Yes, I named this chapter after song by Daft Punk. What of it?

Finally, I get to a point in the story that I asked the readers to help me out with a long time ago. You all will see what it is when you start reading.

Go Forth, and Read On!

Journal,

Just when you think things are getting better, it get worse. I hate when that happens. Like today. It wasn't so much like it was bad, more like 'why would they let this happen'?

But we're handling it just fine. Missed a few days of working, but I don't know if that's bad or good. Bad because I didn't make any money, good because I'm not getting fucked. I'm going back to drug dealing….

~*~V~*~

"JoJo get up."

"…..mmmm…"

"C'mon, I gotta start working and you have to leave…"

Arriving back at Duval through an escort from the police, TJ found that in a strange way that he missed the place. The grey walls, cement floors, and metal bars felt like home. Even the rank smell that I had after it rained; he missed it, and felt a sort of relief when he was back in his room.

But he knew that the next day meant red, orange, and yellow bracelets on his arm getting snapped and he accepted it as a necessary evil. Currently, TJ was trying to wake JoJo up so that he could get start working. Nothing was more awkward than having a customer in the room while your roommate is still there and he was trying to avoid that. But JoJo was ignoring him completely.

"Go 'way Freckles," JoJo mumbled, rolling over in his bed. "M'tired…"

"You've been tired ever since we got back here! Can you at least be out in an hour?" TJ asked him. "I wanna get this work over with early."

"….mmm…."

Grabbing a book from his shelf, TJ left the room, leaving JoJo by himself. He understood why his roommate would be tired after breaking out and travelling across the state, but it's been a week since that happened, and thins should return to normal. Blowing it off, he sat door next to Bandit at their usual table and flipped through the pages of the new book he checked out of the library.

Day's ago he finished reading the other book he had forgotten to check out, the Torah. And he had mixed opinions about it. With nothing else better to do (the other choices being doing drugs, what is essentially prostitution, and going bat-shit insane) he wanted to form an opinion about that book, but found that he would have to read more books covering the topic of religion, or other religions. Scanning through the library he picked up the closest book he could find on the subject, and starting reading it. Being written in English, TJ found it easier to read and was hoping to get through it by the end of the week, though he knew that might be a bit of a stretch.

"What'sha readin'?" Bandit asked him.

"The Buddhavacana," Said TJ. "Did I say that right? I'm only reading it out of boredom. Guess I'm kinda looking for a new religion too or something like that…..I read the Torah, you know, that other book I had. It's okay, but there are parts I don't like. I don't know what to think of it so I'm reading other books until I can. But what I'm worried about is this drug business getting back on its feet."

"I'm working on it," Specs said. "There's already people in here selling meth, so we have to sell something stronger. Maybe ecstasy or LSD…I think heroin would be the easiest to make…."

"LSD makes you trip balls," Bandit said offhandedly. "Where's JoJo?"

"He's sleeping," TJ said. "He's been sleeping since we got back. Maybe after sleeping all day today he'll get off his ass."

"He's been sleeping since we all came back?" Specs asked. "That doesn't sound good. He's in your guys room, right?" TJ closed his book and followed the goggled boy into his room where JoJo was still lying in on his back.

"Freckles," JoJo whined. "Did I get hit by a truck?"

"He's being a drama queen," TJ told Specs. "He's probably just mad 'cause we got sent back here right after getting out and now he's wallowing in his own self-pity."

"I feel like I got hit by a truck…. And it's running me over…"

"You two go outside, I'll see if I can find what's wrong with him," Specs told them. "If anything….."

"He's faking," TJ said as he walked out of the cell.

~*~MEANWHILE~*~

"IF THAT POWERPUFF DARES TO TOUCH ME I'LL KNOCK HER AND HER PRISSY-ASS FRIENDS INTO THE NEXT STATE!"

Being dragged away from an extremely interested crowd by her friends to avoid causing any more damage and to attempt from getting into any more trouble, Ashley Spinelli tried to break free of her friends grasp in order to lunge at the bleeding Ashley A. in the middle of the crowd. After having a particularly bad day filled with disappointment after disappointment, Spinelli was not longer able to hold back her anger as the leader of the Ashley's made a comment about the clothes she was wearing, and reacted via a swift punch making contact with the other girls nose, possibly breaking it and causing it to bleed.

The crowd around them that had gathered to watch how the confrontation would turn out (thought they all knew that someone was going to bleed by the time it was over but that it wasn't going to be Spinelli), believed that Ashley had it coming to her. The Ashley's had gained a reputation of being quite the little group of pretentious bitches and everyone wanted to see them get what was coming to them. But at the same time they didn't want it to come from the fist-wielding warrior for one simple reason.

"C'mon, Spin! You know you can't get in a fight again or you can get arrested!" Vince told her as he tried to pull her away from the center of the crowd. Being on the basketball and Football teams, he was most likely the only person in the school physically capable of restraining her, but it still proved to be a hard thing to do.

"The bitch was asking for it!" Spinelli yelled. "Who the hell does she think she is criticizing me when she's the school whore! You better watch your back Armbruster 'cause as soon as your guard is down I'm coming after you with intent to kill!" Seeing that she wasn't going to be able to seek revenge at the moment, she took a few deep breathes before visibly calming down. "Okay, I'm calm. You can let go now."

"Are you sure? I don't want you go and beat her up when I let go."

"I said I'm fine! You can let go now, Vince," Spinelli said with a huff. After being let go she balled her fists to resist the urge to run over and finish what was started. "Let's get out of here before I get in troubl—" She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Principal Wartz approaching the scene.

~*~V~*~

"This is the fifth fight you have gotten in this year, Ms. Spinelli. How do you explain that?"

"Oh, come on! You didn't even see the whole thing!"

Standing in the principal's office along with Ashley A. who held a large amount of tissue to her nose, Spinelli tried to think quick and come up with a way to talk herself out of getting expelled. She had been warned in her last four fights that one more would lead to her either getting expelled or arrested, depending on the severity of it. She came close last year with four fights, and took up boxing as an outlet for her anger, but whether that helped or harmed was up for debate.

"You don't even know the whole story and your about to blame me for everything that happened!" She said, forcing her frustration down.

"I do know that one of my students has a bleeding nose that might be broken, and one student who is capable of doing that," Said Wartz. "Did you or did you not punch Ms. Armbruster in the nose?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything!"

"See, she, likes, totally admits it!" Ashley A. said pointing an accusing finger. "I demand that she be suspended, like, immediately! My safety is in danger!"

'Your face is going to be in danger if you don't back off,' Spinelli thought, stopping herself from saying it out loud.

"Ms. Armbruster, I can handle this," The principal said. "Ms. Spinelli, I just want to know, what do you think your punishment should be?"

"A slap on the wrist?" Spinelli suggested with a smile.

"How about three weeks suspension."

"THREE WEEKS?"

"Would you rather be expelled?" principal Wartz warned.

"No, sir…"

"Good. The two you can leave. And try not to get in another fight before you get out of school…"

"Just so you know, I'm totally pressing charges," Ashley A. said as they left the office. "Your going to pay for this Spin-ugly."

~*~DUVAL~*~

Running his fingers through his hair, TJ tried to understand the text that was in front of him. Only twenty pages in and he was motivated to stop reading and find another book to read. All of it reminded him of what was written in another book he had to read for a class. It was a history class, but for some reason the teach assigned them "Plato and Platypus Walk Into a Bar….." to read.

"Ugh…" TJ said putting his on the table. "This is too much at once….I'm taking a break…"

"Scurvy." Turning around in his seat TJ saw Specs standing behind him. "It's scurvy."

"What's scurvy?" TJ asked.

"A severe lack of Vitamin C," Specs answered. "It feels like a really, really, really bad flu with pneumonia. You basically feel like shit."

"Oh. So he'll be alright won't he? He's not gonna die or anything like that, right?"

"No, he'll be fine," Specs told him. "But he critically needs vitamin C or he won't be. Go to the commissary and by a crate of orange juice, and if they have any get a couple of bottles of Vitamin C supplements. In fact, me and Bandit will go with you. We all have the same diet so he could be at risk for it too."

"Why do I gotta go?" Bandit whined.

"Stop whining," TJ said as he pulled him along. "Let's get this over with. You can help me carry this stuff." The trio made their way to the line for the commissary. It was long like on every other day, and they expected to wait a half an hour to get to the front. Getting in the back of the line TJ was shocked when everyone looked at the three of them and moved out of the way to let them move to the front before anyone else.

"What's all this about…?" TJ asked as he and the others walked to the front of the line. "Why are they doing this for us?"

"They aren't doing it for us," Bandit said matter-of-factly. "They're doing it for you."

"Me? Why me?"

"Probably because you came up with the idea to break them out of here," Said Bandit. "It was only for a day but it was one hell of a day. They appreciate that you did that for them,"

"It's no big deal really. But if I get cuts in line because of it then by all means," TJ said as they reached the front of the line. "Do you guys have orange juice back there?" The cashier nodded. "Can I get a crate of it? And two bottles of those vitamins too." Once the cashier came back with everything TJ handed him the debt card he was given when he arrived. Instead of charging him, the cashier gave him his card back.

"It's on the house," Said the cashier.

"Oh shit, we get free stuff too?" Bandit asked, excited. "Can I get that boom box back there? And all the cherry Airheads you've got."

"I can't believe you did that," TJ scolded Bandit as they made their way back to his and JoJo's room. "Just 'cause we're getting stuff for free that doesn't mean you get everything."

"Yes it does," Bandit protested. "Why would you not? If we don't have to spend our money then I'm not going to. And I'm going to live as comfortably as a can."

"Whatever. I gotta get this stuff to JoJo," Said TJ carrying the crate of oranes juice and vitamins towards his room. "Anything else I need to know?"

"You need to watch him for the next few days to make sure he actually drinks it," Specs said. "Make him drink a little now, let him sleep for a while, then wake him up to drink more and take one of those pills. Keep doing that until tomorrow."

'Looks like I'm not working,' TJ said as he entered the room. "You awake JoJo?"

"Mmm-hmm," The bedridden boy said.

"You have to drink this," TJ said handing over a bottle of orange juice. "It'll make you get better. Did Specs tell you it's scurvy?"

"Yeah," JoJo said before bringing the bottle to his lips and drinking heavily from it. "M'really tired…."

"I have to stay here to make sure nothing happens while you sleep," Said TJ. "All you have to do is sleep and drink orange juice for the next few days."

"Can you close the door? The noise outside is giving me a headache…."

"I'll try to de as quiet as I can while I'm in here," TJ told him after closing the door. "I'm just gonna be doing homework. That won't bother you, will it?"

"Nope."

~*~V~*~

"One month at the Duval Regional Juvenile Detention Center."

"WHAT?"

After finding that Ashley A. had full intention on pressing charges for assault, Spinelli hoped for the lightest possible punishment, but at the same time knew that wasn't likely with her background of fights. The punishment she was expecting was a couple hundred hours of community service, or at the very worse, having to apologize to the person charging her. The whole trial only took two days, one to hear both sides and the other to hear the sentencing (if any at all). She had the support of Gretchen, Vince, Gus, Mikey, and half of the high school, and they were hoping with her that she wouldn't get a stiff punishment; most of them were in the courtroom to hear what the verdict was. Upon hearing the outcome and sentence, the entire room gasped in shock.

"You heard me," Said the judge. "One month at Duval. If you didn't want to get punished you shouldn't have gotten in trouble. Court is adjourned."

"Have fun in juvie," Ashley A. said as her and her lawyer left the court room.

"How are they going to send me to juvie? There has to be something illegal with this," Spinelli insisted as she and the others sat outside the courtroom as the remaining paperwork was handled.

"Look on the bright side. It's only a month," Mikey said in an attempt to lighten her mood. "At least you're not in there until you're 18."

"But it's still a month," Spinelli said. "It's going to be the longest month of my life!"

"It's shouldn't be so bad," Gretchen told her. "And besides, you know we're going to visit you and write."

"Yeah but visitors only going to be a few times out of the month," Said Spinelli. "But at least I can keep in contact. This is all Ashley A.'s fault!"

"Well, well, well. Look who it is. Can't say I'm too surprised to see you five here." Looking up, the group saw an unusually well-dressed Francis, formerly known as the Hustler Kid, approaching them. "What'sha in for, Spinelli? Assault?"

"What else would it be?" Spinelli said, unhappiness dripping from her voice. "What about you? What are you here for?"

"I got caught selling some stuff that isn't exactly legal," He said. "I'm here for the sentencing. Have you been sentenced yet?"

"Yep. I'm going to the Duval Regional Juvenile Detention Center for a month," She told him. "Sucks, huh?"

"DUVAL?" Francis repeated, all the blood draining from his face. After hearing what her answer was he looked as if he'd seen a ghost. "You're going to Duval?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Did you forget who's in Duval?" Francis asked. The five of them looked as if they didn't have a clue. "You know, he wore a red hat and you used to hang out with him but then he went bat-shit insane and tortured us before lighting Third Street on fire? TJ?"

"….oh shit."

"If the judge in there is sending kids to Duval I hope I get sent to a prison instead," Francis told them. "I'm not trying to fuck with THAT guy. I gotta go in, see you guys later."

"…I'm sure they separate the boys from the girls," Gus said breaking the silence that fell over the five of them after Francis left.

"That doesn't do much to curb my concern," Said Spinelli. "You don't think he's still mad, do you?"

"It's possible," Gretchen said. "He held grudges before he went there so he could still be holding one against us. He could even be planning to seek revenge once he's released. We're lucky he didn't get to do anything when he broke out a week ago. But like Gus said, they most likely separate the girls from the boys, so you two probably won't see each other."

"I guess so. But can you blame me if I'm worried?"

The other for shook their heads.

~*~TJ's POV ~*~

"Freckles?"

"Yeah?"

"There's a thunderstorm outside…."

"Right…."

I don't see why he afraid of thunderstorms. Sure they're little loud, but it's nothing to be afraid of. But I guess everyone has their own fears and their own ways of coping with them. And since we're looking out for one another I gotta help. Since JoJo is too weak to get out of bed without any help, I got out of my bed and crawled into his. Our beds, like the rest of the bed in this place, are built exactly the same way; cold and functional, not warm and comfortable like we used to have at home. It's amazing what you can get used to in here. The food, the school, the people. Everything. I'm used to it. I dunno if that's sad or just me adapting to the situation.

As soon as a crawled into his bed he grabbed my upper arm. It helps him to not jump out of bed every time thunder bangs a little too close for his liking. This bed is barely big enough for the two of us, but we manage. Thunder claps, and he doesn't move, but squeezes my arm instead. I think he's too weak to do even jump in fear. It hurts a little though, when squeezed my arm. His hand are right over the cuts that only him and I know are there. Most of them are healing, and few of them are new, but that's just on this arm.

….

….I'm not depressed, I swear. I'm not one of those emo pussies.

It's just…It makes me feel better sometimes. I don't do it every day. Just when I'm having one of those days when I'm feeling so much emotion that I can't handle it.

….

…..Those days aren't often.

Okay, maybe I'm a little depressed. Just a little bit. Like 1 percent depressed, 99 percent fine. Yeah, that's more like it. I still think about suicide though, especially this time of year. It's suicidal September again, so I can't help it. I wonder though on some days what's keeping me from doing it again. I could probably do it right this time and not wake up.

Running my fingers over the scar left from the time I tried suicide I winced at the minor pain it caused. I remember what it felt like. I swore someone was stabbing me in my wrist cause there was no way a cut could cause that much pain. I regret doing it that way. Maybe if I try it again I'll remember to make it quick and painless.

"Don't try to kill yourself again, Freckles," JoJo said. "It's not worth it. Don't give them the satisfaction of defeating you." How does he know what I'm thinking?

"Who's 'them'?" I asked.

"The people who put you in here," He said. "The people who don't want anything to do with you. The people who won't visit you, or give you the time of day. The people who would rather see you dead than rehabilitated. Don't give them the satisfaction of defeating you. Don't let them win. I wanted to kill myself when I came here too. I wanted to take a knife and stab it through my heart. I wanted to do it so bad. But I didn't 'cause I'd be giving up the fight, I can't stand giving up, and promised my brother I'd see him again when I got out. He's dead. My little brother is dead. He got hit by a car two years ago and nobody bothered to tell me. But I still ain't giving up because that's what everyone wants. You can't give up Freckles. You have to stay alive and get out of here and show the world what you're made of. Don't go out like that. It's not worth it. Okay?"

"I wasn't planning to," TJ said. "But okay."

Here he goes with his big speeches. I used to make big speeches too. Quit that habit a long time ago. But I wasn't thinking of trying suicide, just about it.

…Thunder banged, and I got a cold chill up my spine. I have a weird feeling that something going to happen really soon. Not to me, but something.

Hope it's something good.

Donna Nnov: Of course I am. :D I always do, don't I? But like everything, you're going to have to wait to see it. It'll happen, just not soon.

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