A/N: This chapter goes out to the wonderful Elizzybeth who has put up with me over the past... ummm... weeks and all that good stuff. MWUAH! ^_^
Enjoy! ;-)
Chapter Nine - Dreams
Madeline rubbed her aching shoulders. She kept having "the dream" last night after talking with Zero and kept turning over in her sleep.
Now they all were standing in line for the sad excuse for a breakfast. And she was trying to rub both shoulders and hold her shovel at the same time.
'God I must be a lovely sight to see this early in the morning,' she thought and yawned. She finally gave up on her shoulders, grabbed a tortilla from the pile, and followed the others out towards the lake.
Looking ahead she saw Zero's back among the rest of the boys and ran up a ways and grabbed his arm.
"Hey... I'm sorry I walked out on you last night I guess... I just don't like talking about my family," she said uneasily, keeping her voice low as she walked.
"I understand and it's okay. From the way it sounded, they were a lot to deal with," he said. She nodded.
"You know... I was actually kind of jealous of you... I mean... you only had your mom and from the way it sounds you two got along pretty well," she said, rubbing her neck sheepishly.
"You were jealous of me? Why?" he asked, astounded that she could be jealous of him. She shrugged.
"You never had to deal with all the stuff and the problems my mom and family had. I mean... yeah it must have been really tough for you guys but... you had a mother that loved you. Some days I wasn't even sure mine did," she said softly, drifting back to a distant memory.
"Madeline Alexa Harris, get your ass down here right now!" Pauline Harris screeched from the foot of the stairs. A twelve year-old girl with shoulder length brown hair came down the stairs, a look of anger and irritation etched into her young face.
"What, Mom?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest.
"I just got off the phone with your principal. You skipped school again today, didn't you?"
"What does it matter?!" she groaned angrily. Her mother stiffened.
"It matters because if you ain't at school you're on the streets probably selling crack or even worse, shooting it up!"
"Oh give it up, Mom! I know you do drugs - I've seen you out on the streets buying off of B.B. Jackson! If you don't want me on the streets, that's one thing but accusing me of doing crack when you are?! You're a total hypocrite!" she screamed, throwing her hands up in the air. Pauline stared at her for a long time before turning on her heel and walking into the kitchen, slamming the door behind her.
Madeline sighed and rubbed her forehead. Even at that time she felt closer to her mother than how she had felt the night she ran away. And now she didn't care. She didn't care one bit.
***
"So what else do you like to do besides drawing?"
"Singing. And dancing... sort of. I haven't in a long time. Singing's more my thing. What about you? You gotta have something you like to do."
Zero shrugged.
"Not really."
They were just lying there on their cots, staring at the ugly green tarp of a ceiling and talking. This was the only time they could without everyone eavesdropping. Night was okay, but the lack of sleep was catching up on her.
Madeline studied Zero for a minute. He was about half an inch shorter than her, maybe a little more. She had never taken a good look at him before. Right now he looked contented, but that would change as soon as the guys came in and ended the time they had to talk.
"Where are we going?" she asked suddenly. He looked over at her strangely.
"What do you mean?"
She shrugged.
"I mean... 'us'. 'Cause... I like you... a lot. But... I've been hurt a good number of times in the past three years... and I don't want it to happen again," she said, her face growing red with embarrassment. "God, I'm gonna die now."
He smiled.
"No you won't. And I like you, too. I don't want to hurt you," he said truthfully. She grinned.
"Thanks," she said, still smiling at him. He smirked.
"No problem."
She laughed.
***
"Anna... God, COME ON! We can't waste anymore time on this."
"Calm down - you're gonna make me screw up!"
"Just hurry..."
***
"Maddie... where are you going?"
"Shhh... I'm going out."
"Why? Mama's gonna be so mad at you."
"And that's exactly why you're not gonna tell her."
"But what if she comes in? What do I tell her?"
Madeline sighed, annoyed.
"Tell her I went over to Ivy's. She hasn't seen me tonight so she wouldn't know."
"Okay. I love you Maddie."
She gave her baby sister a smile and gave her a small kiss on the forehead.
"I love you too, sis."
Madeline woke up, her body drenched in cold sweat. Her breathing was heavy and she was shaking. She rubbed her forehead unconsciously. Why was she dreaming about her again? What was this supposed to mean?
*~*
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