A new Horizon- Chapter 2- Free chances
Disclaimer- all old higher ground characters don't belong to me. But I own all the new ones.
In this part- Katherine holds her first Group session with varied results. Jamie runs out during group and Jacob confronts her. He shows he wants to belong.
Note 1- the toilet paper game is a real game. I played it the first day of math class in 7th grade:)
Note 2- Sorry If I got Katherine's sisters name wrong. I couldn't exactly remember it.
The cliffhangers met in the Lodge for group shortly after dinner. All of them were there. Aiken, Rylan and Ally were sitting on the couch. Andy was sitting on the floor near the coffee table. And Jacob and Jamie, who had arrived just before dinner, were sitting in a large chair. Katherine, Sophie, and Peter were standing in-between all of them.
"I hope all of you have met Katherine. She's the new counselor here as I've told you all before. Now let Katherine introduce herself a bit to you guys." Peter said.
Instantly after being put on the spot like that Katherine felt insecure and nervous.
"Take deep breaths and you'll be fine." She told herself. "Absolutely fine."
"Well." She said out loud. "Here goes nothing. Hey guys. I know I've met almost all of you. But anyway. I'm Katherine, but you can call me Kat."
"I went to Horizon for almost 3 years. During that time one of my good friends Hannah, was the counselor there. She really helped me see who I was. You see I was adopted, my adoptive parents were white. They had a daughter Rebecca. I was always a better swimmer than her, and a year older to. Once we went swimming and she always got on my nerves. So she asked if she could race against me. I said sure because I wanted her off my tail. Half way there Rebecca drowns. I blamed myself and I thought my parents did to, I mean she was really their daughter and I wasn't. The depression sent me here. And I realized it wasn't my fault." Katherine said.
"So what'd you come back? I mean this isn't the best place to be. Its freaks central." Alley said sarcastically.
"I know, but by the time you leave here, whether on good circumstances or bad, you will later in life realized that this school, and all the freaks in it have changed you. You might not feel it now or anytime soon but it will change you. It has me, and it has my friends, the people whose footsteps as cliffhangers you are following." Katherine said.
The group had settled down by now. Katherine was one of them.
"Okay now if Peter and Sophie can excuse me for a minute I need to get something for group." Katherine said and headed towards the supply room.
She came back with a roll of Toilet Paper. She ripped of a couple of pieces and handed it to Jamie.
"I want everyone to take some toilet paper. As much or as little as you want. After you've done so I want you to hand it to the person next you until it comes back to me."
Everyone did as they were told, though there was a bit of complaining. By the time it got back to Katherine only about 1/2 a roll was left.
"Okay everyone. This is an activity that I learned along time ago. While still in Junior High. Now that everyone has taken some toilet paper I want you to count the number of squares you have. When it comes to your turn the number of squares you have equals the number of things you have to tell the group about yourself. It can be your name, your favorite things, about your family. Virtually anything with at least some meaning so I and the rest of the group can know you better."
The group after hearing the task ahead all groaned.
"Aiken, why don't you go first." Katherine said.
Aiken counted his sheet of paper. He ended up having 12 squares.
"Okay, My name is Aiken Gregory. My first name might sound different but it's of Anglo-Saxon origin and means Sturdy. I'm an only child. I'm the senior member of the cliffhangers cause I've been here almost 2 1/2 years. My favorite sport is Basketball, or football if it's the fall." He said as he counted away 5 of his squares. "My favorite color is Blue, like practically everyone else. I grew up in Montana, Oklahoma, New York, Pennsylvania, Ontario Canada, and California. My dad moved a lot. I live with my grandparents when I'm not here. I'm graduating this year. I want to climb Dog's Peak. And finally I think this thing is really weird." He said as he threw the last sheet of his toilet paper on the ground
"Rylan, want to go next?"
Rylan was the one that wanted to show off everyone and take about half a roll. She ended up having somewhere between 15 and 18 sheets.
"I'm Rylan. I'm 16 years old. I was born on Christmas Eve. I live with my aunt and uncle when I'm not here. I don't remember much about before living with them. It's all basically a big blur. My favorite color is Purple. 6- I have at home a pet lizard named Bob. 7- Bob is a girl."
After hearing about the lizard a couple people in the group started laughing.
"Settle down you guys." Katherine reminded them. "Go on Rylan."
"8- I love eating ice cream with chocolate sauce. 9-My favorite movie is Rocket's Red Glare. 10- I hate onions on anything. 11- my favorite book of all time is A Rock and a Hard place. 12- I wish I hadn't taken so much toilet paper."
Rylan looks down at her toilet paper squares like 'When is this going to end'
"13-I like monkeys. 14. I to am an only child. 15, I will be so happy when I finish this thing. And 16- this is my final piece of paper." Rylan said saying her last thing.
"Ally?"
"I'm Alley, I have 5 pieces of toilet paper. I'm the senior girl here. I used to be a twin. And I'm here cause I did drugs a bit." Alley said depressed at the last two answers.
"Andy? Why don't you go next."
"What if I only have 1/2 a piece of paper for one square." He asked
"Then you say something small."
"Fine. I'm Andy. I'm a guy; I have a brother and a sister. CPS took them 2 years ago almost. I came here in January. 29 days till my birthday and dropping. I hope this game ends soon, and finally My favorite color is Yellow. That's 7 1/2 pieces of paper," Andy said as he ended his turn.
"Can I go next?" Jacob asked.
"How bout you let Jamie go before you Jacob okay?" Katherine asked, the girl seamed to be slipping away already. "Jamie. How about you."
Jamie was a cheater, she only had 2 pieces of toilet paper and the answers to go with it.
"My name is Jamie Brown. I'm 15." She said and then threw her papers to the floor.
"I'm leaving. This game is stupid." Jamie said getting up. She hated any game that you got asked questions on. It might end up revealing something you don't want revealed.
She started walking towards the door. Every one looked. Though few apart she often had outbursts like this. Katherine looked at Peter and Sophie on what to do. They just gave her a puzzled look. Finally Jacob ran after his sister.
"Jamie, wait up." Jacob shouted as he ran out of the lodge after his sister.
Jamie would have run faster. The fresh mud kept sucking in her feet making her slower. She knew Jacob would run after he. He always had ever since he had been able to walk.
Jamie showed no signs of recognition in her actions. She didn't stop or slow down for Jacob. He ran after her all the same though. Finally he caught up to her just as she got to the Cliffhanger Girl's dorm. He grabbed her arm and dragged her inside.
"What was that all about Jamie?" he asked with a hint of anger and frustration in his voice.
"I didn't want to play that stupid game Jacob." Jamie said.
"Why? Huh, because someone might actually tell something about themselves. That's the point of group if I remember."
"Exactly." Jamie said proving her point.
"You think I'd do that Jamie. I told you I wouldn't tell anyone about back home. I promised you the night you told me. And I won't unless you give me an absolute reason to. Okay. A promise is a promise. I'm not like that." Jacob said his feelings hurt by his sister's accusation.
"Then why did you want to go so badly in the game?" Jamie asked feeling stupid but still sure of her accusations. She was stubborn that way, not wanting to admit she was wrong.
"Because," Jacob said looking at his sister "I wanted to tell them about Spike. That's all. I wanted to be part of the group Jamie."
Jamie looked at her brother for a minute. She looked at his face, still so much younger than she was. Though sometimes he didn't at like it, these times reminded her,
"I want to fit in with the group Jamie. We've been here almost 5 months now and I still feel alienated. Maybe you don't cause you're their age but I do. I want them to accept me as a cliffhanger." Jacob said to her.
"They will... They do Jake. I know they do. They just have weird ways of showing it." Jamie said now consoling her brother.
"We'll can we at least go back?" Jacob asked his sister as he headed for the door.
"Sure. Let me get a sweater though." She said as she went to her closet.
BACK IN THE LODGE
Peter, Sophie, and Katherine were talking about Jamie's actions.
"I don't know what to do. I have an urge to put her on shuns for a week but I don't know if that will solve anything." Peter said frustrated.
"She does that every time her and Jacob some back from a visit home. And a week is a long time." Sophie told Katherine.
"A week in the outside world is a long time. Remember Auggie when he cam back the first time, and that was only a weekend." Katherine said in response to both of them. "It's hard to adjust and readjust to that kind of change. And maybe there's something at home. Something that makes her feel the need to act out."
"We've thought of that Kat. But nothing seams to be there. The two of them don't seem to be hiding anything back. But you never know." Sophie said.
Just as Katherine was going to say something Jamie and Jacob came over to them.
"Peter, Sophie, Kat, I'm sorry I ran out of here like that." Jamie said apologetically.
"I didn't mean to, I don't know what came over me."
"And I didn't mean to run after her, but I mean she's my sister." Jacob said in reply. "I didn't want anything to happen to her."
"Can I talk to you two for a minute?" Katherine asked pulling them aside.
"I believe in chances you guys." Katherine told them. "Peter wants to put you on Shuns for a week Jamie, that means no talking to anyone, not even Jacob. Now you don't want that do you?" Katherine asked Jamie seriously.
"No." she said looking at the ground.
"So I'm going to give you a chance. If you promise to participate in group next time I will let you off. You to Jacob for running after her. But next time I won't. I'll put you on shuns and kitchen duty like they wanted." Katherine said compromising. "It's a free chance, kind of like passing go and Collecting $200. Almost no strings attached except for the behavior part. Take it or leave it." Katherine said putting out her hand for a shake to the deal.
She had learned to compromise along time ago. After living with people Like Shelby and Juliet for almost 2 years in close quarters you had to. She remembered those days, when they were at Horizon together. It seamed like yesterday.
"Deal."
"Deal."
"Good now let's get back to group. I have one more thing to say." Katherine said and headed back to the others that had been waiting.
"Kat, can we end this please? I have a headache." Alley said as soon as Katherine sat down.
"Just a few more minutes. Then you guys can go to your dorms." Katherine said looking sympathetically at Alley.
The group sat back. They wanted group to be over. Many had homework to do, and Jamie and Jacob still had to unpack. Katherine felt their pain and was sympathetic.
"Just one more thing guys. I know it's hard to trust the newbie. But I am here if you need me. I've been there before." Katherine said looking at the faces of all of the Cliffhangers. "I've had friends here that have been abused and stuff. Those who have tried to commit suicide, and those who actually almost gotten there or have died."
The group considered her for a moment, she sounded so sincere.
"So I want you to come and talk to me when ever you feel like it. I'm always here if you need me." Katherine said and got up. "Now you all can leave."
The group got up and headed to the door. The boys went one way and the girls went another. But before parting Jacob hugged his sister one last time.
"Remember, she's giving us a free chance." He whispered to her.
"Come on Jake." Andy called as he and Aiken were walking.
Jacob ran to catch up to the rest of the guys.
End of Chapter two.
Disclaimer- all old higher ground characters don't belong to me. But I own all the new ones.
In this part- Katherine holds her first Group session with varied results. Jamie runs out during group and Jacob confronts her. He shows he wants to belong.
Note 1- the toilet paper game is a real game. I played it the first day of math class in 7th grade:)
Note 2- Sorry If I got Katherine's sisters name wrong. I couldn't exactly remember it.
The cliffhangers met in the Lodge for group shortly after dinner. All of them were there. Aiken, Rylan and Ally were sitting on the couch. Andy was sitting on the floor near the coffee table. And Jacob and Jamie, who had arrived just before dinner, were sitting in a large chair. Katherine, Sophie, and Peter were standing in-between all of them.
"I hope all of you have met Katherine. She's the new counselor here as I've told you all before. Now let Katherine introduce herself a bit to you guys." Peter said.
Instantly after being put on the spot like that Katherine felt insecure and nervous.
"Take deep breaths and you'll be fine." She told herself. "Absolutely fine."
"Well." She said out loud. "Here goes nothing. Hey guys. I know I've met almost all of you. But anyway. I'm Katherine, but you can call me Kat."
"I went to Horizon for almost 3 years. During that time one of my good friends Hannah, was the counselor there. She really helped me see who I was. You see I was adopted, my adoptive parents were white. They had a daughter Rebecca. I was always a better swimmer than her, and a year older to. Once we went swimming and she always got on my nerves. So she asked if she could race against me. I said sure because I wanted her off my tail. Half way there Rebecca drowns. I blamed myself and I thought my parents did to, I mean she was really their daughter and I wasn't. The depression sent me here. And I realized it wasn't my fault." Katherine said.
"So what'd you come back? I mean this isn't the best place to be. Its freaks central." Alley said sarcastically.
"I know, but by the time you leave here, whether on good circumstances or bad, you will later in life realized that this school, and all the freaks in it have changed you. You might not feel it now or anytime soon but it will change you. It has me, and it has my friends, the people whose footsteps as cliffhangers you are following." Katherine said.
The group had settled down by now. Katherine was one of them.
"Okay now if Peter and Sophie can excuse me for a minute I need to get something for group." Katherine said and headed towards the supply room.
She came back with a roll of Toilet Paper. She ripped of a couple of pieces and handed it to Jamie.
"I want everyone to take some toilet paper. As much or as little as you want. After you've done so I want you to hand it to the person next you until it comes back to me."
Everyone did as they were told, though there was a bit of complaining. By the time it got back to Katherine only about 1/2 a roll was left.
"Okay everyone. This is an activity that I learned along time ago. While still in Junior High. Now that everyone has taken some toilet paper I want you to count the number of squares you have. When it comes to your turn the number of squares you have equals the number of things you have to tell the group about yourself. It can be your name, your favorite things, about your family. Virtually anything with at least some meaning so I and the rest of the group can know you better."
The group after hearing the task ahead all groaned.
"Aiken, why don't you go first." Katherine said.
Aiken counted his sheet of paper. He ended up having 12 squares.
"Okay, My name is Aiken Gregory. My first name might sound different but it's of Anglo-Saxon origin and means Sturdy. I'm an only child. I'm the senior member of the cliffhangers cause I've been here almost 2 1/2 years. My favorite sport is Basketball, or football if it's the fall." He said as he counted away 5 of his squares. "My favorite color is Blue, like practically everyone else. I grew up in Montana, Oklahoma, New York, Pennsylvania, Ontario Canada, and California. My dad moved a lot. I live with my grandparents when I'm not here. I'm graduating this year. I want to climb Dog's Peak. And finally I think this thing is really weird." He said as he threw the last sheet of his toilet paper on the ground
"Rylan, want to go next?"
Rylan was the one that wanted to show off everyone and take about half a roll. She ended up having somewhere between 15 and 18 sheets.
"I'm Rylan. I'm 16 years old. I was born on Christmas Eve. I live with my aunt and uncle when I'm not here. I don't remember much about before living with them. It's all basically a big blur. My favorite color is Purple. 6- I have at home a pet lizard named Bob. 7- Bob is a girl."
After hearing about the lizard a couple people in the group started laughing.
"Settle down you guys." Katherine reminded them. "Go on Rylan."
"8- I love eating ice cream with chocolate sauce. 9-My favorite movie is Rocket's Red Glare. 10- I hate onions on anything. 11- my favorite book of all time is A Rock and a Hard place. 12- I wish I hadn't taken so much toilet paper."
Rylan looks down at her toilet paper squares like 'When is this going to end'
"13-I like monkeys. 14. I to am an only child. 15, I will be so happy when I finish this thing. And 16- this is my final piece of paper." Rylan said saying her last thing.
"Ally?"
"I'm Alley, I have 5 pieces of toilet paper. I'm the senior girl here. I used to be a twin. And I'm here cause I did drugs a bit." Alley said depressed at the last two answers.
"Andy? Why don't you go next."
"What if I only have 1/2 a piece of paper for one square." He asked
"Then you say something small."
"Fine. I'm Andy. I'm a guy; I have a brother and a sister. CPS took them 2 years ago almost. I came here in January. 29 days till my birthday and dropping. I hope this game ends soon, and finally My favorite color is Yellow. That's 7 1/2 pieces of paper," Andy said as he ended his turn.
"Can I go next?" Jacob asked.
"How bout you let Jamie go before you Jacob okay?" Katherine asked, the girl seamed to be slipping away already. "Jamie. How about you."
Jamie was a cheater, she only had 2 pieces of toilet paper and the answers to go with it.
"My name is Jamie Brown. I'm 15." She said and then threw her papers to the floor.
"I'm leaving. This game is stupid." Jamie said getting up. She hated any game that you got asked questions on. It might end up revealing something you don't want revealed.
She started walking towards the door. Every one looked. Though few apart she often had outbursts like this. Katherine looked at Peter and Sophie on what to do. They just gave her a puzzled look. Finally Jacob ran after his sister.
"Jamie, wait up." Jacob shouted as he ran out of the lodge after his sister.
Jamie would have run faster. The fresh mud kept sucking in her feet making her slower. She knew Jacob would run after he. He always had ever since he had been able to walk.
Jamie showed no signs of recognition in her actions. She didn't stop or slow down for Jacob. He ran after her all the same though. Finally he caught up to her just as she got to the Cliffhanger Girl's dorm. He grabbed her arm and dragged her inside.
"What was that all about Jamie?" he asked with a hint of anger and frustration in his voice.
"I didn't want to play that stupid game Jacob." Jamie said.
"Why? Huh, because someone might actually tell something about themselves. That's the point of group if I remember."
"Exactly." Jamie said proving her point.
"You think I'd do that Jamie. I told you I wouldn't tell anyone about back home. I promised you the night you told me. And I won't unless you give me an absolute reason to. Okay. A promise is a promise. I'm not like that." Jacob said his feelings hurt by his sister's accusation.
"Then why did you want to go so badly in the game?" Jamie asked feeling stupid but still sure of her accusations. She was stubborn that way, not wanting to admit she was wrong.
"Because," Jacob said looking at his sister "I wanted to tell them about Spike. That's all. I wanted to be part of the group Jamie."
Jamie looked at her brother for a minute. She looked at his face, still so much younger than she was. Though sometimes he didn't at like it, these times reminded her,
"I want to fit in with the group Jamie. We've been here almost 5 months now and I still feel alienated. Maybe you don't cause you're their age but I do. I want them to accept me as a cliffhanger." Jacob said to her.
"They will... They do Jake. I know they do. They just have weird ways of showing it." Jamie said now consoling her brother.
"We'll can we at least go back?" Jacob asked his sister as he headed for the door.
"Sure. Let me get a sweater though." She said as she went to her closet.
BACK IN THE LODGE
Peter, Sophie, and Katherine were talking about Jamie's actions.
"I don't know what to do. I have an urge to put her on shuns for a week but I don't know if that will solve anything." Peter said frustrated.
"She does that every time her and Jacob some back from a visit home. And a week is a long time." Sophie told Katherine.
"A week in the outside world is a long time. Remember Auggie when he cam back the first time, and that was only a weekend." Katherine said in response to both of them. "It's hard to adjust and readjust to that kind of change. And maybe there's something at home. Something that makes her feel the need to act out."
"We've thought of that Kat. But nothing seams to be there. The two of them don't seem to be hiding anything back. But you never know." Sophie said.
Just as Katherine was going to say something Jamie and Jacob came over to them.
"Peter, Sophie, Kat, I'm sorry I ran out of here like that." Jamie said apologetically.
"I didn't mean to, I don't know what came over me."
"And I didn't mean to run after her, but I mean she's my sister." Jacob said in reply. "I didn't want anything to happen to her."
"Can I talk to you two for a minute?" Katherine asked pulling them aside.
"I believe in chances you guys." Katherine told them. "Peter wants to put you on Shuns for a week Jamie, that means no talking to anyone, not even Jacob. Now you don't want that do you?" Katherine asked Jamie seriously.
"No." she said looking at the ground.
"So I'm going to give you a chance. If you promise to participate in group next time I will let you off. You to Jacob for running after her. But next time I won't. I'll put you on shuns and kitchen duty like they wanted." Katherine said compromising. "It's a free chance, kind of like passing go and Collecting $200. Almost no strings attached except for the behavior part. Take it or leave it." Katherine said putting out her hand for a shake to the deal.
She had learned to compromise along time ago. After living with people Like Shelby and Juliet for almost 2 years in close quarters you had to. She remembered those days, when they were at Horizon together. It seamed like yesterday.
"Deal."
"Deal."
"Good now let's get back to group. I have one more thing to say." Katherine said and headed back to the others that had been waiting.
"Kat, can we end this please? I have a headache." Alley said as soon as Katherine sat down.
"Just a few more minutes. Then you guys can go to your dorms." Katherine said looking sympathetically at Alley.
The group sat back. They wanted group to be over. Many had homework to do, and Jamie and Jacob still had to unpack. Katherine felt their pain and was sympathetic.
"Just one more thing guys. I know it's hard to trust the newbie. But I am here if you need me. I've been there before." Katherine said looking at the faces of all of the Cliffhangers. "I've had friends here that have been abused and stuff. Those who have tried to commit suicide, and those who actually almost gotten there or have died."
The group considered her for a moment, she sounded so sincere.
"So I want you to come and talk to me when ever you feel like it. I'm always here if you need me." Katherine said and got up. "Now you all can leave."
The group got up and headed to the door. The boys went one way and the girls went another. But before parting Jacob hugged his sister one last time.
"Remember, she's giving us a free chance." He whispered to her.
"Come on Jake." Andy called as he and Aiken were walking.
Jacob ran to catch up to the rest of the guys.
End of Chapter two.