"What do you want Slater?"
Paul looked offended.
"I thought we did the whole 'hand in friendship' thing! And you should really call me Paul."
Wraith chuckled.
'Oh yeah...well...okay, what do you want Paul?"
He made a mock scowl and began digging in his pockets.
"Here's this back."
I looked and saw that it was the black hair band she had thrown at him the day before. She laughed.
"Don't you remember? It's a pity prize, keep it. I can always get another one"
Paul just motioned for her to grab it. She heaved a sigh and then held her hand out, and moved it just as he was dropping it. It fell to the ground and she stared at it for a few moments before walking over to Adam and CeeCee, where she promptly jumped on Adam. I heard him shriek and then maniacal laughter from Wraith. Paul was bending down to pick up the hair band. Seeing that he was busy, I walked over to join Adam, CeeCee and Wraith at an unoccupied table. Wraith was sitting upside down again, and CeeCee and Adam were having a tickle war. CeeCee was sadly losing. I sat in the empty chair by Wraith. She was staring at something behind me. I turned around and saw Paul staring at me.
"He feels very strongly for you."
I sighed.
"I am well aware of that."
Wraith swiveled her eyes to meet me.
"I am guessing that his feelings are unreturned, and unwelcome."
I looked at her. Her bright eyes were piercing mine. I quickly looked back away. I saw Kelly standing at the other end of the courtyard.
"Oh! That reminds me, do you want to come over after school?"
I heard shifting besides me.
"Sure, I'll just call to tell Mae that I'll be late."
I turned to see her reaching into the pocket of her baggy black pants. She dialed and then put the phone to her ear.
"Mae! Hi, I'm going to my friends house when school ends. Suze Simon...Yeah, I'll call you. I'm taking my bike, you won't need to get me. Ok, talk to you later. Bye."
She pushed the button and then slipped it back in her pocket.
"It's all right. We'll drive there on my bike."
I nodded, because anything would be better than a ride home with Brad.
When classes ended that day, Wraith was waiting by my locker. She waited there as I put away my books and when I had slammed my locker, I again followed her to her bike. She did the whole take the chain, wrap it around her waist and throw me the red helmet and then motion me to the back of the bike thing. I hopped on and we sped off. We actually rode all the way to my house this time, no 'shortcuts'. We still arrived before Brad though, because although we did take the long way, Wraith could go a lot faster than Brad could. When we pulled in front of my house, I was ready to just walk in, but she stopped me.
"Where should I park my bike?"
I turned and saw her pointing at it. I just motioned to the driveway.
"No one will mind if you park it there."
She nodded as she pulled up. I tossed her the helmet and she took off hers and again chained them to it. We then walked side by side into the house. I pulled her up into my room. She took a quick glance around before heading directly towards the window seat.
"I like your room."
I plopped down on my bed.
"Thank you, but my mom designed it."
She shook her head laughing.
"I can tell that, but the mess, the unmade bed, the cat...well, okay, not the cat, but it just seems very...you."
I turned red. Did she just call me messy?
"I bet your room isn't any better."
She laughed again and laid down.
"Indeed it is worse, and it too is very me-ish. That was not meant to be an insult Suze."
Man, she talks funny.
"I do not. I simply speak differently from you. Better than when I'm in kick ass mode. I'm even more formal then. No fun words."
I didn't question her on what she meant by kick ass mode. I had experienced it the first day I saw her, she had acted a lot more distant.
"You think I'm distant now?"
Man, she should really stop doing that!
"Sorry, just you keep going into silent fits. I have nothing better to do then."
"Sorry. I don't mean to have, uh...'silent fits'. I'm just thinking."
She laughed again.
"No, I shouldn't entertain myself that way. I'll stop, for now."
At that, I heard a door close downstairs and heard mom yelling up the stairs,
"SUZE! Come and help me and Brad take care of these groceries!"
I was about to tell Wraith to wait for me up here, but she was already out the door. I heard her bounding down the stairs and then Brad.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm feeling loved."
"Be nice Brad."
I reached the kitchen by then. Mom was putting away a couple of cartons of milk while Wraith was grinning victoriously at Brad.
"There's more food in the car Susie."
Wraith turned away from Brad, grabbed my arm and we ran outside to my mom's Lexus. The trunk was open and stuffed with bags of groceries from King Soopers. As we were both walking back with four bags each, Wraith started talking.
"Why do you think they call it King Soopers? I mean, there's not a King there, and they spelt super wrong...do you think that they're just retards?"
I had never thought of that before...and it made me think really hard. So hard that I didn't even notice that we had carried all of the groceries in. I was just about to walk back to the car when Someone put a hand on my shoulder.
"Suze, the trunk is empty."
I turned around to see Wraith having a laughing fit.
"Okay, no more unanswerable questions for you. They're obviously not good for your brain." Mom was grinning. Wraith got herself under control and began putting stuff away with me. It never registered with me that she shouldn't be having that much ease putting things away in our kitchen.
"How do you know where everything goes?"
I turned around to see mom eyeing us suspiciously. I was about to ask myself, but it appears that I didn't have to.
"Rufus's kitchen was just like this. Plus, I just saw where something was and remembered to put more of it in the same place."
Mom was still looking at her oddly.
"Rufus? A friend of yours...?"
"Oh, no. His real name is Richard. I just call him Rufus. He was part of my second adoptive family. One of those people who wants a child but doesn't realize that he's not ready for a bratty nine year old yet."
Mom stopped looking at her oddly and went into overly cheery mode.
"So you're adopted? How many times have you been adopted?"
Wraith was being just as cheerful.
"Four times. First Family, same case as the second. Third family got me when I was eleven. Their real child said I scared her. Don't know why. And then there's Mae and Jack. They got me three years ago when I was thirteen. So far they've stick with me the longest. They're the best too."
Mom seemed to be pleased with the fact that Wraith was no holds barred on her life.
"What about your biological family?"
Wraith froze and I saw her stiffen a little bit. I turned to look at mom, who looked totally aghast. "I'm so sorry dear, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." I heard Wraith sigh and she turned around.
"It's all right. My real family was...incredibly abusive. They fed me just enough to keep me alive, they wouldn't let me leave the house...I was taken into protective custody when my father...he carved the word FREAK into my back with a pocket knife."
Mom and I gasped at the same time. I had no idea that she had gone through this! Why did she not tell me this?
"Why on earth why would someone do such a thing! Especially to their own child!"
Wraith chuckled and wiped her nose.
"They were messed up people. They thought I was a devil child because I was the only child to be born with black hair, and they thought I had eyes 'Possessed by the Devil.' I learned what hazel meant when I was seven."
Mom was staring at Wraith with her eyes wide and her mouth open.
"I am so sorry dear..."
Wraith lost her aura of sadness.
"Don't be. It's not anyone's fault but theirs. The only thing I'm sad about is that Mae and Jack only found me three years ago."
By then, all of the groceries were put up. As we were walking back upstairs, mom stopped us. "Um...Wraith is it? Would you like to stay for dinner?"
She turned around and nodded enthusiastically. Mom smiled at her and walked back into the kitchen. When we got back into my room, Wraith slumped on the window seat and I went to my bed. I began thinking of the correct way to say it...
"Did that really happen to you? I mean...can people really be that bad?"
Paul looked offended.
"I thought we did the whole 'hand in friendship' thing! And you should really call me Paul."
Wraith chuckled.
'Oh yeah...well...okay, what do you want Paul?"
He made a mock scowl and began digging in his pockets.
"Here's this back."
I looked and saw that it was the black hair band she had thrown at him the day before. She laughed.
"Don't you remember? It's a pity prize, keep it. I can always get another one"
Paul just motioned for her to grab it. She heaved a sigh and then held her hand out, and moved it just as he was dropping it. It fell to the ground and she stared at it for a few moments before walking over to Adam and CeeCee, where she promptly jumped on Adam. I heard him shriek and then maniacal laughter from Wraith. Paul was bending down to pick up the hair band. Seeing that he was busy, I walked over to join Adam, CeeCee and Wraith at an unoccupied table. Wraith was sitting upside down again, and CeeCee and Adam were having a tickle war. CeeCee was sadly losing. I sat in the empty chair by Wraith. She was staring at something behind me. I turned around and saw Paul staring at me.
"He feels very strongly for you."
I sighed.
"I am well aware of that."
Wraith swiveled her eyes to meet me.
"I am guessing that his feelings are unreturned, and unwelcome."
I looked at her. Her bright eyes were piercing mine. I quickly looked back away. I saw Kelly standing at the other end of the courtyard.
"Oh! That reminds me, do you want to come over after school?"
I heard shifting besides me.
"Sure, I'll just call to tell Mae that I'll be late."
I turned to see her reaching into the pocket of her baggy black pants. She dialed and then put the phone to her ear.
"Mae! Hi, I'm going to my friends house when school ends. Suze Simon...Yeah, I'll call you. I'm taking my bike, you won't need to get me. Ok, talk to you later. Bye."
She pushed the button and then slipped it back in her pocket.
"It's all right. We'll drive there on my bike."
I nodded, because anything would be better than a ride home with Brad.
When classes ended that day, Wraith was waiting by my locker. She waited there as I put away my books and when I had slammed my locker, I again followed her to her bike. She did the whole take the chain, wrap it around her waist and throw me the red helmet and then motion me to the back of the bike thing. I hopped on and we sped off. We actually rode all the way to my house this time, no 'shortcuts'. We still arrived before Brad though, because although we did take the long way, Wraith could go a lot faster than Brad could. When we pulled in front of my house, I was ready to just walk in, but she stopped me.
"Where should I park my bike?"
I turned and saw her pointing at it. I just motioned to the driveway.
"No one will mind if you park it there."
She nodded as she pulled up. I tossed her the helmet and she took off hers and again chained them to it. We then walked side by side into the house. I pulled her up into my room. She took a quick glance around before heading directly towards the window seat.
"I like your room."
I plopped down on my bed.
"Thank you, but my mom designed it."
She shook her head laughing.
"I can tell that, but the mess, the unmade bed, the cat...well, okay, not the cat, but it just seems very...you."
I turned red. Did she just call me messy?
"I bet your room isn't any better."
She laughed again and laid down.
"Indeed it is worse, and it too is very me-ish. That was not meant to be an insult Suze."
Man, she talks funny.
"I do not. I simply speak differently from you. Better than when I'm in kick ass mode. I'm even more formal then. No fun words."
I didn't question her on what she meant by kick ass mode. I had experienced it the first day I saw her, she had acted a lot more distant.
"You think I'm distant now?"
Man, she should really stop doing that!
"Sorry, just you keep going into silent fits. I have nothing better to do then."
"Sorry. I don't mean to have, uh...'silent fits'. I'm just thinking."
She laughed again.
"No, I shouldn't entertain myself that way. I'll stop, for now."
At that, I heard a door close downstairs and heard mom yelling up the stairs,
"SUZE! Come and help me and Brad take care of these groceries!"
I was about to tell Wraith to wait for me up here, but she was already out the door. I heard her bounding down the stairs and then Brad.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm feeling loved."
"Be nice Brad."
I reached the kitchen by then. Mom was putting away a couple of cartons of milk while Wraith was grinning victoriously at Brad.
"There's more food in the car Susie."
Wraith turned away from Brad, grabbed my arm and we ran outside to my mom's Lexus. The trunk was open and stuffed with bags of groceries from King Soopers. As we were both walking back with four bags each, Wraith started talking.
"Why do you think they call it King Soopers? I mean, there's not a King there, and they spelt super wrong...do you think that they're just retards?"
I had never thought of that before...and it made me think really hard. So hard that I didn't even notice that we had carried all of the groceries in. I was just about to walk back to the car when Someone put a hand on my shoulder.
"Suze, the trunk is empty."
I turned around to see Wraith having a laughing fit.
"Okay, no more unanswerable questions for you. They're obviously not good for your brain." Mom was grinning. Wraith got herself under control and began putting stuff away with me. It never registered with me that she shouldn't be having that much ease putting things away in our kitchen.
"How do you know where everything goes?"
I turned around to see mom eyeing us suspiciously. I was about to ask myself, but it appears that I didn't have to.
"Rufus's kitchen was just like this. Plus, I just saw where something was and remembered to put more of it in the same place."
Mom was still looking at her oddly.
"Rufus? A friend of yours...?"
"Oh, no. His real name is Richard. I just call him Rufus. He was part of my second adoptive family. One of those people who wants a child but doesn't realize that he's not ready for a bratty nine year old yet."
Mom stopped looking at her oddly and went into overly cheery mode.
"So you're adopted? How many times have you been adopted?"
Wraith was being just as cheerful.
"Four times. First Family, same case as the second. Third family got me when I was eleven. Their real child said I scared her. Don't know why. And then there's Mae and Jack. They got me three years ago when I was thirteen. So far they've stick with me the longest. They're the best too."
Mom seemed to be pleased with the fact that Wraith was no holds barred on her life.
"What about your biological family?"
Wraith froze and I saw her stiffen a little bit. I turned to look at mom, who looked totally aghast. "I'm so sorry dear, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." I heard Wraith sigh and she turned around.
"It's all right. My real family was...incredibly abusive. They fed me just enough to keep me alive, they wouldn't let me leave the house...I was taken into protective custody when my father...he carved the word FREAK into my back with a pocket knife."
Mom and I gasped at the same time. I had no idea that she had gone through this! Why did she not tell me this?
"Why on earth why would someone do such a thing! Especially to their own child!"
Wraith chuckled and wiped her nose.
"They were messed up people. They thought I was a devil child because I was the only child to be born with black hair, and they thought I had eyes 'Possessed by the Devil.' I learned what hazel meant when I was seven."
Mom was staring at Wraith with her eyes wide and her mouth open.
"I am so sorry dear..."
Wraith lost her aura of sadness.
"Don't be. It's not anyone's fault but theirs. The only thing I'm sad about is that Mae and Jack only found me three years ago."
By then, all of the groceries were put up. As we were walking back upstairs, mom stopped us. "Um...Wraith is it? Would you like to stay for dinner?"
She turned around and nodded enthusiastically. Mom smiled at her and walked back into the kitchen. When we got back into my room, Wraith slumped on the window seat and I went to my bed. I began thinking of the correct way to say it...
"Did that really happen to you? I mean...can people really be that bad?"