Disclaimer: The characters of Higher Ground belong to Fox Family and are not my own.




Pura Vida (part 4)


Sophie is on her way to Peter's office, when she spots him coming out of the cafeteria.

Sophie (walking up to Peter) : Hey Peter! Have you eaten lunch yet?

Peter: Yeah, the physicals ended a little early, so the doc and I ate lunch together.

Sophie: Good. Because I need to talk to you. Can we go to your office?

Peter: Sure.

They start walking to Peter's office. Sophie walks in first and plops down in a chair, exhaling a sigh of frustration.

Peter: So, what's up? Something wrong? How were physicals?

Sophie: Well, everyone's physicals went okay. Daisy is losing sleep because of stress, but I don't know exactly what about. You can read the report. But mainly, Juliette's physical didn't go as well.

Peter: Is she cutting herself again? Or was it the weight?

Sophie: Well, she is 8 pounds less than we would like her to be, but she is healthy. But apparently, she has been keeping her cutting wounds open and not letting them heal. The doctor says that essentially it is the same as her cutting herself. We tried to talk to her about it, but she closed off in that space look of hers.

Peter: I guess Juliette will need more surveillance, and I will increase her therapy sessions. Maybe I can find someone this summer to come in who has had a lot of experiences with cutting.

Sophie: And here I thought she was doing so much better... Kat mentioned something about her falling into an underground cave or something and that after she was rescued, she was "freaked out." Mind telling me what happened? Maybe it will help me understand Juliette better.

Peter: Well, Juliette as you know is fond of playing 'the boy who cried "wolf"' when it comes to stomach cramps, or any kind of ailment that will get her out of hiking. Apparently, she was having stomach cramps, so Hannah told Kat to take her down the mountain to the nurse. Jules was complaining and stuff, so Kat decided to leave her there and go get the nurse. But Jules wasn't there when we came back, she must have wondered off and fallen into that hole. We didn't rescue Juliette until about noon the next day, and when I found her, she was next to some skeletal remains.

Sophie: Oh my God! She must have been traumatized!

Peter: You would think that. She kept referring to the bones as "the girl with the shaw" and she told everyone how she saw her mother down there and that this girl helped her to stand up to her mother. You could tell that she believed it.

Sophie: What snapped her out of it?

Peter: Shock therapy. Hannah sent Shelby in to see her. We don't know what was said, but Jules seemed back to her old self again. Especially after we performed a ceremony to bury the bones near Horizon.

Sophie: So, do you believe she actually saw her mother, or this girl?

Peter: I don't know. I know that she believes she saw them, and that this girl was her friend. She said that if the girl had not been there to save her, then her mother would have won.

Sophie: Won what, Peter?

Peter: I don't know, Soph. But I have hope that someday Juliette will be strong enough to separate her life from her mother's power.

Sophie: Me too. That is one lesson I am still working on myself.

Peter: Well, I have always been curious about your parentage. You know all my family secrets, but I know little about yours. Do your parents even know you're engaged?

Sophie (now looking really flustered): Peter, now is not a good time. Maybe later. It's still not a subject I'm comfortable with.

Peter: It's okay. I'll be here when your ready (sees that she looks worried) okay? (pulls her into a hug). Now come on, we have one last thing to discuss....how are we going about that relationship talk this afternoon?

Sophie: You mean the sex talk, right? (Peter gives her a look). Well, that's what all the kids are saying. I bet quite a few rumors are going around.

Peter: Good. It will start them talking at least.

Sophie: I guess we just stick to the original plan. Boy, won't they be surprised.

Peter (starts laughing): Yeah. You know we are just too good to be true, sometimes.

Sophie: Your right. (gives Peter a kiss on the cheek). Well, I need to go eat some lunch and fuel the fire for evaluations. I'll come find you in about an hour, Mountain Man.

Peter: Well, I will be waiting impatiently. (Watches her leave. Peter sits again at his desk and begins retrieving files for evaluations. The phone rings).

Peter: Mt. Horizon School, Peter Scarbrow speaking.

other line: Mr. Scarbrow, this is Miranda, Juliette's mother.

Peter: Hi, Mrs. Viniski. What can I do for you?

Jules mother: Well, Mr. Scarbrow I want Juliette to come home for the summer term. I think it would be nice for her to get to know her new family.

Peter (a little flustered): Well, Mrs. Viniski, Juliette is improving here at Horizon, perhaps it would not be good to change everything now.

Jules mother: Why not? She is healthy, isn't she? She is not cutting, so I think it would be good for her to come home. She can still return there for the fall semester if she wants to.

Peter: Well, as you know today is last evaluations before summer. Juliette's physical was okay...and your right she is healthy now, but she still is having problems with the cutting.

Jules mother: Is she cutting again? Why does she do that?

Peter: She not cutting. But she is not letting her past cuts heal properly. It could indicate a future problem.

Jules mother: But she is not cutting. I think she will be fine. Mr. Scarbrow, I have made my decision. I want Juliette home this summer. I do not know what she tells you about me, but I do love and miss her. I think coming home might be good for her and me.

Peter: Well, I have offered my advice.

Jules mother: And I appreciate it. But I still think this is the right thing to do. Could you please tell Juliette I will send a car for her on Friday.

Peter: I will.

Jules mother: Thank you. I am going to have to let you go, I have a call coming in on the other line. Tell Juliette to call me before Friday.

Peter: I will. Good- (She hangs up before Peter can finish) -bye. Great. Just great. Another one that is going home before they're ready. How am I going to break this to Jules?


**************** Cliffhanger lunch table ***********************

Ezra (holding up a spoon of what looks like soggy green beans): You would think that it being evaluations day, they could at least serve us something edible.

David: For once, I agree. The only stuff this is good for is..... (holds up his spoon full of the mystery green stuff ) a food fight!!

Kat (grabs the spoon away from David): No you aren't. This is my last day to eat with the students, and you will not ruin it by giving us kitchen duty for the entire summer. Got it?
David: Yeah, I got it. Sheesh, you can't take a joke. I wouldn't have thrown it.

Daisy (laughing): Yeah, right. And I have a sunny disposition.

Ezra (doesn't like the way Daisy is looking at David): Well, what do you guys think about this sex talk this afternoon? Any ideas about what it is really about?

Auggie: Who knows? I just hope it don't get too embarrassing.

Shelby: Don't worry. I don't think its going to be about the birds and the bees. Although I don't think Jules has heard that one. Have you, Jules? Jules?

Jules (picking at her half-eaten plate): Oh, what? Right.

Shelby: Do you even know what I just said? I just insulted you. Boy are you out of it.

Daisy: You've been "out of it" since physicals? Get caught at something?

Auggie: Hey guys. Lighten up on Jules. Come on twig; let's go outside away from these vultures.

Jules (smiles at Auggie): Sure.

Shelby: Well, that was pretty easy. So okay, now is time to begin our plans.

David: Plans? So, we're not going to talk about sex?

Kat: No, we're not. As I mentioned to Shelby, both Auggie and Juliette have birthdays next week.

Scott: It's amazing that they were both born in the same week.

Shelby: Yeah, I know. It almost seems that fate could be true. But anyway, Kat thinks we should throw a surprise party for the homeboy and Queenie.

Kat: Yeah. During evaluations, I will tell Peter and Sophie and get their cooperation so we can get supplies, presents, etc. And have one of them take Juliette and Auggie on a "birthday hike" while we prepare everything.

Daisy: Sounds good. Is there anything else we need to do?

Kat: Not yet. Except try to keep it a secret. But we will talk about this later, I want to finish moving my stuff to the counselors' dorm before evaluations.

Kat leaves.

Scott: Now that she's left, are we going to discuss Kat's surprise?

Shelby: I think we have done enough for that. Everything is ready for tonight.

Daisy: Boy, I will be glad when all this secret planning is over.

Ezra: Me too.

David: See, I told you. We should have had the food fight instead of all the other mushy stuff.

Peter walks in the cafeteria, coming toward the cliffhanger table.

Peter: Hey guys, you seen Sophie?

Group chorus: No.

Peter: Well, if you see her tell her I'm looking for her. (Peter turns to leave, but notices that the plates on the table). Who didn't eat hardly any food?

Shelby: Guess, sherlock.

Peter: Juliette. Well, I will be talking with her later. The rest of you finish up. The evaluations will be going in this order: 1) Kat, 2) David, 3) Ezra, 4) Daisy, 5) Scott, 6) Shelby, 7) Auggie, and 8) will be Juliette. See you guys later and don't be late.



Peter finally finds Sophie.

Peter: Soph, I need to talk with you.

Sophie: Sure Peter, what's up?

Peter: Juliette's mother called. She wants Jules to come home for the summer term.

Sophie: Did you tell her about...

Peter: Yes, I did. But it didn't seem to matter. She was pretty adamant that Juliette come home and spend time with her new family.

Sophie (is getting upset): How are going to break this to Juliette? How will she cope? How will she react to leaving Auggie and the others?

Peter: I don't know. But we have to remain strong and hope that Juliette will also. It won't be easy to let her go.

Sophie: Not easy at all. When does she have to leave?

Peter: Friday. She will at least get three days to say goodbye.

Sophie: I guess. Are we still going to go through with the plan?

Peter: I don't see why we can't. Let's just keep everything the same. Okay?

Sophie: okay. Well, I think I'm going to take a walk before evaluations and try to clear my head.
Peter: okay Soph. See you later.

Both walk away, looking a little deflated as the move.


Next time: evaluations begin