Influence

Ezra and Daisy were sitting together, reading one of their assignments aloud so only they could hear. Auggie and Juliette sat on the couch, chatting while Scott and Shelby were all over each other.

"You two need to get a room, especially if Peter sees you. You'll both be on shuns for the rest of the year," Juliette said, getting sick of them.

"Your just jealous," Shelby stopped kissing her boyfriend long enough to say.

"Sure, I'm jealous Shelby." Juliette then kissed Auggie on the lips. Auggie looked like he was in heaven when she pulled away. Ezra laughed, making everyone look at him.

"What, can't a guy laugh around here?"

"No," They all answered. Daisy leaned over, giving him a kiss as well. Everyone smiled, cuddling their partners and going back to their business.

All except Annie, who was sitting in a dark corner all alone. She longed for someone to care for her like Shelby and Scott did, or Daisy and Ezra. She knew that would never happen. No body liked her, even if it was just a friendship; she'd never feel loved. She was one of those people who were disliked by everyone no matter what she did.

She sighed, trying to drawl herself closer into a ball. So no one would notice her; like the shadow she felt like. Silently, so no one would hear, she sobbed.

Hearing a noise, she quickly dried her tears. Peter and Sophie had came into the lounge.

"Group, and since everyone is here, we'll have group here.' Peter sat in a chair while Sophie sat beside Ezra. Peter then noticed it wasn't everyone. He glanced around for the missing member.

"Where is Annie?"

"She was here," Shelby answered.

The shadow in the corner drew herself closer into a ball, trying to hide. Peter caught her eye though. He wondered why she was alone. He didn't want to put her in the spotlight, but she couldn't miss her first group.

"Come here, Annie." Everyone then saw her. Annie hid her face, shaking her head. Peter got up and went over to her.

"Come on. Its group, nothing to be afraid of." She got up before Peter could make her and sat on the floor, next to Sophie, so she could hide behind the arm of the couch. Peter sat in the chair, the center of everyone's attention.

"Ok, we'll make it simple. Just introduce yourselves. Shelby you first."

"Fine. I'm Shelby Merrick and I was sent here because I ran away and sold myself on the streets."

"I'm Scott Barringer. I was sent here because my step mom molested me and I turned to drugs."

Peter nodded for Daisy to go.

"I'm Daisy Lipenowski and I'm here because I threatened my step dad with a golf club and turned gothic."

Ezra began next, "I'm Ezra Friekin and I'm here because I turned to drugs to forget about my mom and dad fighting."

"I'm Sophie- oh, wait, I don't do this. Annie your turn." Everyone laughed, but not Annie.

"Annie it's your turn and no one can see you from there," Peter explained to her. She didn't look up at him.

"All you do is state your name and tell us why you're here."

Annie opened her mouth, "I'm Annie Miller and I don't know why I'm here, but I guess its because my dad couldn't stand me anymore." She hides further into the corner of the couch.

"Good," Peter assured her, wondering why she was so scared.

"Juliette?"

"I'm Juliette Waybourne and I'm here because I struggled to be perfect, so I'm bulimic and became a cutter to get attention."

"And last, but not least . . ."

"I'm Auggie and I was sent here to this wonderful place because I almost turned into a gangster and did drugs."

"All right. Go entertain your selves for the rest of the day," He then added, "Annie I'd like to talk," When everyone was gone, including Sophie, he went to the corner where she was. She didn't glance up.

"Why are you trying to hide?" He knelt in front of her, seeing her shrug.

"Everyone does something for a reason. I opened this school to help kids, like you. If you don't tell me, I can't help." He went to lie his hand on her shoulder. She flinched back. Peter withdrew his hand, surprised.

"Has anyone hit you before?" Annie shook her head. Peter had a feeling she was lying.

"I don't like to be stared at," she answered quietly.

"Its nothing to be embarrassed about. None of the other kids are. If you sit there and act like it doesn't bother you, you'll get used to it. But if you try to hide from everyone, there's a reason to get embarrassed, because then everyone notices your scared and stare," Peter explained. Annie sighed and nodded.

"Go make some friends."

Outside, Annie went to find Juliette. She found Shelby instead.

"Where's Juliette?" She asked her.

"She and Auggie went somewhere. I wouldn't disturb them."

"Oh." Shelby started to leave.

"Um, do you have anything?" Shelby turned to her, "Like weed?"

"Go ask Ezra. He knows a few kids who sneak it in," Shelby told her.

"Thanks." Annie left to find him. It wasn't hard; he was at the boy's cabin, just coming out.

"Ezra, Shelby told me you had stuff," Annie said. He glanced around.

"Wait here," He said going back into the cabin. He came out, checking around again. Then handed her a bag of white powder. Annie sat on the porch.

"You're not aloud up here," Ezra told her.

"And you're not aloud to have this." She held the bag up to him before using it.

"Thanks." She gave it back and went down the grounds.

"No problem," He said, tucking it in a safe place.


"Where have you been? I've been waiting for ten minutes," Daisy asked.

"Sorry, ran into Annie," Ezra explained.

"What she want?"

"A little drugs, that's all." He gave her a kiss and Daisy put her arms around his neck.


Shelby came in, throwing her sweater on her bed.

"What you get?" Daisy asked.

"Suns, for a week."

"Aww, too bad. I only got kitchen duty for two days."

"Why do you look so perky?" Shelby asked Juliette.

"Because Auggie and I were smart enough not to get caught."

"Ugh, just what I need." She folded her arms, sitting on the edge of her bed. She saw Annie asleep in hers.

"It's only four and she's taking a nap," She complained.

They started to go through their mail that they had gotten from family.

"What you're dad say?" Shelby asked Daisy, cooling down.

"Nothing much, just the usual. Saying he's sorry about the accident and that he's really trying hard to stop drinking.'

'What about your family?"

"Jess says she misses me and that moms coping."

Jules got up, getting her mail.

"My nineteen year old sister got into that school she wanted."

"Princeton?" Daisy asked.

"No, some bogus school somewhere." She went trough another letter.

"Mom's expecting a baby in seven months. Not sure what it is yet."

"What do you want it to be?" They came over to her bed.

"Doesn't matter to me. It'll still be prefect to my mom." Shelby put an arm around her for support.

"So that makes nine perfect siblings and one failure."

"You're not a failure Jules. Your mom is for thinking that," Daisy assured her.

Juliette sniffled, "Thanks guys"


Daisy and Juliette sat on one bed, putting make up on each other, seeing which could make the other look more ridicules. Shelby was reading a book for an assignment.

"Dinner," She said, hearing the bell and getting up.

"Better tell Sleeping Beauty," Daisy said, while her and Juliette went to clean up.

"You two are stupid," Shelby said at the way they both looked. They giggled and went into the bathroom.

"Hey, get up." Shelby kicked the bed.

"Don't you get enough sleep around here?!" She leaned over, shaking her roughly. Annie didn't wake.

"She's a rock," She told the two as they came out.

"Then leave her and Peter will come get her."


Peter came up to the table.

"Where's-"

"In bed," Shelby answered, "We couldn't wake her."

Peter went to get her.

"Annie, dinner. Time to wake up." He shook her. She only moved to the shaking.

"Annie," He tried again. He felt for a pulse. She was still alive, but it was rather slow. Peter opened one of her eyes, seeing if they were dilated. Annie moved away, pushing him, but passing out in the process, her hand on his. He took hold of it, noticing she was pale and clammy.

"Annie," He said, slapping her face. A low groan came from her, but she did not wake.

"Annie, what did you take?"

"What who take?" Jeff, one on the assistants asked, coming in.

"She took something, or some things wrong," Peter explained to him, "I don't know where she would get anything if that's it."

"One of the others? Maybe she hid it some where." They started to look around.

"Don't see anything she could have used," Peter said. He tried arousing Annie from her sleep again. Then looked around on her arm to see if there were any marks from a needle there.

"Here, try this." Jeff handed him a glass of water. Peter poured a bit on Annie's face. She squeezed her eyes and then sat up, moving away from them. Peter sat next to her, seeing her eyes pinpoint sized, and noticing her swallow, slow breathing.

"What did you take?" Peter asked gently, "And don't tell me nothing, your pupils are small." Annie inched further from him. She looked down. An idea comes into her head, but she doubted if Peter would believe her.

Repeating himself, "What did you take?"

"I . . . I was crying." Annie didn't dare to look up. Peter thought that through, deciding if she was lying. Annie was pale; loss of energy and food could have given her that, but only drugs gave you pinned eyes. Peter sighed.

"We'll take you to infirmary to confirm that you haven't taken anything," Peter finally said.

"I don't like it there!" Annie got up slowly. She stumbled as she did. Peter and Jeff went to help.

"Don't. No! I don't want to go!" She exclaimed. Peter and Jeff held her firmly; she struggled to break free. Annie started crying and gasped to breathe. They let go, realizing that they were hurting her. She collapsed, trying to catch her breath.

"You need to see the doctor. We won't force you, but as long as it takes we'll stay to make sure you get there," Peter told her. Shakily, Annie got up and headed for the infirmary.


Annie sat on the bed. She had slept in the infirmary, being watched, and had gotten sick during the night and then had a hard time falling asleep. Peter was now with her, he had found out what she had taken: heroin.

"Why, Annie?" He asked her, for what was the millionth time it seemed. Annie, like with the other times, didn't answer. Peter held in his sigh, not wanting to let Annie know he was getting impatient.

"Okay then. Where did you get it?" He asked instead.

"I'm not saying anything," Was all she said.

"You said something." Annie glanced up.

"Did someone give it to you or did you hide it? You could have gotten it out of my safe, did you?'

'Annie, where did you get it? Tell me."

Someone came into the room. Peter ignored whoever it was and continued with Annie.

"Annie, if you don't tell me, I'll find out by whoever gave it to you." He stepped closer to her. He saw her tighten up, but didn't move away.

"Tell me Annie," Peter softened his voice. Getting no response, he turned to who else was in the room.

"So, I'd guess she hasn't told you," Whispered Dr. Grodim.

Peter shook his head; "She only said one thing the entire time."

"You'll help her in time, but for now she needs more rest. I don't think she's ever used the drug before, so she needs to be very carefully watched to make sure nothing happens and to help her with her withdrawl."

Peter nodded, "Keep a very close eye on her."