CHAPTER SEVEN
The next morning Peter followed Scott to the infirmary for the daily drug test.
Scott came out of the bathroom and handed his cup to Peter. "Can I go?"
Peter nodded. "Don't forget about your chores this afternoon, after your second counseling session." Scott nodded. "I'll have the results by third hour. Now get going. I don't want you late for class."
Nearly four hours later, Peter had the test results and he couldn't believe his eyes. Scott had tested positive for drugs again. He glanced at his watch. The Cliffhangers were in English right now. He headed over to the classroom building and found the English room. He knocked and entered.
The class turned to look at him. All except Scott that is. "Can I borrow Scott?" The teacher nodded. "He won't be back." All eyes followed Scott as he left the room.
Neither said anything as they headed back to Peter's office. Scott's therapist, the nurse, Roger, and Jeff were all waiting for them. Peter ordered Scott to sit.
"Do you know what this is about Scott?"
Scott just stared out the window. Again he didn't show any emotion. After a few minutes he just shrugged.
Peter stood in front of him and commanded his attention. "You tested positive again." No reaction. "Do you want to leave Scott? If you do just say so and you're out of here."
Scott shook his head.
Peter sighed. "You need to talk to me man or the sheriff will be here to transport you to the court's custody. It's your decision."
Scott looked out the window. He felt so out of control. He didn't know what to do. He glanced around the room. "Can I talk to you alone?" he said barely above a whisper.
Peter nodded. "Why don't the rest of you round up the Cliffhangers and get the drug tests started. Have Sophie get group going after lunch. Make sure they get their feelings out." Peter waited for the room to empty. "Talk to me Scott."
"I don't know what to say."
"Why? How about we start there. Why are you using again Scott?"
He shrugged again.
"We're back to this again." Peter sighed. "You're gonna have to do better than this if you want to stay here Scott."
"What do I have to do?" Scott had begun to cry. "I don't want to leave."
"First, I need to know where you got the drugs and if you have any more then I need you to hand them over."
Scott nodded. "I bought them on my trip home. I hid them in my stuff at my uncle's house so I could sneak them back in."
"Where did you hide them?"
"I shoved the pills inside my toothpaste. When I needed a fix I just squeezed it until some pills came out. The speed is in my bathroom toothpaste. The painkillers are in this." He reached into his pocket and handed Peter his small tube of toothpaste that he had used the day before.
"What else do you have?"
"There's acid in my journal."
"In your journal?"
"I cut the back cover with an exacto knife, put the acid in there, and covered it up again."
"Anything else?"
"That's it, I promise."
"Where did you get the money for this?"
He smiled. "I stole my uncle's wallet after he passed out the day he beat me up."
"Why Scott?"
Scott shrugged. "I don't know." He glanced at Peter. "Do I have to have a reason? It felt good to get high again."
Peter stood up and walked the room. He was trying to decide what to do. "We have a serious trust issue here Scott." He paced some more.
"Please don't send me away."
"I need to be able to trust you. I want you working hard with your therapist, keeping out of trouble, participating in group, keeping your grades up, and talking with me."
Scott nodded. "I'll do it. Just please don't send me away."
"Break one rule – just one and you're out of here."
"Thank you Peter."
"It's not that simple Scott. You're on shuns indefinitely. No talking except in therapy and group. I want you writing in your journal. At least ten pages a day on your feelings. If I expect that you're faking it, you're out of here." Scott nodded and he continued. "You'll continue to bunk with me. Until I feel that you can be trusted you'll be followed by a staff member 24 hours a day."
Scott looked up at Peter. "You mean like in class and stuff right?"
"I mean all the time. You'll bathe in the infirmary watched by a nurse, you'll be accompanied to the restroom by a male staff member, and every minute of your day will be monitored. That's the price you pay for breaking our trust."
Scott didn't respond. He was mulling over all of this in his head. "For how long?"
"That's up to you Scott."
Scott nodded. He didn't want to go to jail, he didn't want to lose his privacy, and he didn't want to tell Peter what happened during his stay with his uncle, or about what was going on in his head. "Can I go home?"
"No. You're here under court order. If you leave your only choice is jail."
"What about visits home?"
"Not alone and not for a long time." He hesitated. "Do we have a deal?"
Scott thought about it for a minute. "Yah. Deal."