Cpov
I never thought I would say this, but when my paperwork was finally sorted, it was a relief to be going back to school. Being cooped in the shelter was driving me nuts and I felt if I had to spend another day sitting there doing nothing I was going to scream or hurt someone. Probably both.
I'd been allowed to change into some of my own clothes that Will's mother had dropped off for me for school, and I sat with the other high school students waiting for the bus to take us each our individual schools.
Some of them were talking, competing with stories about whose life was more messed up, while others were like me and kept to themselves.
"A cigarette burn? That's all?" one of the boys asked Kelly, a girl that was assigned to my room, while snickering. "That's what I got if I was lucky. Are sure you belong here?"
"Shut up Zach." she snapped covering the burns on her arms. She had short red hair and green eyes that were looking at him resentfully. "But I guess I'd do meth too if I looked like you."
"Low blow Kel," he said but far from looking upset, he smirked. He did look a little messed up, he had a drug problem and I could only assume one day when he was high, he'd let what seemed like a very poor tattoo artist attack his face.
"Why are you here Parker?" he asked turning towards me curiously and I saw several heads turn in my direction, also interested. Everyone knew everyone else's story here but I'd long since decided just to keep my mouth shut while I remained in my current situation. Nothing I was thinking would help my 'newly reformed troublemaker' image I was supposed to be portraying to prove to the state that I wasn't a flight risk. The fight was bad enough, and I was just determined to keep my head down so as not to attract any more attention.
"Don't be shy," Ryan, a tall skinny boy with green Mohawk and heterochromia, said also smirking. "You can tell us."
Ignored them and turned a page in the book Dave had given me, determined not to say anything.
"Don't bother. You know she's not going to talk." Beatrice said sitting on the bench next to me. She had dark brown hair and black eyes that were made darker by aggressive eye make up. She had several piercings and was actually quite pretty, if she didn't look like she was considering burning your house down. She looked at me with interest. "Gonna put anyone else in the hospital today?"
She too was assigned to the same room as I was and had been there when I'd beaten the crap out of Harrison.
"Well whatever it is it must be bad." Zach said his light eyes glittering with a cruel amusement.
I turned another page and was surprised when something slipped from the book and fell into my lap.
I smiled when I realized what it was. I picked up the photo of Will and I and realized with a slight laugh that it was a picture of Thanksgiving where I'd fallen asleep on him during the movie.
Taped to the back was a note that was obviously written by Will
Seems like forever ago doesn't it?
Try not to worry too much, you'll be home soon
Then you can sleep on me as much as you want
I really Miss you cal
I love you
"That's sweet." Beatrice said, obviously reading over my shoulder looking at the picture. "He's really hot you know, your boyfriend. What's someone like him doing dating a shelter kid?"
Her attention was distracted from me however, as Kelly launched herself at Zach who'd gone back to teasing her. The two started to fight, and were quickly separated by staff members, then were dragged back to the shelter.
Several people snickered and immediately started gossiping about fight but I went back to my book. The bus couldn't come fast enough in my opinion.
When it finally rolled up and I found myself sitting next to Beatrice again in the packed rows of seats. She was filing a broken piece of plastic meal tray she found into a lethal point. Some people might have thought she was insane but I was a pretty good judge of character and I didn't think she'd actually hurt anyone. I think she just liked sharp things.
"So why won't you talk to us?" she asked, testing the point with the pad of her index finger. A drop of blood beaded around the tip and she put it in her back pack seeming satisfied, then she looked at me. "We're not all bad." She continued. "I mean, normally I'd think you're just a total bitch but you're locked up here with the rest of us." She shrugged. "So I really doubt you think you're better than any of us."
"You remind me of my friend Madison." I said looking out the window as the bus trundled onto the highway. She had the same kind of blatant honesty that came from genuinely not caring what anyone thought of her.
"Don't wanna make friends here?" she asked shrewdly looking around at others.
"I just don't have anything to say." I said shrugging.
"We don't have to talk about why you're here if you don't want." She said and I glanced at her. She was looking at me with interest and she seemed sincere. "What's your boyfriend's name?"
"Will."
"He seems nice." She said plucking the picture out of the book which I'd been using a place holder and looking at it. "Though I thought it looked like he wanted to kick Harrison's ass when he came to visit. Not that you need any help with that." She said giving me a grin. "How'd you guys meet?"
"He lives next to me."
"So he literally fell for the girl next door? That's cute." She said amused handing me back the photo.
"You have a boyfriend?" I asked.
"Nah." She said with a dry smile. "No one wants to date the psycho girl who like to play with knives."
"You'd be surprised." I said letting one of my draggers transform and grinning at her reaction.
"Where have you been hiding that?" she asked her eyes wide and I let her inspect the dagger for a moment.
"That's my business."
"Not as innocent as you look huh?" she asked looking at me with a smirk of approval.
"Never have been." I said amused.
As the ride continued we talked about various things, court dates and where we thought we'd end up, but eventually ended up on the topic of the boy she had a crush on though refused to tell me his name. Eventually, after several stops to various schools we reached mine.
"I guess I'll see you tonight." Beatrice said as I put my book back in my bag and zipped it up.
"Yeah. He thinks you're cute by the way." I said standing and looking down at her. "Ryan I mean."
She blushed.
"How did you-" she started her eyes going wide.
"I'm good at this sort of thing." I said grinning at her and making my way towards the front of the bus.
I stepped off and on to the sidewalk surprised when people waved to me, saying they were glad I felt better. After this had happened five or six times, it occurred to me that Will must have explained my absence with some sort of illness. I nodded a little awkwardly and made my way into the building. I couldn't believe how many people seemed genuinely happy to see me back.
I walked into the main entrance of the school, and smiled when I spotted Will talking to Chris and some of his track team mates, but I was prevented from walking towards him as someone shouted.
"CALLISTA PARKER I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"Madison, what the hell?" I asked, holding my arms up in self defense as she repeatedly smacked me with her pencil case.
"You." She said furiously, her eyes narrowing but lowering her voice so that the people around us couldn't hear. "First you turn up at my house all messed up, telling me you'd run away and that you had to disappear for a while, then you do disappear and Will's lying to everyone saying that your sick and can't come to school. Then break ends and I found out you've been locked up in some sort of youth shelter from Amber after she argued with Max! Not once did you think to call me!"
"I wasn't allowed to use the phone." I said honestly.
"Still!" she said angrily. "I'm your best friend! You should have done something! And why are you smiling at me like that?" she asked when I grinned. "I'm mad at you, you should be cowering in fear."
"You've never said that before."
"Said what?" she asked still looking irritated.
"That I was your best friend."
She gave me a blank look for a moment, then made an exasperated noise and rolling her eyes.
"God you're such an idiot." She muttered pulling me into hug. "Of course I'm your best friend dummy."
"Missed you too." I said and we broke apart.
"So what's going to happen to you?" she asked giving me a concerned look, while linking her arm with mine as we made our way towards Will and Chris.
I shrugged and she scowled.
"You know you can tell me Cal." She said and I realized she was only the third person to ever call me that.
"I really don't know." I said honestly. "Will's parents are trying to petition the state so I can stay with them, but nothing's set in stone."
She frowned.
"What happens if it doesn't work?"
"Foster home probably."
"So you'll have to move?" she asked and she looked sad.
"No. I don't care what they say I'm not going to go." I said shaking my head. I already decided that long ago.
"Where else would you go?"
I shrugged again. I hadn't exactly figured that out yet, what I was going to do if they tried to take me away. Maybe I'd end up back at camp but I didn't much feel like putting life on hold until I was too old to stay there.
She looked as if she wanted to ask something else but didn't get the chance as we'd reached the boys.
"I come baring gifts." She said looking at Will with a smirk who broke from his conversation and looked at me.
"Hey." He said grinning. "Welcome back."
"It's good to be back." I said honestly.
"Good to see you're alive." Chris said looking down at me as Will put an arm around my waist. "How are you?"
By his tone I knew either Madison or Will had told him the truth about where I had been.
"Ok." I said honestly. I'd been pretty miserable this morning but talking to Beatrice had cheered me up as well as seeing Madison and Will again.
"Any updates?" Will asked me and both Chris and Madison looked at me as well.
"Still in limbo." I said with a sigh. "They keep saying a few more days, but that's code for 'we don't know shit.'"
"I'm sorry." He said quietly.
"Yeah me too, but there's nothing we can do about it."
"Still," he said frowning as Chris and Madison started talking about plans they'd made for this weekend. "I hate not knowing how long this is going to take. I miss you being around."
"Me too." I said honestly.
"Are things at least getting better?" he asked still looking concerned. "No one's bothering you anymore are they?"
"Yeah, for the most part people just leave me alone."
"Scared of you?" he asked grinning and I shrugged.
"Not really, fights happen a lot. I just don't really talk. I did make friends with one girl though this morning. She was pretty nice." I looked at Madison. "I think you'd like her."
"I think I've reached the limit on delinquent best friends." She said amused.
"We should probably get going Will." Chris said looking at his watch. "We've got less than five minutes before we're supposed to check in."
"Alright." He sounding disappointed.
"Where are you going?" I asked looking up at him as Chris kissed Madison goodbye.
"Seniors are supposed to go to the auditorium during first period today. Rehearsal for graduation."
"Sounds important."
"No, it sounds boring." He said scowling. "I'd much rather be with you."
I smiled and his mood seemed to improve slightly.
"I'll see you at lunch ok?" he asked.
I nodded and he too kissed me goodbye.
Madison linked her arm with mine again as we watched the boys make their way to the auditorium and we started to walk to class.
"So I have something I wanted to ask you." She said as we exited the entrance and made our way into the main part of the school.
"What is it?"
"Well before I ask, you gotta promise to let me finish before you say anything."
"Where is this headed?" I asked looking at her suspiciously.
"Just promise." She said in exasperation.
"Alright." She said with a grin. "So I know you don't like attention, but I just wanted you to consider something. One of the girls in the play just found out her Mom's being transferred to a Navy base overseas and her family's got to move. She doesn't have an understudy and we're holding auditions for her spot. I think you should try out."
"Why?" I asked in confusion. "I can't act."
That was much more of a 'child of Dionysus' trait than it was 'child of Aphrodite'.
"You're kidding right?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
"No." I said frowning.
"Cali." She said as if I were being stupid. "You could tell a penguin it could fly and it would believe you. You've got the best poker face of anyone I've ever seen. All the teachers believe you when you tell them a story."
"That's lying. Not acting." I said skeptically.
"Don't you think you need to be good at acting to get people to believe a lie?"
I'd never thought of it like that before. Granted, a lot of my ability to convince people of things was my charmspeak, but she didn't know that.
"Just think about it." she said before I could think of anything to respond. "Auditions are next week, you can decide then."
"Alright." I agreed then let out a dry laugh. "If I'm even still here next week."
Madison had a dark sense of humor, and I expected her to laugh too, but she didn't.
"Don't say that Cal." She said gloomily. "Everyone really wants you to come home."
She departed for chemistry while I walked to bio thinking about her offer.
She was right of course, I didn't like a lot of attention, but I'd spent time with the people from the drama department. They were a pretty cool group, and the more I thought on the idea the more I liked it.
"What do you think?" I asked Will at lunch as we waiting in the food line.
"About the play?" he asked and I nodded. "It doesn't really matter what I think. It's up to you."
"She thinks I'd be good at acting."
"Well you did manage to cry me out of getting kicked off varsity." He mused while grabbing a tray with pizza on it. "And you didn't even like me back then. Gods know what else you've made other people believe."
"Gee thanks." I said frowning at him and he grinned.
"It's not my fault you're a good liar. That one's on you."
I guess he had a point.
We walked to the table where Chris and Madison were sitting next to each other obviously waiting for us.
"So? Made up your mind yet?" she asked eagerly when she spotted me.
"Yeah. I think I'm gonna do it." I said and she squealed with excitement. Something that was unusual for her.
"Great!" she said happily as Will and I sat at the table. "I'll get you a copy of the script tomorrow!"
She went on to explain about rehearsals and tips she found helpful for auditions, but when I glanced at Chris I saw him frowning and I knew he was thinking the same thing. Madison's excitement was all well and good, but no matter how happy she was, it didn't change the fact no one knew what was going to happen to me.
I think Will was thinking about it too because suddenly I felt his hand in mine under the table.
We let Madison ramble until the bell rang and the boys walked us to French.
"You coming tonight?" I asked Will, adjusting the strap on my book bag and looking up at him. Visitors were allowed to come today.
"Of course." He said grinning. "And we're bringing Max, although I think Dave might have an aneurysm if he sees that bookshelf again."
I laughed and he kissed me on the cheek.
"I'll see you tonight Cal."
"See you." I said smiling and following Madison into the classroom.
Despite how little I wanted to go back to the shelter, I was looking forward to seeing Beatrice. All day I'd been thinking about it, and I was excited to start working on setting her up with Ryan, I thought I might introduce her to Will when he visited too.
She wasn't on the bus when it picked me up from school, but I didn't get worried until I made it back to the shelter and she still wasn't there. I checked our room but her things were gone, and she didn't show up during our homework hour either. By rec time I was getting really worried. While the girls and boys weren't really supposed to interact much, I cornered Ryan as he went to get a deck of cards from the supply closet.
"Hey." I said knowing the boys he hung out with here, including Zach, were all looking at me from the tables.
"So you do talk." He said grinning and looking down at me with interest.
"Yeah, where's Beatrice?" I asked. They went to the same school and I figured if anyone knew what had happened to her he might.
"Probably half way to Texas by now." He said his smile fading. He looked disappointed.
"What? Why?" I asked confused.
"Her case finally went through this morning. They shipped her off to a foster family."
"But I thought her aunt was going to take her." I said frowning. "That's what she told me this morning."
"Yeah that's what we thought too." He said shrugging. "But the judge changed his mind at the last second I guess. You never know with these things Parker. Odds are it's going to happen to you too."
I felt my insides go cold and a sudden pressure close in around my heart as a strange sort of rushing filled my ears.
"Sorry." He said guiltily when he caught my expression. "I probably shouldn't have said that. She told me you were hoping to live with your boyfriend."
"So you don't think it's going to happen?" I muttered looking down.
"Honestly? No." he said and another wave of cold washed over me leaving me dizzy. When I looked up at him he was shaking his head. "You seem like an alright person, I mean, you'd have to be if B liked you, but the people in charge of us, they don't really care about that much. I know it sucks but it's the truth."
I didn't respond and he seemed to grapple with something for a moment before he asked.
"That boyfriend of yours coming tonight?"
I nodded.
"I'm sorry Parker, but if I were you." He started his tone not unkind but realistic all the same. "I would start thinking of ways to say goodbye."
