Disclaimer: The only characters in this story I own are Jessica, Alan, Jessica's mom and Jared. Everyone else is not own by me nor do I know him or her or have any connections to them.
CHAPTER FOUR
The next morning, when she woke up, everyone was gone and there was a note on the bathroom mirror. She was to report Peter's office as soon as she was done getting dressed. And she did. She took a shower and got dressed and walked to Peter's office. She knocked on the door.
"Come in Jessica." She heard Peters voice. When she walked in, she saw Shelby, who obviously had been crying, and Scott, who also had been crying and was really mad. "Have a seat Jessica." Peter said. Jessica sat down in the chair next to Scott. He didn't look at her. "I already talked to Scott and Shelby. Do you know why you're here?"
"I have a good idea." Jessica said.
"Good, now do you care to tell me your side of the story so we can solve all of this?" Peter asked.
Jessica let out a sigh before she began. "I got here and Auggie was showing me around. I saw Scott. We went to school together. I went to my aunt's for the summer and when I came back he was gone. We were seeing each other and his dad told me he went to live with his mom. I never heard from him again, until I got here. We walked and talked and kissed. I asked where are we now and he said, 'right where we left off'. I'm not to blame for any of this." Jessica sat back and looked at Scott, who looked straightforward.
"Well that's what happened according to Scott, and Shelby told me she didn't even know he had a girlfriend back home. Now, how do you three propose we work this out?" Peter asked.
"I think Scott should have to choose." Shelby said.
"So you're willing to take him back Shelby?" Peter asked
"I don't know, but if he chooses me, we can try to work it out."
"What about you Jessica?" Peter asked her.
"I feel the same." Jessica said.
"Whoa, I'm not picking. When I'm with Shelby I want only her. It's the same when I'm with Jessica. If I pick one, I will want the other." Scott said.
"This is going no where. I have an idea. The three of you will spend two days on hike. You will work out your differences and come back as friends. Sophie will lead you out there, then come back and get you. You leave first thing tomorrow morning." Peter turned and went to sit at his desk.
"What if we don't come back as friends?" Scott asked.
"Then, I'll find an alternative. Scott, you and Shelby can go, Jessica you stay." Scott and Shelby got up and left, Jessica sat there and looked at Peter. Once his door was shut he started talking to her.
"Care to tell me where you were hiding last night?" Peter asked.
"No I don't." Jessica said back.
"Well you don't have a choice. You scared a lot of people last night. Not to mention, hurt a few also." Peter said.
"Like who?" She asked and leaned forward.
"Like Juliette and Auggie. And Scott seemed pretty upset too. Now where were you?" He asked again.
"Last night, I needed to be alone and think for awhile. I had to just give myself time to take everything in, slowly. When I finished, I went back to the dorm and went to sleep." Jessica sat back in the chair.
"Shelby told me you were heading towards the woods?"
"Yes I was going to try to run, but she told me everyone was looking for me out there and I wouldn't make it." She said.
"You know you have to be punished." Peter said.
"Yeah, although I don't know why. I had to think last night." Jessica said.
"You know why. You broke rules. You're on shuns for the rest of the day." Peter looked at the paper work on his desk.
"Shuns?" Jessica asked
"No talking to anyone today, eating alone, cleaning, and writing in this journal about how you feel during your free time." Peter handed her a notebook. "You can go now." Jessica groaned and left his office. When she walked out, Juliette was sitting on the couch outside his office. She stood up and looked at Jessica.
"Did you mean what you said? That I wasn't your friend?" She asked. Jessica looked at her. She looked so sad. Jessica looked and saw Peter watching them through the window. She walked past Juliette and went back to the dorm.
"Oh this can't be happening. This is totally unfair." Jessica said as she sat on her bed. "Oh wait, my bad, no talking." Jessica opened the notebook and starred down at it. "He wants me to write how I feel? Ok, maybe it will help." Jessica pulled out a pencil and started writing about everything that was happening.
'When I first got here, I thought it would help me. I thought it would be good to get away from my mom and Alan and Jared, but now I don't know. With Scott here, it's just so hard. Scott helped me on the first day and I really thought this place would be cool. Then Shelby came along. I don't even know why I'm here. He wants me to write how I feel? I feel nothing.'
Jessica closed the notebook and set it on the floor. She got up to go get breakfast. After she got her eggs, bacon, grits, and a biscuit, she saw a table with one chair. She knew it was for her. She went and sat down and started to eat. She ate almost everything on her plate. When she got up to bring it to the kitchen, Peter walked up to her. He told her she needed to clean her area in the dorm, then go sit in the classroom and write in her journal. He handed her the notebook. She rolled her eyes and went back to dorm and cleaned her mess.
"This is so lame. I hate it here." Jessica groaned. She finished cleaning and went to the empty classroom. She sat down and opened the journal. "I already wrote how I felt. I don't need to write anymore." She saw Scott walk into the classroom. He looked at her.
"Shuns? I feel sorry for you." He walked and got some paint and walked out of the room. Jessica started writing.
'Scott doesn't know anything. He left and I didn't know where in the world he was. Now I found him, we are together again and he wants Shelby. He told me he wanted me. He held me in his arms and he kissed me and he wasn't thinking of Shelby, but yet, he wants her. I don't understand it. I thought it would be easier with Scott here, but it's harder. Why would he tell me he is here for me, if he's not? Now I'm stuck with some hike tomorrow. Shelby will probably push me of a cliff or something.' Jessica wiped a tear from her eye and started writing again. 'I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Jared. I didn't do anything. It was all him. I told mom that but she didn't believe me. And Alan, he made it look like everything was my fault.' Jessica closed her journal and put her head in her hands just as Peter walked in.
"Uh, Jessica, you need to come pack for your hike." Jessica looked up at Peter and he saw her crying. Peter shut the classroom door. "You want to talk about it?"
"Yes and no." Jessica said.
"Why yes and why no?" Peter said.
"I do but I don't. It always feels better when I do talk about my problems, but then everyone gives me special treatment, like I'm fragile. I'm not. When I talk about it, I want them to listen, that is it. Not try to help when they can't." Jessica wiped her eyes again.
"You come to me when you want to talk. And I will try to help, but I won't treat you any different than I do now." Peter got up to walk out.
"I didn't smoke any of the weed." Jessica said. He turned and sat back down. "Jared had it and I was trying to stop him. We started yelling. He put it down and then tried to kiss me. I pushed him away and he tried again so I slapped him. He picked the weed back up, and took another puff. I took it from him and we started yelling again. My mom and Alan walked in and saw me holding the weed. After that my mom sent me to counseling and group therapy. There was no difference in me because there was never anything to change. I got depressed. My friends found out about the incident and stopped talking to me. I failed my classes, got kicked off of cheerleading, and I had no friends. My counselor told my mom about horizon and said she sent a young man here also. She meant Scott obviously. My mom sent me here. Like I said earlier in group, I don't need to be here." Jessica wiped the tears that were now pouring.
"You do need to be here. After going through all of that, you do need our help. Those other people couldn't help you because they didn't know what was wrong. Now that I do, we can help you. But first, you have to want to be help." Peter reached for a box of Kleenex and handed them to Jessica. Jessica took one and wiped her nose.
"I want to be with Scott, like before, not with Shelby in the way." Jessica said. She didn't even realize that's what she wanted, it just came out.
"Only Scott can make that decision." Peter said.
"Why do you do this? Why do you want help everyone?" Jessica asked through a pool of tears.
"Because, there are people, like you, in the world that need help, and I'm all they have." Peter answered. "Come on, it is time to pack. Take a minute and then come to the lobby." Peter slapped her knee and got up and left. Jessica wiped the remainder of her tears and went to the lobby. When she walked in, she saw three backpacks and sleeping bags. Shelby was putting things into her backpack and Scott was walking in with his things.
"So what all do I need to bring?" Jessica asked anyone that would answer. Shelby looked at her.
"To avoid any discussion, I made you a list of things." Shelby held out the list without looking at Jessica.
"And everything is here? This isn't a trick of yours?" Jessica asked, unsure if she can trust her.
"Uh huh." Shelby finished packing her things and Jessica went to the dorm to get some of the stuff she needed. She saw Juliette sitting there.
"Hi." Jessica said. Juliette just looked up at her. "Um Shelby gave me this list for a hike tomorrow. She said everything I need was on it, but I don't trust her that much right now. Will you look at it?" Jessica extended the paper and Juliette took it.
"Uh huh." Juliette handed it back to her and walked out of the dorm.
"Um I guess it has everything then." Jessica gathered what was on the list and carried back lobby and set it down on the floor. She started packing everything into the bag. When she was done she went to zip it up.
"What are you doing?" Scott asked.
"Packing." Jessica answered and continued to zip the bag.
"You're doing it wrong. Give me it." Scott unzipped everything and repacked everything except for the sleeping bag. He zipped the bag back up and secured the sleeping bag in the top of the backpack and shoved it Jessica.
"Thank you." Jessica said as Scott got up and walked away. Jessica picked up the backpack and heard someone walking up behind her. She turned around and saw Peter.
"Jessica, you are still on shuns. No more talking; to anyone." Peter told her and walked away. She let out a sigh. Jessica picked up her bag and brought it to where Shelby and Scott left theirs. She looked at her watch; it was almost noon.
"When will this nightmare end?" Jessica whispered to herself. Jessica walked outside to the docks and sat down. "Well I guess this is my spot where I'll come when I need to think." She said to herself.
"Did you mean it? Did you mean what you said about us?" Jessica heard Juliette's voice behind her. She just shrugged. Juliette sat down next to her.
"I want to be your friend. But if it won't happen then I won't bother." Juliette said to her.
"I do want to be friends. I'm just not ready to open up to everyone."
Jessica said.
"Tell me what's going on with you and Scott and Shelby, if you are ready I mean." Juliette replied.
"He was my boyfriend back home. I love him and he loved me. I went to my Aunt's house for awhile and came back and he was here. I didn't know where he was until I got sent here. We were together while ya'll where on the hike or whatever. When you had gotten back, I saw Shelby with Scott. What's left to tell?"
"Sorry." Juliette said.
"Hey it's not your fault. Don't worry about it." Jessica got up and walked away. She turned and looked back at Juliette. Juliette was watching her. "I'm sorry for what I said." Jessica turned and walked back to the dorms.
When Jessica got to the dorms say fell back onto her bed.
"Ow!" Jessica said up and rubbed her head. "What the..." She turns and looked at her pillow. She picked it up and it felt heavier. Jessica opened the pillowcase to find a board inside of it. "Shelby!"
CHAPTER FOUR
The next morning, when she woke up, everyone was gone and there was a note on the bathroom mirror. She was to report Peter's office as soon as she was done getting dressed. And she did. She took a shower and got dressed and walked to Peter's office. She knocked on the door.
"Come in Jessica." She heard Peters voice. When she walked in, she saw Shelby, who obviously had been crying, and Scott, who also had been crying and was really mad. "Have a seat Jessica." Peter said. Jessica sat down in the chair next to Scott. He didn't look at her. "I already talked to Scott and Shelby. Do you know why you're here?"
"I have a good idea." Jessica said.
"Good, now do you care to tell me your side of the story so we can solve all of this?" Peter asked.
Jessica let out a sigh before she began. "I got here and Auggie was showing me around. I saw Scott. We went to school together. I went to my aunt's for the summer and when I came back he was gone. We were seeing each other and his dad told me he went to live with his mom. I never heard from him again, until I got here. We walked and talked and kissed. I asked where are we now and he said, 'right where we left off'. I'm not to blame for any of this." Jessica sat back and looked at Scott, who looked straightforward.
"Well that's what happened according to Scott, and Shelby told me she didn't even know he had a girlfriend back home. Now, how do you three propose we work this out?" Peter asked.
"I think Scott should have to choose." Shelby said.
"So you're willing to take him back Shelby?" Peter asked
"I don't know, but if he chooses me, we can try to work it out."
"What about you Jessica?" Peter asked her.
"I feel the same." Jessica said.
"Whoa, I'm not picking. When I'm with Shelby I want only her. It's the same when I'm with Jessica. If I pick one, I will want the other." Scott said.
"This is going no where. I have an idea. The three of you will spend two days on hike. You will work out your differences and come back as friends. Sophie will lead you out there, then come back and get you. You leave first thing tomorrow morning." Peter turned and went to sit at his desk.
"What if we don't come back as friends?" Scott asked.
"Then, I'll find an alternative. Scott, you and Shelby can go, Jessica you stay." Scott and Shelby got up and left, Jessica sat there and looked at Peter. Once his door was shut he started talking to her.
"Care to tell me where you were hiding last night?" Peter asked.
"No I don't." Jessica said back.
"Well you don't have a choice. You scared a lot of people last night. Not to mention, hurt a few also." Peter said.
"Like who?" She asked and leaned forward.
"Like Juliette and Auggie. And Scott seemed pretty upset too. Now where were you?" He asked again.
"Last night, I needed to be alone and think for awhile. I had to just give myself time to take everything in, slowly. When I finished, I went back to the dorm and went to sleep." Jessica sat back in the chair.
"Shelby told me you were heading towards the woods?"
"Yes I was going to try to run, but she told me everyone was looking for me out there and I wouldn't make it." She said.
"You know you have to be punished." Peter said.
"Yeah, although I don't know why. I had to think last night." Jessica said.
"You know why. You broke rules. You're on shuns for the rest of the day." Peter looked at the paper work on his desk.
"Shuns?" Jessica asked
"No talking to anyone today, eating alone, cleaning, and writing in this journal about how you feel during your free time." Peter handed her a notebook. "You can go now." Jessica groaned and left his office. When she walked out, Juliette was sitting on the couch outside his office. She stood up and looked at Jessica.
"Did you mean what you said? That I wasn't your friend?" She asked. Jessica looked at her. She looked so sad. Jessica looked and saw Peter watching them through the window. She walked past Juliette and went back to the dorm.
"Oh this can't be happening. This is totally unfair." Jessica said as she sat on her bed. "Oh wait, my bad, no talking." Jessica opened the notebook and starred down at it. "He wants me to write how I feel? Ok, maybe it will help." Jessica pulled out a pencil and started writing about everything that was happening.
'When I first got here, I thought it would help me. I thought it would be good to get away from my mom and Alan and Jared, but now I don't know. With Scott here, it's just so hard. Scott helped me on the first day and I really thought this place would be cool. Then Shelby came along. I don't even know why I'm here. He wants me to write how I feel? I feel nothing.'
Jessica closed the notebook and set it on the floor. She got up to go get breakfast. After she got her eggs, bacon, grits, and a biscuit, she saw a table with one chair. She knew it was for her. She went and sat down and started to eat. She ate almost everything on her plate. When she got up to bring it to the kitchen, Peter walked up to her. He told her she needed to clean her area in the dorm, then go sit in the classroom and write in her journal. He handed her the notebook. She rolled her eyes and went back to dorm and cleaned her mess.
"This is so lame. I hate it here." Jessica groaned. She finished cleaning and went to the empty classroom. She sat down and opened the journal. "I already wrote how I felt. I don't need to write anymore." She saw Scott walk into the classroom. He looked at her.
"Shuns? I feel sorry for you." He walked and got some paint and walked out of the room. Jessica started writing.
'Scott doesn't know anything. He left and I didn't know where in the world he was. Now I found him, we are together again and he wants Shelby. He told me he wanted me. He held me in his arms and he kissed me and he wasn't thinking of Shelby, but yet, he wants her. I don't understand it. I thought it would be easier with Scott here, but it's harder. Why would he tell me he is here for me, if he's not? Now I'm stuck with some hike tomorrow. Shelby will probably push me of a cliff or something.' Jessica wiped a tear from her eye and started writing again. 'I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Jared. I didn't do anything. It was all him. I told mom that but she didn't believe me. And Alan, he made it look like everything was my fault.' Jessica closed her journal and put her head in her hands just as Peter walked in.
"Uh, Jessica, you need to come pack for your hike." Jessica looked up at Peter and he saw her crying. Peter shut the classroom door. "You want to talk about it?"
"Yes and no." Jessica said.
"Why yes and why no?" Peter said.
"I do but I don't. It always feels better when I do talk about my problems, but then everyone gives me special treatment, like I'm fragile. I'm not. When I talk about it, I want them to listen, that is it. Not try to help when they can't." Jessica wiped her eyes again.
"You come to me when you want to talk. And I will try to help, but I won't treat you any different than I do now." Peter got up to walk out.
"I didn't smoke any of the weed." Jessica said. He turned and sat back down. "Jared had it and I was trying to stop him. We started yelling. He put it down and then tried to kiss me. I pushed him away and he tried again so I slapped him. He picked the weed back up, and took another puff. I took it from him and we started yelling again. My mom and Alan walked in and saw me holding the weed. After that my mom sent me to counseling and group therapy. There was no difference in me because there was never anything to change. I got depressed. My friends found out about the incident and stopped talking to me. I failed my classes, got kicked off of cheerleading, and I had no friends. My counselor told my mom about horizon and said she sent a young man here also. She meant Scott obviously. My mom sent me here. Like I said earlier in group, I don't need to be here." Jessica wiped the tears that were now pouring.
"You do need to be here. After going through all of that, you do need our help. Those other people couldn't help you because they didn't know what was wrong. Now that I do, we can help you. But first, you have to want to be help." Peter reached for a box of Kleenex and handed them to Jessica. Jessica took one and wiped her nose.
"I want to be with Scott, like before, not with Shelby in the way." Jessica said. She didn't even realize that's what she wanted, it just came out.
"Only Scott can make that decision." Peter said.
"Why do you do this? Why do you want help everyone?" Jessica asked through a pool of tears.
"Because, there are people, like you, in the world that need help, and I'm all they have." Peter answered. "Come on, it is time to pack. Take a minute and then come to the lobby." Peter slapped her knee and got up and left. Jessica wiped the remainder of her tears and went to the lobby. When she walked in, she saw three backpacks and sleeping bags. Shelby was putting things into her backpack and Scott was walking in with his things.
"So what all do I need to bring?" Jessica asked anyone that would answer. Shelby looked at her.
"To avoid any discussion, I made you a list of things." Shelby held out the list without looking at Jessica.
"And everything is here? This isn't a trick of yours?" Jessica asked, unsure if she can trust her.
"Uh huh." Shelby finished packing her things and Jessica went to the dorm to get some of the stuff she needed. She saw Juliette sitting there.
"Hi." Jessica said. Juliette just looked up at her. "Um Shelby gave me this list for a hike tomorrow. She said everything I need was on it, but I don't trust her that much right now. Will you look at it?" Jessica extended the paper and Juliette took it.
"Uh huh." Juliette handed it back to her and walked out of the dorm.
"Um I guess it has everything then." Jessica gathered what was on the list and carried back lobby and set it down on the floor. She started packing everything into the bag. When she was done she went to zip it up.
"What are you doing?" Scott asked.
"Packing." Jessica answered and continued to zip the bag.
"You're doing it wrong. Give me it." Scott unzipped everything and repacked everything except for the sleeping bag. He zipped the bag back up and secured the sleeping bag in the top of the backpack and shoved it Jessica.
"Thank you." Jessica said as Scott got up and walked away. Jessica picked up the backpack and heard someone walking up behind her. She turned around and saw Peter.
"Jessica, you are still on shuns. No more talking; to anyone." Peter told her and walked away. She let out a sigh. Jessica picked up her bag and brought it to where Shelby and Scott left theirs. She looked at her watch; it was almost noon.
"When will this nightmare end?" Jessica whispered to herself. Jessica walked outside to the docks and sat down. "Well I guess this is my spot where I'll come when I need to think." She said to herself.
"Did you mean it? Did you mean what you said about us?" Jessica heard Juliette's voice behind her. She just shrugged. Juliette sat down next to her.
"I want to be your friend. But if it won't happen then I won't bother." Juliette said to her.
"I do want to be friends. I'm just not ready to open up to everyone."
Jessica said.
"Tell me what's going on with you and Scott and Shelby, if you are ready I mean." Juliette replied.
"He was my boyfriend back home. I love him and he loved me. I went to my Aunt's house for awhile and came back and he was here. I didn't know where he was until I got sent here. We were together while ya'll where on the hike or whatever. When you had gotten back, I saw Shelby with Scott. What's left to tell?"
"Sorry." Juliette said.
"Hey it's not your fault. Don't worry about it." Jessica got up and walked away. She turned and looked back at Juliette. Juliette was watching her. "I'm sorry for what I said." Jessica turned and walked back to the dorms.
When Jessica got to the dorms say fell back onto her bed.
"Ow!" Jessica said up and rubbed her head. "What the..." She turns and looked at her pillow. She picked it up and it felt heavier. Jessica opened the pillowcase to find a board inside of it. "Shelby!"