in this lifetime. So, let me say before we part: so much of me, is made of what I learned from you. You'll be with me. Like a handprint on my heart. And now whatever way our stories end, I know you'll have rewritten mine. By being my friend."
Elphaba, For Good, Wicked.
Ok, now I'll stop quoting musical at you, ideally I would included a recording of it, but I doubt Mike would provide me with an MP3 player, that will play upon the opening of the envelope.
But that is my way of saying I'll miss you, and I am so grateful, that even for the short time we have known each other, that I've had the honour, of having you as my best friend.
Until we meet again,
Arietta Tara Rosenberg xxx
Sam just stopped. Then re-read the letter. And again. And again.
Xxx
"If you get any aches, or dizzy spells book an appointment immediately," the Doctor told Mike and Ari, "and I'll email you details of your next check up."
"Thank you," Arietta said, the Doctor smiled.
Ari didn't say anything as she walked to Mike's car.
She just stared out of the window.
Then they pulled into the drive of the Dumping Ground and Ari sighed; It was time for her to face the truth.
Sam was gone.
Xxx
"If I tell you about me, will you tell me about you?" Johnny asked Jemima, the brunette looked up.
"I already know about you," she told him,
"I don't think you..."
"Jonathan William Taylor," Jemima interrupted, "born the 1st of December 1999. Son of Lucy and James Taylor. Dad left when you were 2, immediately Keith moved in. His was abusive towards you, Tee and your Mum. On the 16th February 2006 you and Tee were taking into care," she told him, and Johnny just stared.
Stunned.
Xxx
She felt like a ghost walking through the halls of life. She felt numb, but not because of the painkillers.
Her fingers brushed the door, she waited for a moment before pushing it open.
Gone was the meaningless (and meaningful) clutter, gone was the dirty laundry, gone was the life.
She paused for a second, her gaze pausing momentarily on the violin on the desk, an amazing present, but not enough to life the dark.
Her fingers scraped the cold glass of the window, outside the autumn colours had faded, the leaves lay in their grave at the bottom of the tree.
Her reflection ghosted across the the window, highlighting the dark rings around her eyes, and the jagged scar running down her cheek.
The whole situation has a dream-like quality, nothing seemed quite real. "Maybe I'll wake up," she whispered, voice husky. She recoiled her fingers from the window, wiping the condensation onto her bobbled hospital gown. Wrapping her arms around herself for... comfort? Protection? Warmth? To feel something?
Pain is... painful but nothingness is infinitely worse. It causes your world to blur, and leaves you unable to distinguish between dreams and reality.
The door opened, Arietta didn't look round, she knew who it was.
"Hello," she whispered,
"hey," Sam replied, the blonde walked over to her best friend, and wrapped around her arms around the girl. Ari leant into her.
Then she turned her head and kissed Sam, before pulling away and sighing.
"I wish this was real."
Poor Ari, I wish it was real too :(
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