Disclaimer: They're not mine, you know it, I know it... well, only Mr. Young and Mr. Clarence are of my excellent creation.

Author's Note: Alright, I have an apology to make. I just saw "Daised and Confused" yesterday. I hadn't seen it before (anything I write is based on the little Higher Ground I have seen, the sites I've read stuff on, what I've heard from other fans, and what I've read in fanfictions.) Anyways, I saw the scene where Shelby's telling Daisy about how when she found Patty dead, she ran. Well, she wasn't changed, she was still in her "working" get-up. And it was night! So, I'm very sorry about how I made that little mistake in my fanfiction, please excuse it. Okay, on with the show!

Mr. Young sat beside me in his car. He was the social worker the police officer had handed me over to. As his car rumbled into the parking space, my stomach turned at all the memories of times past. This was a sad, dilapidated place indeed, I thought.

My mother opened the door for Mr. Young. She looked happy, but I was here to burst her bubble. That's when I got out of the car and her face fell immediately.

"Shelby," she said, unenthusiastically.

"Mother," I said with a nod. "You look good," I continued, being very obviously sarcastic. Her face still lit up at my fake compliment. I don't think she realized how sarcastic I really was. "My, you've done a lot with the place," I continued with a smirk aimed to annoy and anger. Did it ever work!

"It's not like you've been here a lot," she spat back.

"Oh, that cut deep, mom, real deep," I said, walking past her, into the house. Jess had heard my arrival and had come down. As it was still early, she was in her PJ's. "Jess!" I said, very happy and relieved to see her again.

"Shelby! I missed you so much!" she mumbled into my shirt as I hugged her. While we were hugging, the adults had gone into the kitchen.

When we finally pulled apart, she had a smile on her face. I couldn't smile for real, I didn't remember how; it had been too long. I knew how to give the smile that lined the guys up on the street corner, but not the smile to show my feelings. My eyes smiled for me, and Jess understood, which was all I needed.

"Shelby! Come in here!" my mother yelled from the kitchen.

"Yes, mother?" I asked, disgust dripping from my voice. What did she want now? I walked into the kitchen. Mother, Mr. Young, and... him! Walt, my ever-so-Cinderella-like evil stepfather. He smiled at me. I didn't want to, but to avoid attracting attention, I gave him a smile. It was fake, and he knew it.

"Shelby, I know you're not okay. You ran for a reason, and you need to get better now. Mr. Young has just told me about this school."

"Way to be subtle mom. And do you really think that a school is going to help me?" I asked. My voice was full of that same disgust, it was simply betraying the feeling in my gut and the look in my eyes.

"Now, kitten, hear your mother out," Walt said. I shuddered at his pet name for me. It was so wrong, on so many levels!

"Whatever," I said with a shrug. I didn't sit down, despite the pleading look in my mother's eyes. I would give her no such satisfaction.

"Okay, this school is called Mount Horizon. It's up in the mountains, near a town named Agnes, in British Columbia."

"I should've known," I mumbled. Of course she'd try to ship me off as far away as possible. Didn't she get it? I'd run! I'd run from anywhere!

"It's a school for kids such as yourself," Mr. Young said, interrupting my pondering.

"What do you mean, such as myself?" I asked, getting mad. This man-these two other people, whom I didn't even know, as well-didn't know me. They had no idea of all the things I'd been through.

Mr. Young looked really uncomfortable.

"Never mind," I broke in. "When do I leave?"

"Tonight. The plane for Vancouver leaves tonight at 10 o'clock," my mother said.

"Okay, I'll be ready for the airport trip at 8," I said, leaving to pack. Mother and me, alone on a plane for a few hours,, then alone in a car for a few more. I wondered what would come of it.