Five for Fighting
Rated: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing
T.E.N.
I almost missed my interview with the Masters; Peter and Alice, but I made it back to the home in time to have Mr. Adams throw a brush in my hand and demand that I wash the tear stains off my face. Before I knew it I was sitting in a room with two exceptionally well dressed people who were looking me up and down and listening to Mr. Adams go on about my life in Arizona.
"So you went to private school then?" Alice asked.
I nodded and pushed back the hair that had fallen in my face, "But only because it was the only school in my neighborhood, the public school was about half an hour away."
Alice nodded thoughtfully and I went back to staring at the floor as Mr. Adams continued talking about my good marks, being on the cheer team, all my friends and accomplishments.
All I could think about was Ponyboy and Johnny and the fact that it was people like me, people like my friends, the well off people in the world that made them out to be horrible people, who forced them to kill in order to live.
"Amber?"
I looked up at Peter and wondered how long he had been calling my name.
"Would you please give my wife and I a minute to discuss the matter over?" He asked
I nodded and was lead out of the room by Mr. Adams.
A few minutes later the door opened and Peter lead Alice out, standing in front of me they smiled.
"We would love to have you as a part of our family," Peter said "You seem to be just what we're looking for in a daughter."
I nodded and tried to look happy but my eyes clouded over with tears, I would never get back to my brothers at this rate.
"I best get upstairs and pack then" I mumbled and dashed up the stairs, my feet echoing on the wood.
"Wow Amber, I heard you landed the Masters, we've all been trying to get them to take us on, they're so rich!" Linda said when I entered the room.
I swiped a hand over my eyes and picked up the stray clothes around my bed, shoving them into my bag and slinging it over my shoulder.
"See you in school" I murmured.
Peter took my bag and put it in the trunk of his mustang, opening the back door for me. I slid in thinking about Ryan and the time we had spent in the backseat of his mustang. I was wishing that if I couldn't be with my brothers, that I could at least be back in Arizona with him.
They were talking, laying out rules, telling me about their reasons for wanting a foster child, but I couldn't listen, I let the wind ring in my ears instead, blocking them out.
"Do you have any questions?" They asked as we pulled up to their large, expensive looking house, well lit as if waiting for them to get home.
"Will I be able to see my brothers aside from school?" I asked.
They exchanged a look, "We think it would be best if you only associate with our kind from now on Amber. We have our reputation to think about and we can't have you getting into any trouble, any friends in which you want to go out with will have to be approved by us first, I hope you understand." Peter said.
I nodded and wondered, if I dressed Ponyboy up in Madras and expensive after-shave if he'd pass for someone acceptable. He would be nicer than all other socs that I had met.
Peter carried my bag up to a large room, larger than my room in Arizona and about three times bigger than my room with my brothers and set it on the bed which was made with pristine white sheets and a down comforter. The walls were a pale pink, the floor a shiny wood. There was a fireplace with a shag rug next to it and three windows that faced a large backyard with a nicely mowed lawn.
A plump lady came in and started to unpack for me, I watched her dumbly.
"Mrs. Lynch, you can ask her for anything you need." Alice said, examining my clothes.
"We'll have to go shopping tomorrow, this isn't an adequate supply."
No wonder the girls at the home had wanted to be taken in by these people, I had never been in the lap of such luxury. It seemed oddly ironic that I found myself pining now, more than ever for the house with the peeling paint and rambunctious boys splayed on the old furniture.
Dinner was amazing and rich but I could barely choke down the little I had put on my plate, Peter and Alice took it for nerves and sent me up to bed. Alice kissed me on the cheek and Peter gave me an awkward hug and I thought that I wouldn't mind having them for parents if they'd only take my brothers too and accept who they were. But already I was starting to understand and lose my ignorance, that wouldn't happen and I wouldn't be allowed to see my brothers because they didn't have money and I did. Tulsa was split in half and as far as I could tell there was little hope of the gap ever being bridged to bring the two groups together. I was stranded in the middle, lost and drowning, clinging to the hope that something would happen soon to put in my rightful place.
Ponyboy didn't look impressed to see my pull up in the Mustang the next morning though I could see him eyeing the car enviously. He scowled when Peter called me 'dear' and didn't approach me until after the car was out of sight.
We didn't speak to each other until we were a few feet away from our homeroom.
"I guess you like it pretty well there huh? They can give you anything you want." He said
I didn't know how he'd found out that I had been taken in by the Masters, though I guess he could put two and two together.
"It's ok, I would rather be with you though, and you know it" I said
He shrugged and walked into homeroom without me, leaving me in the hall by myself.
The rest of the week was strained, Ponyboy was unable to believe that I wasn't thrilled with my new living conditions.
Showing up in the new clothes Alice had bought me didn't help matters, nor did showing up and leaving in the Mustang.
On Thursday Jake approached the car with me, leaning over the door, greeting Peter and asking permission to drive me home from now on. He flashed his prize winning smile and Peter agreed, smiling broadly as Jake opened the door for me, checked to make sure my skirt wasn't in the way of the door, and closed it.
"Nice fellow that Jake, I know his father, his business operates closely with mine."
I resisted the urge to air my true feelings about Jake and stared instead at the sidewalks flashing by.
The next day came and went too quickly as I found myself cornered by Jake after art class and brought to his expensive looking convertible.
"How about we go get a coke before I drop you off?"
"I think I should just go home, Peter didn't say anything about my having to go out with you too" I replied, none too nicely.
"He won't mind" His hand slid over onto my knee
"Just bring me home, or I'll scream" I said turning myself so that I was practically sitting sideways.
Jake peeled out of the parking lot and drove, way over the speed limit, back to the Master's house, pulling into the driveway and walking me to the door.
"Bye" I said trying to close the door on him.
"One sec, babe." He sneered and pushed open the door, walking in to find Alice in the living room reading a book.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Masters, I was wondering if it would be ok for me to take Amber out tonight perhaps to get dinner and a movie?"
I looked at her pleadingly to say no, however she, like many females was taken with his charming smile and nodded "I don't think that would be a problem."
"I'll pick you up at six then" and he was gone.
I threw the flowers that he brought down on the table next to the front door and took a deep breath trying to convince myself that the night wouldn't be a total disaster. When he parked the car in a secluded spot covered with trees I knew I was wrong. His lips were like ice, rough and cold and I pushed him away with all my strength.
"Lets get dinner before we do anything like this" I requested
He smirked "Like to work on a full stomach do you?"
I was biding my time, hoping we would get into a car accident or be abducted by aliens on our way to or from dinner, but I nodded in reply to his snide question and he drove off to a restaurant with checked table cloths and Italian food.
Around eight we left after Jake paid the bill and barely left a tip. I stopped in the parking lot clutching my stomach and moaned.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked in an annoyed voice.
"I think I'm going to be sick"
It wasn't an out and out lie, the smell of his cologne and his overall attitude made me queasy.
"I'm sure you're fine"
"Do you want me to throw up all over your upholstery? Just bring me home" I snapped.
He was a man who took great pride in his car, so he handed me a bag in case I did throw up and sped off towards the Master's house.
Once in the driveway he made a move to lean over and kiss me, seeing as to how I hadn't throw up despite his speeding, and coming to a jerking halt at all the red lights.
I put a hand to my mouth and jumped out of the car, making as if I was about to be sick all over and watched as he hightailed it out of the driveway and down the road.
I laughed to myself and walked into the house.
"Home already Amber?"
I nodded "I'm not feeling well, I'm going to go up to bed."
Alice came over and smoothed my hair back, feeling my forehead, "You don't seem to have a fever, what a shame to not feel well on your first date with Jake, he's such a nice boy."
I nodded and climbed the stairs up to my room, throwing myself onto my bed staring listlessly across the room until I dozed off.
A knock on the window woke me up and I sat up startled unsure if I had really heard the noise. It seemed improbable that anyone would be able to knock on my window, being that it was on the second floor.
Another rap on the window convinced me as I hurried over and opened it, coming face to face with Dallas Winston.