Among The Sane
A "Higher Ground" Fan Fic
By MissKate
A/N...Okay, here is the forth chapter!! I hope that you all enjoy it, however I had almost no ideas. I have the fifth chapter written, which I will post once I get a total of 8 reviews for this chapter. That's not too many, so I know they will come soon. I hate doing that, but I didn't want to post the chapter too soon. So please read and review!! I hope you like it!! THANKS BUNCHES!!!
Chapter 4: Finding Relief
Sunday morning dragged on slowly, and before they knew it, the afternoon had already bestowed them with its presence. The moods that the Cliffhangers had been in the night before seemed to somewhat carry over to the next day, meaning less talking and more thinking than usual. Each person became more reserved, focusing mostly on his or her own fears and insecurities. Peter watched from afar, hoping that they would look to each other for help, and struggling not to push them to one another.
The students of the school took it easy that day, studying occasionally, but mostly just hanging out with their groups. The Cliffhangers, of course, were the only ones going to Agnes High School for the week, but Peter decided to let them take a small breather as well. Nobody quite understood how the Cliffhangers were feeling, but they could assume. They knew that if they were getting the same opportunity, they would be a bit scared, but also excited. It was not often that they were let out of the Horizon boundaries.
Sophie walked into the lodge and saw her group sitting around, just staring at the fire, with short conversations taking place every couple of minutes. Reluctantly, she passed by them to stand near Peter.
"I think reality is setting in," she whispered.
"Yeah, but I think they will do fine once they get there," he replied softly, looking in the direction of the group, before the two walked off to talk to some of the other students present.
The Cliffhangers all sat quietly around the table, watching the sparks fly in the fire. Though they wanted to hide their fears, they knew that they could not for very long, especially with Peter and Sophie around constantly.
"Hey Dais," Ezra said as he sat beside her.
"Oh, hi Ezra," she replied nearly monotone, as much as she wanted to sound somewhat cheerful.
The two sat alongside each other for a couple of minutes before Daisy spoke up again, getting tired of the silence that had been dominating the entire group for the last two days. "What are you thinking about?"
"What are any of us thinking about?" he questioned, not expecting an answer. "I just hope that they don't push us away too soon, you know?" Daisy nodded, as Ezra continued. "Peter wants us to learn about the world outside Horizon, but how can we do that if we aren't a part of it, and they won't let us be?"
Ezra had just said in words nearly everything that Daisy was feeling as well, and she knew that the others were also. "Thanks Ezra," she said plainly.
"For what?"
Thinking for a moment of what to say, Daisy finally found the words. "For everything. You've always been a friend to me, you've always known what to say." She smiled at him and he grinned back. It was the first time either had felt happy in a long time, and they were glad to finally have some relief.
Not long after Ezra went to sit near Daisy, Scott walked over to Shelby, who was staring off endlessly, as she relaxed in a chair. "Shel?" he asked softly, making her jump slightly, as she was not expecting him. "Follow me," Scott said as he reached for her hand and pulled her up.
Tagging along after Scott, Shelby did not know where she was being taken and was not in the mood for these games. Eventually, she figured out their destination, as the lake came into view. The sun danced off the water, creating the perfect setting for anyone in love that did not have as much on his or her mind as she did.
Scott sat down on the wooden dock, and motioned for Shelby to do the same thing. Staring into the water, she could only imagine what Scott wanted to say to her. News was usually bad news at Horizon, and she did not know how much more of it she could handle.
"So, what do you want?" she stated simply.
"What makes you think I want something? Maybe I just wanted to get away from the depressing faces and spend some time alone with you."
Shelby smirked and said, "Yeah, I'm sure that's it."
"Actually, there is something I wanted to ask you." She could sense that was coming, and smiled as she turned her head away from him. "What do you think? I mean, about going to this school."
Keeping her head turned away from his view, Shelby tried to think up an answer. He has asked it so bluntly; she did not know how she should respond. "Hey, I'm excited," she said in a happy tone.
Scott shook his head, knowing that he should not have expected an honest answer from her. Maybe it was wrong of him to think that she could trust him, after he had told her he loved her. Perhaps the love did not go both ways. "I don't buy that," he said looking over at her, and then turned his glance back down at the water below his feet.
"No, really. I just...can't wait to get there. What's there to be afraid of?" She was finding it harder and harder to keep her emotions from him. It was different sharing with him, as opposed to Daisy, and even Juliette.
"We're all scared, Shelby. Maybe not in the same way, exactly, but I can still see it. I do have eyes, you know."
Shelby looked up at him, asking, "Then what are you afraid of?"
"Everything...of how they are going to treat us. We're a bunch of screwed up kids walking into a school with prejudices and stereotypes. There are going to be problems, and we can't deny that. We are all scared of what they might say."
Shelby nodded, looking down at the water again. "And if they will pressure us...get us to tell them our histories," she said interrupting him.
Surprised, Scott met his eyes with hers. "Exactly," he whispered, as he wrapped his arm around Shelby and she laid her head up against his shoulder. They both felt safe, wishing that the next day would not bring all the fear that frightened them.
A few minutes later, the two came walking back to the lodge to sit with their friends. When they entered, they noticed that the atmosphere of the room was the same as when they left.
Just as they were stepping over to where the other Cliffhangers were seated, Peter and Sophie snuck up behind them. They noticed that they were smiling, and hoped that they would spread their sense of relief with the others.
"Hi guys. Where have you too been?" Peter asked.
"Just walking around, talking," Scott replied coolly.
"Well, since you are all here, I think we should use a few minutes for group. What do you guys think?" Groans came from all ends of the room. "I am glad to see that you all agree. I want each of you to tell me something that you are looking forward to on this trip. And I think we will start with Scott," he said, as he sat on the arm of the couch where Ezra, Daisy, and Juliette were seated.
Scott strained to think of an answer, and finally replied. "I am looking forward to...getting out on a real football field again," he said smiling. It was a typical Scott statement, as he brought sports into everything.
Feeling Peter's face move over to hers, Shelby knew she was next. "Do you mind if I say what I am not looking forward to?"
"I guess that is okay," Peter said, a little confused.
Lifting her head to look up at the ceiling, Shelby thought for a second, before she replied. "I am not looking forward to being away from...here."
Peter knew that Shelby, as well as many of the other kids at Horizon, saw Horizon as their home, first and foremost. It was their sanctuary, where they felt safe and protected. "Don't worry, Shelby. You'll be coming back here every evening," he reassured her, and watched as a slight smile swept across her face.
"Okay, Ezra, you're next," Sophie said leaning over the back of the couch.
"I am looking forward to new classes with different topics," he said.
"Ah, the intellectual," Daisy smirked. "I suppose I am next. I suppose that I am looking forward to new experiences."
Everyone turned to face Juliette as she spoke. "I am looking forward to meeting new people."
"Of course you are," Shelby said inaudibly.
"Well, I'm looking forward to meeting others with...dyslexia, and seeing how they deal," Auggie said.
"And lastly...Go ahead David," Peter said, signaling for him to speak.
"I am looking forward to some real food," he stated quickly, smiling. "Like real potatoes, real chicken, real...everything." He had obviously been thinking of that one for a while.
"It's a public high school, not Buckingham Palace," Daisy told him, to which he just stuck his tongue out and leaned back against the chair behind him.
Peter sighed, and let David's comment pass. "Alright, guys. Good job. You can go and get something to eat now," he said as they stood up to leave.
"Oh yes, Horizon food. I am so excited," David said as he passed by him.
After dinner, the Cliffhangers retired to their rooms, to prepare for the next day. In the girls' cabin, Juliette was frantic about what to wear. The same pressures of high school that she had suffered from before Horizon were coming back to haunt her, while Daisy and Shelby thought it was hilarious.
"But Jules. That shirt is SO last week!" Shelby said sarcastically.
"Oh my God, you're right! How about this one?" she asked holding up another shirt.
The two looked at each other and started laughing, while Juliette stood in front of them dumbfounded. "Face it, you are a slave to popularity," Daisy said as she and Shelby remained sitting and watching from the floor.
"Oh, that's funny," Juliette replied as she turned her attention back to her clothes.
Shelby looked over at her friend that sat beside her. "So, how are you doing?"
"Oh, you know. Petrified. I don't think I have been this nervous since I went to my mother's funeral."
Sighing, Shelby nodded. "As much as I hate to admit it, I am too. I still...just don't know how they are going to treat us. We're so different from them. They haven't been through all the crap that we have."
Knowing what she was talking about, Daisy put her arm around her friend as they both looked up at Juliette and laughed again. They both felt relieved that their feelings were the same, and knew that the others felt similar, even Juliette, though she was too wrapped up in first impressions more than anything else.
The boys in the next cabin sat around talking. It was the first time that they had had an actual conversation with each other in a long time, and they found it refreshing, in a way.
"Do you think that there will be any hot girls there?" David asked.
"Don't be asking me that, man. I've got me one already," Auggie replied smiling.
Scott realized something, and quickly spoke up. "You don't think that there will be guys there that will try to steal our girls away, do you?"
"I am sure the girls are thinking the same thing about us. But I am sure they won't succumb to that. It took them a long time to trust us, and they aren't going to fall for these guys at the drop of a hat," Ezra said from his bed, looking up at the ceiling. He and Daisy had been getting closer, and he just hoped that this experience would not tear them apart.
"Well, I am still looking forward to the food," David said, as the others looked at him and laughed. David was certainly the comedian of the group, and it made them all feel better to finally laugh.
Outside in the darkness, Peter and Sophie walked from cabin to cabin, checking on the teenagers within. They reached the boys' cabin and through the window, saw them laughing and talking. Scott and Auggie were sitting on the floor facing Ezra's bed where he was sitting, as David sat on the bed next to it.
"I told you," Peter said.
"But this is just the calm before the storm. They have to get there first."
Next they headed toward the girls' dorm, and when they peeked in, they saw the same thing. Daisy and Shelby sat close together on the floor in front of Juliette who was throwing clothes onto the floor after holding them up for an opinion and receiving a million giggles.
"They'll do fine, I think," Sophie said, contradicting her comment earlier. "They have each other, and I think that is what matters."
"Very true," Peter replied, as they walked off and left the two groups to themselves for the night.
****
What did you think?? The next chapter will be good, I promise!! Coming up, the Cliffhangers head to Agnes High School...!!! Please review while you wait!!!!!
A "Higher Ground" Fan Fic
By MissKate
A/N...Okay, here is the forth chapter!! I hope that you all enjoy it, however I had almost no ideas. I have the fifth chapter written, which I will post once I get a total of 8 reviews for this chapter. That's not too many, so I know they will come soon. I hate doing that, but I didn't want to post the chapter too soon. So please read and review!! I hope you like it!! THANKS BUNCHES!!!
Chapter 4: Finding Relief
Sunday morning dragged on slowly, and before they knew it, the afternoon had already bestowed them with its presence. The moods that the Cliffhangers had been in the night before seemed to somewhat carry over to the next day, meaning less talking and more thinking than usual. Each person became more reserved, focusing mostly on his or her own fears and insecurities. Peter watched from afar, hoping that they would look to each other for help, and struggling not to push them to one another.
The students of the school took it easy that day, studying occasionally, but mostly just hanging out with their groups. The Cliffhangers, of course, were the only ones going to Agnes High School for the week, but Peter decided to let them take a small breather as well. Nobody quite understood how the Cliffhangers were feeling, but they could assume. They knew that if they were getting the same opportunity, they would be a bit scared, but also excited. It was not often that they were let out of the Horizon boundaries.
Sophie walked into the lodge and saw her group sitting around, just staring at the fire, with short conversations taking place every couple of minutes. Reluctantly, she passed by them to stand near Peter.
"I think reality is setting in," she whispered.
"Yeah, but I think they will do fine once they get there," he replied softly, looking in the direction of the group, before the two walked off to talk to some of the other students present.
The Cliffhangers all sat quietly around the table, watching the sparks fly in the fire. Though they wanted to hide their fears, they knew that they could not for very long, especially with Peter and Sophie around constantly.
"Hey Dais," Ezra said as he sat beside her.
"Oh, hi Ezra," she replied nearly monotone, as much as she wanted to sound somewhat cheerful.
The two sat alongside each other for a couple of minutes before Daisy spoke up again, getting tired of the silence that had been dominating the entire group for the last two days. "What are you thinking about?"
"What are any of us thinking about?" he questioned, not expecting an answer. "I just hope that they don't push us away too soon, you know?" Daisy nodded, as Ezra continued. "Peter wants us to learn about the world outside Horizon, but how can we do that if we aren't a part of it, and they won't let us be?"
Ezra had just said in words nearly everything that Daisy was feeling as well, and she knew that the others were also. "Thanks Ezra," she said plainly.
"For what?"
Thinking for a moment of what to say, Daisy finally found the words. "For everything. You've always been a friend to me, you've always known what to say." She smiled at him and he grinned back. It was the first time either had felt happy in a long time, and they were glad to finally have some relief.
Not long after Ezra went to sit near Daisy, Scott walked over to Shelby, who was staring off endlessly, as she relaxed in a chair. "Shel?" he asked softly, making her jump slightly, as she was not expecting him. "Follow me," Scott said as he reached for her hand and pulled her up.
Tagging along after Scott, Shelby did not know where she was being taken and was not in the mood for these games. Eventually, she figured out their destination, as the lake came into view. The sun danced off the water, creating the perfect setting for anyone in love that did not have as much on his or her mind as she did.
Scott sat down on the wooden dock, and motioned for Shelby to do the same thing. Staring into the water, she could only imagine what Scott wanted to say to her. News was usually bad news at Horizon, and she did not know how much more of it she could handle.
"So, what do you want?" she stated simply.
"What makes you think I want something? Maybe I just wanted to get away from the depressing faces and spend some time alone with you."
Shelby smirked and said, "Yeah, I'm sure that's it."
"Actually, there is something I wanted to ask you." She could sense that was coming, and smiled as she turned her head away from him. "What do you think? I mean, about going to this school."
Keeping her head turned away from his view, Shelby tried to think up an answer. He has asked it so bluntly; she did not know how she should respond. "Hey, I'm excited," she said in a happy tone.
Scott shook his head, knowing that he should not have expected an honest answer from her. Maybe it was wrong of him to think that she could trust him, after he had told her he loved her. Perhaps the love did not go both ways. "I don't buy that," he said looking over at her, and then turned his glance back down at the water below his feet.
"No, really. I just...can't wait to get there. What's there to be afraid of?" She was finding it harder and harder to keep her emotions from him. It was different sharing with him, as opposed to Daisy, and even Juliette.
"We're all scared, Shelby. Maybe not in the same way, exactly, but I can still see it. I do have eyes, you know."
Shelby looked up at him, asking, "Then what are you afraid of?"
"Everything...of how they are going to treat us. We're a bunch of screwed up kids walking into a school with prejudices and stereotypes. There are going to be problems, and we can't deny that. We are all scared of what they might say."
Shelby nodded, looking down at the water again. "And if they will pressure us...get us to tell them our histories," she said interrupting him.
Surprised, Scott met his eyes with hers. "Exactly," he whispered, as he wrapped his arm around Shelby and she laid her head up against his shoulder. They both felt safe, wishing that the next day would not bring all the fear that frightened them.
A few minutes later, the two came walking back to the lodge to sit with their friends. When they entered, they noticed that the atmosphere of the room was the same as when they left.
Just as they were stepping over to where the other Cliffhangers were seated, Peter and Sophie snuck up behind them. They noticed that they were smiling, and hoped that they would spread their sense of relief with the others.
"Hi guys. Where have you too been?" Peter asked.
"Just walking around, talking," Scott replied coolly.
"Well, since you are all here, I think we should use a few minutes for group. What do you guys think?" Groans came from all ends of the room. "I am glad to see that you all agree. I want each of you to tell me something that you are looking forward to on this trip. And I think we will start with Scott," he said, as he sat on the arm of the couch where Ezra, Daisy, and Juliette were seated.
Scott strained to think of an answer, and finally replied. "I am looking forward to...getting out on a real football field again," he said smiling. It was a typical Scott statement, as he brought sports into everything.
Feeling Peter's face move over to hers, Shelby knew she was next. "Do you mind if I say what I am not looking forward to?"
"I guess that is okay," Peter said, a little confused.
Lifting her head to look up at the ceiling, Shelby thought for a second, before she replied. "I am not looking forward to being away from...here."
Peter knew that Shelby, as well as many of the other kids at Horizon, saw Horizon as their home, first and foremost. It was their sanctuary, where they felt safe and protected. "Don't worry, Shelby. You'll be coming back here every evening," he reassured her, and watched as a slight smile swept across her face.
"Okay, Ezra, you're next," Sophie said leaning over the back of the couch.
"I am looking forward to new classes with different topics," he said.
"Ah, the intellectual," Daisy smirked. "I suppose I am next. I suppose that I am looking forward to new experiences."
Everyone turned to face Juliette as she spoke. "I am looking forward to meeting new people."
"Of course you are," Shelby said inaudibly.
"Well, I'm looking forward to meeting others with...dyslexia, and seeing how they deal," Auggie said.
"And lastly...Go ahead David," Peter said, signaling for him to speak.
"I am looking forward to some real food," he stated quickly, smiling. "Like real potatoes, real chicken, real...everything." He had obviously been thinking of that one for a while.
"It's a public high school, not Buckingham Palace," Daisy told him, to which he just stuck his tongue out and leaned back against the chair behind him.
Peter sighed, and let David's comment pass. "Alright, guys. Good job. You can go and get something to eat now," he said as they stood up to leave.
"Oh yes, Horizon food. I am so excited," David said as he passed by him.
After dinner, the Cliffhangers retired to their rooms, to prepare for the next day. In the girls' cabin, Juliette was frantic about what to wear. The same pressures of high school that she had suffered from before Horizon were coming back to haunt her, while Daisy and Shelby thought it was hilarious.
"But Jules. That shirt is SO last week!" Shelby said sarcastically.
"Oh my God, you're right! How about this one?" she asked holding up another shirt.
The two looked at each other and started laughing, while Juliette stood in front of them dumbfounded. "Face it, you are a slave to popularity," Daisy said as she and Shelby remained sitting and watching from the floor.
"Oh, that's funny," Juliette replied as she turned her attention back to her clothes.
Shelby looked over at her friend that sat beside her. "So, how are you doing?"
"Oh, you know. Petrified. I don't think I have been this nervous since I went to my mother's funeral."
Sighing, Shelby nodded. "As much as I hate to admit it, I am too. I still...just don't know how they are going to treat us. We're so different from them. They haven't been through all the crap that we have."
Knowing what she was talking about, Daisy put her arm around her friend as they both looked up at Juliette and laughed again. They both felt relieved that their feelings were the same, and knew that the others felt similar, even Juliette, though she was too wrapped up in first impressions more than anything else.
The boys in the next cabin sat around talking. It was the first time that they had had an actual conversation with each other in a long time, and they found it refreshing, in a way.
"Do you think that there will be any hot girls there?" David asked.
"Don't be asking me that, man. I've got me one already," Auggie replied smiling.
Scott realized something, and quickly spoke up. "You don't think that there will be guys there that will try to steal our girls away, do you?"
"I am sure the girls are thinking the same thing about us. But I am sure they won't succumb to that. It took them a long time to trust us, and they aren't going to fall for these guys at the drop of a hat," Ezra said from his bed, looking up at the ceiling. He and Daisy had been getting closer, and he just hoped that this experience would not tear them apart.
"Well, I am still looking forward to the food," David said, as the others looked at him and laughed. David was certainly the comedian of the group, and it made them all feel better to finally laugh.
Outside in the darkness, Peter and Sophie walked from cabin to cabin, checking on the teenagers within. They reached the boys' cabin and through the window, saw them laughing and talking. Scott and Auggie were sitting on the floor facing Ezra's bed where he was sitting, as David sat on the bed next to it.
"I told you," Peter said.
"But this is just the calm before the storm. They have to get there first."
Next they headed toward the girls' dorm, and when they peeked in, they saw the same thing. Daisy and Shelby sat close together on the floor in front of Juliette who was throwing clothes onto the floor after holding them up for an opinion and receiving a million giggles.
"They'll do fine, I think," Sophie said, contradicting her comment earlier. "They have each other, and I think that is what matters."
"Very true," Peter replied, as they walked off and left the two groups to themselves for the night.
****
What did you think?? The next chapter will be good, I promise!! Coming up, the Cliffhangers head to Agnes High School...!!! Please review while you wait!!!!!