Thicker Than Water – Chapter Eleven – Show Time
Ryesen entered the school just as supper was ending. She hurried over to Rebecca, who was chatting casually with Harmony and Kirsten.
"Rebecca, I need to talk to you."
Rebecca looked at her, angry. "Where were you? Did you sneak out again?"
Ryesen hesitated, "Well, yes, but I need you to listen to me."
Rebecca sighed and walked with Ryesen into a different room to talk in private.
"Rebecca I—," Ryesen started to say. She was never good with this emotional stuff, so she just spit it out. "I met your father today."
Well, this was unexpected. Rebecca tilted her head, as though she didn't hear clearly, "You…What?"
Ryesen started to get excited. "He's a pirate, Rebecca! He said that if you really want to get out of this place, you can go and sail the seas with him! He'll teach you all there is to know about the ocean and you'll be quite a team! He'll be waiting for you tonight! Oh, Rebecca you must go with him!" She blurted out everything in one breath.
Rebecca was speechless. This was a little too much information to be thrown at just after eating. "Ryesen…I can't."
"Yes you can. Break the rules for once in your life."
"But what if I get caught?"
"You won't. I'll help you get there. I know this town like the back of my hand."
"Ryesen, he's a pirate!" Rebecca wasn't sure if she meant that as a bad thing or not.
"I know! Isn't it exciting?"
Rebecca thought it was, but she replied, "It's terrifying!"
"Aw, you've never done a scary thing in your life."
"Best not break the record. Besides, how do you eve know he's my father?"
Ryesen smirked, "Have you got a map tattooed on your back?"
Rebecca gasped. The map really would bring her and her father together!
Ryesen nearly exploded. "I knew it! I just knew there was something different about you! That's why you never showed your back when we would change clothes! You always left the room! And when we all wore dresses that dipped low in the back, you didn't! I knew there was an exciting reason why!"
Rebecca rushed to cover Ryesen's mouth, "Hush! The other girls will hear!"
But Rebecca couldn't help but squeal. Her father was a pirate! The map on her back was probably a treasure map. Maybe they could go search for treasure together! How exciting!
"All right. Let's do this." Rebecca said, grinning.
In geometry class, no one was paying attention. Word had gotten around about Rebecca's planned escape later. Everyone kept shifting in their seats to give Rebecca a grin or a wink.
I can't believe I'm doing this, she thought. I'm finally leaving this boring school and going on adventures! Just like I used to dream!
As soon as the class ended, Rebecca, Ryesen, Kirsten, Harmony, and Gail rushed upstairs to their shared bedroom to talk about their plan.
Ryesen paced around their room. Following the circular pattern in the rug on the floor. "Now problem number one is clearing the entryway. Miss Stevens always sits in her office for twenty minutes after lights-out with the door open. She's got a clear view of the foyer."
"Why can't we wait twenty minutes?" asked Harmony.
"I wouldn't want to risk waiting too long and missing the ship."
"I'll talk to her." Gail said. "I'll tell Miss Stevens that it's something private and close the door."
"What will you tell her?" Kirsten asked, wary.
"I don't know. I'll tell her that my dad used to beat me before he died."
"Gial!" exclaimed Rebecca. "I can't let you do that."
"It's worth it, Rebecca. You're going to be a pirate!" Gail laughed.
Rebecca smiled, her eyes starting to glisten. She pulled Gail into a tight hug.
"Next problem is the groups of drunken sailors hanging at the taverns by the docks." Ryesen said, still pacing.
"This one's for me," said Kirsten, flipping her silky blonde hair.
"Can you run fast?" asked Ryesen, a smile forming on her face.
"I suppose I'll have to." Kirsten grinned and turned to Rebecca, who was about to start protesting again. "I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't love you and think that this was the best thing for you."
Rebecca was about to cry. "I couldn't ask for better—or dumber—friends!"
The girls laughed and then Ryesen spoke again.
"Last problem is the fence. They always close the gates to the docks after dark for safekeeping of the ships. It's a pretty high fence."
"I've seen that fence," said Harmony. "I'm tall enough to lift you two over it."
Rebecca nodded at Harmony and the two smiled.
"All right. After that point, I'll lead Rebecca to her ship and she'll be off."
The girls gathered for a group hug, knowing that this was the last time all five of them would be together.
"Lights out!" shouted Miss Stevens from the base of the stairs.
"Show time." whispered Ryesen, just as the lights went out.