Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the original Higher Ground, or
any of the characters.
Author's Note: Sorry this is so short again! I'm trying to make my chapters longer, but it's not really working! Thanks for all the great reviews! Thanks (
1 Chapter 11
The Cliffhangers sat in a circle on the floor of the lodge, desperately attempting to avoid Peter's eyes. They were having group, and it was never something they enjoyed. Peter sighed and restated the session's topic.
"As I said, we are going to be discussing the quest, and how it went. Does anyone want to start?" He questioned, glancing at each of the Cliffhangers in turn. His eyes stopped on Ezra, who was concentrating especially hard on the carpet. "Ezra, how about you? Do you have any comments?"
Ezra glanced up, not used to being called on. He glanced at his friends, hoping one of them would speak up and take their turn first, but he had no such luck. He sighed, nervously tracing designs on the carpet with his finger.
"It went ok, I guess." He replied vaguely. Peter watched him closely, knowing that there was something the teenager was not telling him.
"Ok. How about you tell something that went well, and something that didn't go so well." Sophie cut in.
"Uh.I think the campfire last night was good."
"And why would you say that?" Peter pressed.
"We all talked, and I think it helped some of us open up a bit."
"That's good, Ezra. And what was something that didn't go well?" Sophie asked.
"Um.I guess the walk back.I think we were all a little tired and in need of some sleep." Ezra replied, glancing at Daisy, who just looked away. Peter caught the look, and turned his attention to Daisy.
"Do you have anything to share Daisy?" Daisy just shook her head and remained unusually quiet.
"Ok guys, I think it's time we go around the circle and share our tasks, and what we did to accomplish them." Sophie quickly took the group's attention off Daisy.
"How about we start with Scott?" Peter offered, handing Scott the large painted stick.
"Ok, my task was to find something I like about Chase. What I finally found out was that he's willing to try to get better, and I think for a newbie, that's pretty good. I mean when I came here, all I wanted to do was leave, so it's good that he's willing to try." Scott finished, glancing at peter, who nodded his approval. Shelby squeezed Scott's hand.
Scott tossed the stick to Chase, who caught it easily, and rolled it back and forth in his hands before speaking.
"Uh, my task was to show you guys a side of me that no one had seen before, and I guess I did that last night at the campfire, when I told you something about my past. I know it doesn't erase what I did, and it doesn't even make me a better person, but I wanted you to know that it wasn't all me. I'm not the only one to blame." Chase said quietly. The silence in the room made him uncomfortable, and it was weighing down on his shoulders like a heavy weight.
Peter and Sophie gave each other confused looks, but decided to let it slip. If Chase wanted to clarify, he would do it own his own. Chase handed the stick to Juliette, happy to pass on the attention to someone else.
"My task was to find something I had in common with Chase, and although I didn't really expect to find anything, I did. Um, it turns out that he both want to impress our parents, and I guess we'll do anything to do that. It's my mother for me, and his father for him." Juliette explained, giving Chase an apologetic look. Silently she hoped she hadn't given away too much. Even without being told, she knew deep down that Chase didn't want Peter and Sophie to know his secrets. Not yet at least.
Juliette passed the stick to Shelby, and relaxed a bit. A wave of relief washed over her. It was the same feeling all the Cliffhangers got when there turn was over. For a little while longer, until next time, they were safe. Shelby looked at the stick in her hands for a few seconds before remembering that it was her turn.
"I was supposed to talk to somebody about how I feel." Shelby glanced at Peter, hoping he wouldn't be mad at her for leaving out the part about her sharing how she really felt. Slowly and hesitantly, she continued. "Uh, to do that I talked to Ezra on the first day of the quest, and surprisingly enough, it really helped." Shelby smiled at Ezra, and he gave her a weak smile back.
Shelby handed the stick to Daisy, and leaned back against the chair that was behind her.
"My task was to help a friend in need, and to do that I.well I guess I never really accomplished it."
"Sure you did Daisy. You help people without even realizing it." Auggie supported her.
"Yeah. You've always been there for me when I need it." Shelby agreed. Daisy glanced at Peter, and with his approval, she handed the stick to Auggie.
"My task was to do someone an unexpected favor, and I think I did that today when I talked to EZ earlier." Auggie said, glancing at Ezra, who nodded. Auggie tossed his friend the painted stick, and sat back to wait for his task.
"My task was to find out something new about the Cliffhanger of my choice, and I chose Daisy. What I found out wasn't only about her, but was about all people. It occurred to me that people can really surprise you when you least expect it. Right when you're thinking of giving up on someone, they turn around and say exactly what you want to hear.It just depends if you're ready to hear it." Ezra finished, catching Daisy's eye.
Daisy held his gaze for a few seconds, before he looked away. There was a pain in her eyes that was so strong, so terrifying to him. It was too much for him to take in. He would have to wait a little longer to say what he was feeling.
I'll try to post more soon, since I have more time now! (I love the holidays!) HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!! Please review!!!
Author's Note: Sorry this is so short again! I'm trying to make my chapters longer, but it's not really working! Thanks for all the great reviews! Thanks (
1 Chapter 11
The Cliffhangers sat in a circle on the floor of the lodge, desperately attempting to avoid Peter's eyes. They were having group, and it was never something they enjoyed. Peter sighed and restated the session's topic.
"As I said, we are going to be discussing the quest, and how it went. Does anyone want to start?" He questioned, glancing at each of the Cliffhangers in turn. His eyes stopped on Ezra, who was concentrating especially hard on the carpet. "Ezra, how about you? Do you have any comments?"
Ezra glanced up, not used to being called on. He glanced at his friends, hoping one of them would speak up and take their turn first, but he had no such luck. He sighed, nervously tracing designs on the carpet with his finger.
"It went ok, I guess." He replied vaguely. Peter watched him closely, knowing that there was something the teenager was not telling him.
"Ok. How about you tell something that went well, and something that didn't go so well." Sophie cut in.
"Uh.I think the campfire last night was good."
"And why would you say that?" Peter pressed.
"We all talked, and I think it helped some of us open up a bit."
"That's good, Ezra. And what was something that didn't go well?" Sophie asked.
"Um.I guess the walk back.I think we were all a little tired and in need of some sleep." Ezra replied, glancing at Daisy, who just looked away. Peter caught the look, and turned his attention to Daisy.
"Do you have anything to share Daisy?" Daisy just shook her head and remained unusually quiet.
"Ok guys, I think it's time we go around the circle and share our tasks, and what we did to accomplish them." Sophie quickly took the group's attention off Daisy.
"How about we start with Scott?" Peter offered, handing Scott the large painted stick.
"Ok, my task was to find something I like about Chase. What I finally found out was that he's willing to try to get better, and I think for a newbie, that's pretty good. I mean when I came here, all I wanted to do was leave, so it's good that he's willing to try." Scott finished, glancing at peter, who nodded his approval. Shelby squeezed Scott's hand.
Scott tossed the stick to Chase, who caught it easily, and rolled it back and forth in his hands before speaking.
"Uh, my task was to show you guys a side of me that no one had seen before, and I guess I did that last night at the campfire, when I told you something about my past. I know it doesn't erase what I did, and it doesn't even make me a better person, but I wanted you to know that it wasn't all me. I'm not the only one to blame." Chase said quietly. The silence in the room made him uncomfortable, and it was weighing down on his shoulders like a heavy weight.
Peter and Sophie gave each other confused looks, but decided to let it slip. If Chase wanted to clarify, he would do it own his own. Chase handed the stick to Juliette, happy to pass on the attention to someone else.
"My task was to find something I had in common with Chase, and although I didn't really expect to find anything, I did. Um, it turns out that he both want to impress our parents, and I guess we'll do anything to do that. It's my mother for me, and his father for him." Juliette explained, giving Chase an apologetic look. Silently she hoped she hadn't given away too much. Even without being told, she knew deep down that Chase didn't want Peter and Sophie to know his secrets. Not yet at least.
Juliette passed the stick to Shelby, and relaxed a bit. A wave of relief washed over her. It was the same feeling all the Cliffhangers got when there turn was over. For a little while longer, until next time, they were safe. Shelby looked at the stick in her hands for a few seconds before remembering that it was her turn.
"I was supposed to talk to somebody about how I feel." Shelby glanced at Peter, hoping he wouldn't be mad at her for leaving out the part about her sharing how she really felt. Slowly and hesitantly, she continued. "Uh, to do that I talked to Ezra on the first day of the quest, and surprisingly enough, it really helped." Shelby smiled at Ezra, and he gave her a weak smile back.
Shelby handed the stick to Daisy, and leaned back against the chair that was behind her.
"My task was to help a friend in need, and to do that I.well I guess I never really accomplished it."
"Sure you did Daisy. You help people without even realizing it." Auggie supported her.
"Yeah. You've always been there for me when I need it." Shelby agreed. Daisy glanced at Peter, and with his approval, she handed the stick to Auggie.
"My task was to do someone an unexpected favor, and I think I did that today when I talked to EZ earlier." Auggie said, glancing at Ezra, who nodded. Auggie tossed his friend the painted stick, and sat back to wait for his task.
"My task was to find out something new about the Cliffhanger of my choice, and I chose Daisy. What I found out wasn't only about her, but was about all people. It occurred to me that people can really surprise you when you least expect it. Right when you're thinking of giving up on someone, they turn around and say exactly what you want to hear.It just depends if you're ready to hear it." Ezra finished, catching Daisy's eye.
Daisy held his gaze for a few seconds, before he looked away. There was a pain in her eyes that was so strong, so terrifying to him. It was too much for him to take in. He would have to wait a little longer to say what he was feeling.
I'll try to post more soon, since I have more time now! (I love the holidays!) HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!! Please review!!!