Chapter 5: Sea Turtles
It all started when I stayed up late (making sure that Sam didn't screw up with Emily on the goodbye); ready to act as damage control, but pretending to watch a documentary: The Life of Sea Turtles. In the end though, I actually did end up watching it – and it struck a chord with me. The mother sea turtle migrates to a beach shore and choses a place to bury her young in the sand. Once the eggs are laid, they once again return to the ocean, leaving her young to defend for themselves. Fast forward a little over a dozen weeks later and the baby turtles that are fortunate enough to free themselves from the eggs and survive long enough to make it back to the ocean and repeat the process when they are old enough to have young ones. They say that most turtles don't make it back to their original families, rather live as sea nomads, but they tell a story of one particular turtle the scientist tracked that defied this theory. He made it back. He was the runt of his brother and sisters, born prematurely and most predicted to die, but he was the one to make it against all the odds…
Emily forced me to go to bed after it ended sometime after three in the morning. No matter how hard I tried to shake it, I couldn't. He made it back. The little turtle took it into his own … fins? And he found his parents. The next morning, I realized that I couldn't just sit around and hope for my parents to come find me in this tiny town. I was going to have to be that little turtle, and go out there and find them.
I also knew that it was going to take a lot of planning, and tying up a couple loose ends.
The next morning I started to plan my escape. I knew the one person my leaving would hurt the most: Emily. So that meant step one… was to find some way to mend to hole I was going to leave in her heart. I tear up slightly at the thought that I was actually doing this, but I force myself to be brave. I know I have to do this. I rip out a couple of pieces of paper out of a notebook I found in that abandoned room in the left wing – Edward Anthony Masen Cullen's old journal/composition book – and write a letter to Emily. I write down what I plan to do. I write to her all my feelings; my fear, my friendship, my regret for hurting her, my love, and my gratitude for everything she's ever done for me. I beg her to find it deep within her to understand and to forgive me… and to find it in her to move on. It ended at eight pages. I folded it, then placed it in an envelope to put in a box under my bed.
I found that starting with Emily lead me to the next thing that I had to take care of before I left, because I couldn't tell the story of our friendship without telling the story of Victoria.
~O~
Victoria and I were brought to the orphanage on the same day twelve years ago. I've known her all my life: at one time we were friends – up until I was age three and she five. I don't think I'll ever forget the day were we weren't. Victoria had gotten a little play Barbie makeup kit for Christmas and decided that she was going to make me over. Even then she was demanding and threw tantrums whenever she didn't get what she wanted – and although I knew it was true, I refused. Angry words and curses were exchanged and that night she talked some of the older boys to hold me while she sheared my hair off. Next time, you'll remember that I get what I want and there are consequences when you don't.
When Victoria and her older goons left, I ran into a random closet and cried for hours. It so happened that Emily had started a week previously at the home. She found me in that closet, and it marked the day we formed an unbreakable bond: two misfits (my social awkwardness and newly damaged hair, her scarred face) finding a friend in one another.
My ex-red head friend didn't like the attention I got from Emily, nor did she like the fact that I was able to break her hold in that one decision. She was able to recruit the new additions and offer them a spot with her "clique" in exchange that they follow her every command and refuse to associate with me (Lauren and Jessica being the prime examples of members in this clique). However, I've never been one to interact with many people anyway. She didn't realize that she had pushed her fear of isolation on to a loner. So, she poked and pushed until she found the one thing that would rub me the wrong way: she spread rumors about Emily being evil and turned everyone against her.
Emily was always able to talk me out of my plans to get Victoria back, but I know this time, she won't.
I found my only other friend at the home – Seth. He was in the backyard which was more like a dark version of my meadow. He built a fort in the far corner camouflaged by a large group of trees. I sprinted to the door and gave him the special knock he told me to give whenever I stop by.
I don't wait long, he smiles slightly when he opens the door – immediately stepping to the side to welcome me in.
"What brings you to my office? If you just want to get away, I got some new games…" he took one look at my face and sat down, "But, you're not here for that." Seth concludes as he sits on his bean bag inviting me to do the same.
"I'm actually here to cash in… well, all of my favors. There are a couple of things I need taken care of, and I can't make sure they stay that way by myself." He strokes his cheek in thought, then asks me to elaborate. I didn't have to do much to get him to help me; firstly because he did own me a lot of favors, and secondly, because he understands.
Seth was the first boy to enter Forks Home for Orphaned Girls (which was supposed to change the name to orphaned children, but someone dropped the ball…) around five or six years ago. He was from La Push like Emily before he lost his parents in an unfortunate airplane crash. He is also the only other person here who shares a special connection to our caretaker; the only one who could possibly offer her comfort once I'm gone… but that's not the only reason I chose Seth. He is one of the few who managed to untangle themselves from Victoria's web and the best practical joker there is. After more than six years of strained passive nature – I'm going to get her back before I leave.
"Okay. I understand you wanting me to run damage control with Emily, but you're sure this isn't overboard for something Vick did to you a long time ago?
I take a minute to really consider what he asks… but in the middle of that – I get flashbacks on the late nights with Emily crying (sometimes in her sleep, others while she was awake) because the little children screamed and cried in fear of her due to one of Victoria's false stories. I remembered the light dimming in her eyes whenever one of Victoria's goons say they hate her or repeat the latest rumor to her face to make their leader happy. I do want to get her back, but not just because of what she did to me.
He went back to planning without any further questions. When we finish, he grabs my hand in between both of his.
"You'll come and visit me before you go won't you?" It felt like the combination of his hands and eyes on me were burning me on the inside. My throat tightened and I struggled to blink back tears, once again realizing that I was betraying yet another friend by going through with this.
"Ness?" he took one hand and put it on my cheek, pulling my head up until my eyes met his. I was assaulted with memories running around in the backyard playing some adventure game, and building the fort we are currently under and Seth's reaction to the first time I showed him my meadow, and once when he protected me from one of the older boys, and making a pledge in the living room after we sneaking some ice cream to always be in each other's lives… So many memories we had together, and we may never see each other again. The tears started to fall without my consent and I nodded frantically as I gasped out a yes.
~O~
It took us almost a week before we got the opportunity to confront Victoria. Seth had set her alarm so she woke up at least two hours after everyone else (Lord knew her SNOOZE button was overly abused, and it took her forever to get out of bed), giving all the others enough time to be out of our way – also to insure we don't harm any innocents. The shower head was rigged and all was left to watch the whole thing unfold before our eyes.
About a half hour after Seth gave the signal we were on board, we heard it.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Victoria's annoying shrill scream echoed all throughout the house and a tall red headed figure ran out of the bathroom in her white towel contrasting greatly with her now died dark purple body and her even brighter red hair.
Seth leaned down and slapped me a high five.
"And how exactly did you turn her purple again?" I asked in awe watching our, well Seth's, masterpiece run through precisely as it did on paper.
"Kool-Aid in the shower head and her shampoo had a little honey mist auburn dye from a faulty hair manufacturer. Vick will be stuck looking like that for at least a week. The best part is that she won't know who did it – all witnesses are her number one and two enemies here. They have three or four other pranks planned this week in celebration," My best friend smiled at me with a hint of sadness behind the eyes, "How's that for a lifetime of favors and your going away present?"
I hugged him, as hard as I could. It was perfect.
~O~
Later that night, Seth and I stayed in the fort – partly because I don't think either of us had the heart to be around Emily tonight. Seth had been relatively quiet the whole night; settling just to share a big bean bag chair with me as we attempt to pass the time playing W-A-R and Speed with our favorite deck of cards – see through, flexible, and Heath Ledger as the Joker printed on the front. Occasionally I receive a question about my impending departure.
"Do you know where you'll go? I mean where does one choose to start the search for long lost parents, if they are even out there?" I stared at him in silence… I did understand how my plan sounds crazy and absolutely unrealistic, but it makes sense to me. I suppose I stared too long because Seth started to panic, "What? I'm not trying to be negative or anything, I just want to know. Okay, maybe I was a little harsh on the last part – about your parents not being out there, but –"
I put my hand on his to get him to stop. I have a plan, but tonight I just want to spend some time with my friend while I can.
A/N: This one goes out to PatrickChanFan who requested Ness should get Victoria back. Sorry if the prank was a little lame, but I figured they're still pretty young - not quite so diabolical yet.
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