Author's Note: First, I'd like to thank everyone for the wonderful replies. It really means a lot that you're liking this story. I'll try to answer any questions you have...
More on Shelby: As I said before, Shelby's still establishing relationships with the others. She and Scott aren't together. I'm not sure how to explain her relationship with him or the others of the group. She's somewhere in between "Babes In Arms" and "Our Strongest Link"; I believe that's the best way to put it. She's beginning to open up, yet she still has that attitude. Please remember that I'm not going along with how things happened on the show. It should become clearer as you read on. I truly hope that this helps, but again please feel free to e-mail me at AngelSDP@aol.com with questions, comments, thoughts...Thanks and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I'm in no way associated with Higher Ground...
Better Days
"I have walked too long in darkness/I have walked too long alone/blindly clutching fists of diamonds/that I found were only stones"
-Barbra Streisand, "Higher Ground"
Chapter Two
"This isn't fair!" The brunette whined as she seated herself on the lush grass. "This is just busy work."
"Yeah, it would be called work if you were over here doing something." The tall blonde grunted as he swung the ax, the wood splitting into two pieces.
"No, I agree with Juliette." Daisy reached down to pick up the fallen pieces of wood before continuing, "Peter just uses this as an excuse, wanting us to 'work together'. It really just gets us out of his way."
"Yo, speaking of working together - where's Shelby?" Another boy spoke up.
"She's probably getting the third degree from Peter right about now." Ezra placed a piece of wood on the chopping block. "Though I have to admit - the same thought crossed my mind." He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Too bad you all missed her last visit."
Scott paused from his work and leaned on the ax. "Well what happened?"
Ezra glanced at Katherine and Juliette, who were both grinning with laughter.
"Let's just say that it took awhile for Peter's bike to dry out..."
"It was an accident, Peter, really."
"Don't worry, Chlo. It needed a good washing anyway."
"And plunging it into the lake is better than soap and a hose any day."
The dinner conversation was anything but quiet as a young couple erupted in laughter once again at the memory.
Chloe's cheeks reddened as she reached for her drink. "Well, I guess I'm not going to live this down, am I?"
The atmosphere at Rusty's was carefree. The tune on the jukebox was upbeat, and a young man reached for his wife's hand for a dance. Strangers socialized at the bar, and nearby a group of friends played pool and drank beer. At their table, however, laughter and memories masked the tension. The laughter died down as they finished their meals. With a smile, Chloe excused herself, leaving Peter and Sophie to themselves. Sophie watched her walk away before turning to the man.
"Do you want to tell me what's going in now, or shall I ask again later?"
Peter leaned back in his chair and shrugged innocently, a forced smile on his face. "What?"
She shot him a knowing look, and he sighed and set his napkin down on the table. His expression became somber, his tone softening. "Shelby's mother called today."
"Why? Is everything all right?" Her blue eyes filled with concern.
"Her stepfather had a heart attack." He paused. "Her mother wants her at home."
"Peter- no. Shelby has only just begun to open up to us. There's still so much pain and hurt that she's dealing with by herself..."
"I know, " Peter replied in frustration. "I know that Soph..."
Sophie stared at him incredulously. "Well, does Shelby know?"
"I told her this morning. Her walls went back up immediately."
"Well I don't blame her. Just when she's beginning to feel comfortable..."
"I don't know what to do Soph, I just-"
"Peter."
The man looked up at the sound of his name. Annie held up the phone, her hand over the mouthpiece to muffle the noise from the restaurant. "You have a phone call - it's Jeff."
Two pairs of eyes exchanged troubled glances as Peter stood up and hastened to the bar.
"Thanks Annie." He nodded, taking the phone from her. "Jeff-what's up?"
From the table, Sophie watched Peter; her wide eyes questioning, trying to read his expression.
"Is everything all right?"
Sophie raised her eyes to see Chloe looking down at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could answer, Peter came hurrying over.
"Sophie, we've got to get back." He told her, grabbing their jackets. The woman immediately stood and pulled on her coat. Chloe watched the two, obviously perplexed at the sudden change in situation.
"Peter-"
The man touched her arm apologetically. "Chloe, I'll see you tomorrow at the school; we can discuss everything then. And don't worry about the dinner - it's on me." He nodded at Sophie and the two hurried out of the restaurant.
The woman stared after them, still trying to comprehend what had just taken place. She glanced down at the table as a waiter placed the check in front of her. A smirk spread across her face as she nodded and turned towards the door. "On me..." she slowly repeated.
She sat in the most isolated corner of the lodge, staring at the wall before her. Few students had joined her in the room, as most had decided to spend their time outside in the fresh air. Some sat on the plush chairs, reading or playing a game. Others stood near the door, talking in low voices. And in the corner she sat, never breaking her gaze. Her face was expressionless, her eyes narrowed with thought, and her mind filled with memories...
"Hey, nice job getting out of work." Auggie flopped down into the nearest chair.
Shelby started as the rest of her group filled in the furniture around her.
"Yeah, you should really tell us how you manage it." Ezra added seriously.
She barely glanced at him as she uttered a reply, "what can I tell you? It's a gift."
"I, for one, resent Peter for making us do work during our free time. If he wanted us out of his way so bad, he could have just asked."
At this, Shelby looked up, a smirk appearing on her face. "Queenie did work? Now I'm sorry I missed it."
Katherine sat on the arm of the couch and observed Shelby thoughtfully. "So what did Peter want?" She finally asked.
Shelby turned to look at her, the smile quickly vanishing. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Nothing." She shrugged and raised her eyes to the ceiling, her voice coated with sarcasm. "Just a lecture about judging others by their appearances."
She could feel Katherine's eyes on her, and she knew that the older girl was questioning this story, so she dared not look at her.
"That's great." Scott muttered. "You get a lecture for cracking a joke and we get to chop wood for doing nothing."
"Well, that's life for ya." Daisy spoke up behind them. They all turned to look at her. "Fairness is never taken into consideration when punishments are concerned."
Shelby's eyes narrowed. "What would you know about what's fair? I'll bet half of you never even lifted a finger out there." Then her tone changed as her gaze shifted from Juliette to Scott. "But I'll bet I know which one sweat the most."
Without a word, the boy turned away and headed towards the dining room, a smile of amusement playing on the corners of his lips. Standing up to follow him, Juliette only smiled sweetly at Shelby. "You're going to have to do better than that."
The lodge began to empty as groups hurried into the dining room to eat.
"Come on, Shel." Katherine said, standing up to follow the others.
"No." Came her short reply.
Kat turned to look at her, obviously expecting a different response.
"It's dinner. Aren't you coming?"
She avoided the older girl's inquiring gaze, but softened her tone. "No, I'm not - I'm not hungry." She lowered her eyes, brushing her hair away from her face.
Katherine paused for a long moment before nodding, and hurried to catch up with the others. And in the corner Shelby sat, once again alone.
The two hopped out of the truck the moment it came to a stop before the lodge. Light poured onto the grass as the door opened, but they barely acknowledged their third companion as they raced up the steps to the dorms. Sophie knocked on the door first, asking for clearance. As the others entered the Cliffhanger's dorm, three pairs of eyes looked up in bewilderment.
"What's going on?" Daisy asked, appearing in the bathroom doorway.
"Yeah, I thought they already called for lights out."
"Have any of you girls seen Shelby?"
Juliette shrugged at Jeff's question. "Not since before dinner. Peter, I think you should seriously reconsider her punishment this time-"
"Not now Juliette." Sophie turned to Katherine. "How about you?"
But the girl shook her head. "I tried to get her to come to dinner, but she said that she wasn't hungry. I haven't seen her since."
Sophie and Jeff exchanged glances as Peter walked towards Shelby's bunk. The mood in the room had changed. Katherine bit her lip in puzzlement and worry. Juliette sat up in her bed, her expression suddenly filled with concern. Daisy walked further into the room, eyeing the group skeptically.
"What happened? Where is she?"
Peter set down the mattress and sighed in defeat. He raised his eyes to the other two counselors, his suspicions confirmed.
"She ran."
More on Shelby: As I said before, Shelby's still establishing relationships with the others. She and Scott aren't together. I'm not sure how to explain her relationship with him or the others of the group. She's somewhere in between "Babes In Arms" and "Our Strongest Link"; I believe that's the best way to put it. She's beginning to open up, yet she still has that attitude. Please remember that I'm not going along with how things happened on the show. It should become clearer as you read on. I truly hope that this helps, but again please feel free to e-mail me at AngelSDP@aol.com with questions, comments, thoughts...Thanks and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I'm in no way associated with Higher Ground...
Better Days
"I have walked too long in darkness/I have walked too long alone/blindly clutching fists of diamonds/that I found were only stones"
-Barbra Streisand, "Higher Ground"
Chapter Two
"This isn't fair!" The brunette whined as she seated herself on the lush grass. "This is just busy work."
"Yeah, it would be called work if you were over here doing something." The tall blonde grunted as he swung the ax, the wood splitting into two pieces.
"No, I agree with Juliette." Daisy reached down to pick up the fallen pieces of wood before continuing, "Peter just uses this as an excuse, wanting us to 'work together'. It really just gets us out of his way."
"Yo, speaking of working together - where's Shelby?" Another boy spoke up.
"She's probably getting the third degree from Peter right about now." Ezra placed a piece of wood on the chopping block. "Though I have to admit - the same thought crossed my mind." He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Too bad you all missed her last visit."
Scott paused from his work and leaned on the ax. "Well what happened?"
Ezra glanced at Katherine and Juliette, who were both grinning with laughter.
"Let's just say that it took awhile for Peter's bike to dry out..."
"It was an accident, Peter, really."
"Don't worry, Chlo. It needed a good washing anyway."
"And plunging it into the lake is better than soap and a hose any day."
The dinner conversation was anything but quiet as a young couple erupted in laughter once again at the memory.
Chloe's cheeks reddened as she reached for her drink. "Well, I guess I'm not going to live this down, am I?"
The atmosphere at Rusty's was carefree. The tune on the jukebox was upbeat, and a young man reached for his wife's hand for a dance. Strangers socialized at the bar, and nearby a group of friends played pool and drank beer. At their table, however, laughter and memories masked the tension. The laughter died down as they finished their meals. With a smile, Chloe excused herself, leaving Peter and Sophie to themselves. Sophie watched her walk away before turning to the man.
"Do you want to tell me what's going in now, or shall I ask again later?"
Peter leaned back in his chair and shrugged innocently, a forced smile on his face. "What?"
She shot him a knowing look, and he sighed and set his napkin down on the table. His expression became somber, his tone softening. "Shelby's mother called today."
"Why? Is everything all right?" Her blue eyes filled with concern.
"Her stepfather had a heart attack." He paused. "Her mother wants her at home."
"Peter- no. Shelby has only just begun to open up to us. There's still so much pain and hurt that she's dealing with by herself..."
"I know, " Peter replied in frustration. "I know that Soph..."
Sophie stared at him incredulously. "Well, does Shelby know?"
"I told her this morning. Her walls went back up immediately."
"Well I don't blame her. Just when she's beginning to feel comfortable..."
"I don't know what to do Soph, I just-"
"Peter."
The man looked up at the sound of his name. Annie held up the phone, her hand over the mouthpiece to muffle the noise from the restaurant. "You have a phone call - it's Jeff."
Two pairs of eyes exchanged troubled glances as Peter stood up and hastened to the bar.
"Thanks Annie." He nodded, taking the phone from her. "Jeff-what's up?"
From the table, Sophie watched Peter; her wide eyes questioning, trying to read his expression.
"Is everything all right?"
Sophie raised her eyes to see Chloe looking down at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could answer, Peter came hurrying over.
"Sophie, we've got to get back." He told her, grabbing their jackets. The woman immediately stood and pulled on her coat. Chloe watched the two, obviously perplexed at the sudden change in situation.
"Peter-"
The man touched her arm apologetically. "Chloe, I'll see you tomorrow at the school; we can discuss everything then. And don't worry about the dinner - it's on me." He nodded at Sophie and the two hurried out of the restaurant.
The woman stared after them, still trying to comprehend what had just taken place. She glanced down at the table as a waiter placed the check in front of her. A smirk spread across her face as she nodded and turned towards the door. "On me..." she slowly repeated.
She sat in the most isolated corner of the lodge, staring at the wall before her. Few students had joined her in the room, as most had decided to spend their time outside in the fresh air. Some sat on the plush chairs, reading or playing a game. Others stood near the door, talking in low voices. And in the corner she sat, never breaking her gaze. Her face was expressionless, her eyes narrowed with thought, and her mind filled with memories...
"Hey, nice job getting out of work." Auggie flopped down into the nearest chair.
Shelby started as the rest of her group filled in the furniture around her.
"Yeah, you should really tell us how you manage it." Ezra added seriously.
She barely glanced at him as she uttered a reply, "what can I tell you? It's a gift."
"I, for one, resent Peter for making us do work during our free time. If he wanted us out of his way so bad, he could have just asked."
At this, Shelby looked up, a smirk appearing on her face. "Queenie did work? Now I'm sorry I missed it."
Katherine sat on the arm of the couch and observed Shelby thoughtfully. "So what did Peter want?" She finally asked.
Shelby turned to look at her, the smile quickly vanishing. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Nothing." She shrugged and raised her eyes to the ceiling, her voice coated with sarcasm. "Just a lecture about judging others by their appearances."
She could feel Katherine's eyes on her, and she knew that the older girl was questioning this story, so she dared not look at her.
"That's great." Scott muttered. "You get a lecture for cracking a joke and we get to chop wood for doing nothing."
"Well, that's life for ya." Daisy spoke up behind them. They all turned to look at her. "Fairness is never taken into consideration when punishments are concerned."
Shelby's eyes narrowed. "What would you know about what's fair? I'll bet half of you never even lifted a finger out there." Then her tone changed as her gaze shifted from Juliette to Scott. "But I'll bet I know which one sweat the most."
Without a word, the boy turned away and headed towards the dining room, a smile of amusement playing on the corners of his lips. Standing up to follow him, Juliette only smiled sweetly at Shelby. "You're going to have to do better than that."
The lodge began to empty as groups hurried into the dining room to eat.
"Come on, Shel." Katherine said, standing up to follow the others.
"No." Came her short reply.
Kat turned to look at her, obviously expecting a different response.
"It's dinner. Aren't you coming?"
She avoided the older girl's inquiring gaze, but softened her tone. "No, I'm not - I'm not hungry." She lowered her eyes, brushing her hair away from her face.
Katherine paused for a long moment before nodding, and hurried to catch up with the others. And in the corner Shelby sat, once again alone.
The two hopped out of the truck the moment it came to a stop before the lodge. Light poured onto the grass as the door opened, but they barely acknowledged their third companion as they raced up the steps to the dorms. Sophie knocked on the door first, asking for clearance. As the others entered the Cliffhanger's dorm, three pairs of eyes looked up in bewilderment.
"What's going on?" Daisy asked, appearing in the bathroom doorway.
"Yeah, I thought they already called for lights out."
"Have any of you girls seen Shelby?"
Juliette shrugged at Jeff's question. "Not since before dinner. Peter, I think you should seriously reconsider her punishment this time-"
"Not now Juliette." Sophie turned to Katherine. "How about you?"
But the girl shook her head. "I tried to get her to come to dinner, but she said that she wasn't hungry. I haven't seen her since."
Sophie and Jeff exchanged glances as Peter walked towards Shelby's bunk. The mood in the room had changed. Katherine bit her lip in puzzlement and worry. Juliette sat up in her bed, her expression suddenly filled with concern. Daisy walked further into the room, eyeing the group skeptically.
"What happened? Where is she?"
Peter set down the mattress and sighed in defeat. He raised his eyes to the other two counselors, his suspicions confirmed.
"She ran."