The Past & The Present
by Angel Girl

DISCOVERIES & CONFRONTATIONS

Present

Tristan: "Jerome! I'm up! Shut that dam alarm off!" I said putting the pillow over my head, trying to drown out the annoying buzzing. After a minute of it, I threw the pillow off and then sat up. I looked over and Jerome wasn't in his bed, so I slid out and shut the alarm off. I wiped my eyes and looked at his bed, which was exactly the way it had been when I had fallen asleep. I got changed into the standard uniform and just as I was about to open the door, when I heard a sharp knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Say what?"

"Sir, who is it, sir!"

"Sergeant Michaels. Open your door."

I knew the second I did they'd know Jerome wasn't there, but if I didn't I'd get in just as much trouble. So I opened it.

"Sir, what would you like, sir!"

"You have been requested to main office, right now."

"Sir, yes, sir" I answered without even thinking. I closed the door and walked stiffly down the hall and out onto the campus. Then I headed to the main office. I opened the door to a cold office.

"You are?" a women behind the counter asked.

"Tristan Dugrey" I said looking around.

"Sit down over there" she said motioning to a chair.

I looked around and there was nothing on the walls, and no one else around. I started to count the tiles on the floor when the front door opened again. Jordan, Jerome, Ryan, Sean, and Carter walked in, surrounded by some of the guards. Jerome looked at me blankly, before they were led into a room.

They must have gotten caught! Thank god that stupid sergeant was so slow, I thought to myself at the same time as how could they have gotten caught. No one else except us knew we were even thinking about it.

"Mr. Dugrey" a male voice called from a doorway.

I stood up and he motioned me into the room. It was an office.

"Relax, just be comfortable. I'm Mr. Carpensaw."

"Oh, you're the head guy…"

"Well I guess you could call me that" he said laughing slightly.

"Why am I here?"

"Two reasons. One is about your roommate Jerome. As you probably noticed he wasn't in your room this morning…"

"Yeah."

"Him and a few others snuck out last night, and one of the people that works here, who had the night off, caught them at a local club."

"What does that have to do with me?" I asked, praying they didn't know I had anything to do with it.

"We already were told by them that you didn't know about it. But there is the matter of how did you not notice Jerome was out of your room all night?"

"He had told me he had to work on a project, so I just thought he was either at the library or at his partners room" I said, using my lying skills that I had grown used to using at Chilton.

"Fair enough. Now onto the second matter…your parents have called for a progress report. You weren't supposed to get this until Spring break, but everyone has decided we will tell you now."

"Tell me what?"

"You are doing excellent in al your classes...far above what is expected. You are a hard worker, and have no complaints from your teachers. IN the matter of your physical training, you are one of the best we have. Your parents have decided you will finish the semester off, and then you will return home at the end of May."

"What about spring break?"

"Your parents are going to come down here, and visit you. They have also activated outside numbers to your phone, and they said for you to be in your room tonight since they were going to call you."

"Thank you sir!" I said, wanting to run to my room and call Rory.

"Now today is Sunday, so just report to the dining hall for breakfast and enjoy the rest of your day. You have missed physical training this morning, but I will write a note to our instructors. Keep up the good work" he said standing up, and extending his hand to me. I shook it and asked "Before I go, what's happening to the guys that got caught?"

"Most of them will be put into the Branded Dorm, but its not all decided yet." The Branded Dorm is the strictest dorm on the campus, and results in stricter everything, right down to the classes.

I walked out the door and walked quickly out of the building, running to the dorm room.

Rory:

"Rory!!! Pick up the stupid phone" I heard my mom mumble from my doorway, and then I felt a lump as the phone hit my bed.

"I'm sleeping…"

"Just answer it…I give you permission to yell and scream at the person."

"Who is it?"

She just turned away, as I picked the phone up.

"Crazy person…"

"Hello to you too. Still a morning person…" a deep voice replied.

"TRISTAN!! Oh my god!"

"Now that's a better greeting."

"Wha? Why? When?"

"My parents removed the phone restriction…and guess when I'm coming back?"

"Spring break?"

"Nope. The end of May. For good."

"Really?!?!"

"Really."

"I can't wait!"

"Me too. All I want to do is get out of here and see you."

"That sounded sappy…"

"So?"

"You're a guy…and your you…"

"Well yeah I'm me. I better be…"

"I miss you…"

"I miss you SO MUCH! I'm in a place with all guys…"

"You have to be dying."

"Actually I'm doing good here though."

"Maybe they should have sent you away a long time ago, if it smartened you up."

"Then you might not have met me…"

"…and that would be a HUGE tragedy" I said with sarcasm.

"It would…you'd miss me Mary."

"I thought you got over the whole Mary thing…"

"I've been away…sue me."

"Fine I'll call you Triscuit the cracker."

"So you have a cracker for a boyfriend…that's got to be interesting…"

"Oh it is. But whenever I'm hungry, there's no worries."

We continued to talk on and on and on for hours. Finally I had to get off since he had to finish off some work. My mom has that instinct, and came bounding into my room, still in her panamas.

"Did you yell at him for waking this sleeping beauty up?" she said, jumping on the bed.

"Nope didn't have time…." I joked.

"SO that…thing…woke me up and didn't even get yelled at for it!! Didn't I teach you anything?"

"Do you really want the answer to that?"

"No. You look happy…and no one hit you with the pretty stick…"

"Mom!"

"What?"

"No but it…was good to hear his voice."

"You are totally in, knee deep love."

That was the first time that had been brought up with my mom…I was still a bit scared to actually say it to Tristan. I just looked down at my hands where I was playing with my comforter.

"You are!!!" she said pointing her long finger at me. I slowly nodded.

"Have you told him yet?"

I shook my head no.

"One thing…when you say it you do open yourself up to hurt, but it can be worth it."

I could tell by the distant look in her eye that she was thinking about my dad.

"He told me in one of his letters but…its not the same as saying it face-to-face. And I told him If I said it wi would not do it through a letter. But I'm afraid…"

"because he's been around, and stuff? He obviously cares for you, or when he went he would not call or email you or bother to explain what happened that night…"

"Mom, Jess and I almost kissed last night" I said.

"What?!?"

"You heard me!"

"I repeat what?! How!?"

"We just were playing around, and we ended up in a…compromising position. But I pulled away before it happened."

"You two and kissing…or almost…so weird now with him?"

"A bit but we both talked, slightly after. He actually likes or is dating a girl."

"He is? Luke doesn't know that!"

"Mom! Don't say I said anything!"

"I won't" she said with an evil twinkle.

"Mom!"

"I won't…I swear…"

"So when's he coming back?"

"End of may…and its for good!"

Both of us started talking excitedly…

Past

My mind had been racing the entire time during the test but when the bell finally rang I ran out of the class. I hurried to my locker, just wanting to get out of this stupid place.

"Lor!!" I heard Chris call from behind me in the hall. I turned and waited for him. He caught up and we walked in silence to my locker.

"So…you going to give me an answer?"

"Chris…I need to think. My brain is overloaded…I still haven't told my parents. I need to just get away for even a day and just chill…" I said, rather then tell him what I had already decided. I knew what I had to do now. First I just had to get home and tell my parents before I lost all my nerve.

"Okay…are you okay though?"

"I'm fine" I said as I slammed my locker shut, and walked quickly down the hall, leaving him standing there just looking out of it.

~*~*~*~Sitting in a Living Room- Lorelei, Emily & Richard~*~*~*~*~

"Lorelei what are we doing here?" my mom asked in her crisp and harsh voice.

"Mom, I have to tell you guys something."

"Oh god, your not running off are you?" my mom asked.

"No."

"Well then what is it?"

"Emily…let her finish."

"Well I'm sorry Richard but I would like to make it to the benefit on time for once."

"I think this is an acceptable excuse."

"I'm pregnant" I said loudly, and bluntly to get them to shut up.

Both of their heads snapped towards me.

"Lorelei is this some sort of joke?"

"No, mother."

Then she fainted. "EMILY!!!" my dad yelled at her. "ROSA!! BRING THE SMELLING SALTS!!" he yelled.

I just sat on the couch, while the maid came running in. Eventually she stirred, and sat up.

"My daughter…pregnant" she muttered, staring at me.

"Are you sure?" my dad asked, while helping my mom back onto the couch.

I nodded.

"Oh my god…" my mom trailed off.

"What the hell were you thinking?!?!?!" my dad yelled at me.

"I…don't…know" I muttered.

"Well that's very good young lady!"

"Oh no, whats everyone around here going to think? We will hear about this for months…" my mom said as she was in her own little world. My father was glaring at me, but then turned to my mother.

"Look, its my life, I did this…you did nothing" I stated.

"Well to everyone around here its going to look like we did nothing since you got PREGNANT!" my dad yelled. "Is Christopher at least the father?" he asked harshly.

"I am not staying here with this…" I said standing up and walking out of the room. My mom started to call out but my dad quieted her down.

Parents:

"Lor…!!" Emily called out.

"Shh…she'll come running back any minute, so don't worry."