Chapter 31

That afternoon, Helen James went over to Pippa's to discuss the situation with Kerri.

"I am very sorry about all of this, Helen." Pippa said as Helen sat down at the table.

"I wouldn't worry too much." Helen smiled. "I did say that Kerri Winslow was a handful."

"I can't believe that her and Jack have taken off like that."

"What exactly has been going on with Kerri?" Helen asked.

"Kerri has been very disrespectful towards her teacher at school." Pippa replied. "Not only that, but she has also been behaving very inappropriately at home too."

"Can you give me specific examples?"

"Well, I overheard Kerri on the phone bragging about her and Jack...mucking around."

"Go on." Helen told Pippa.

"She also threw an illegal warehouse party last weekend." Pippa responded. "The police ended up bringing her back here. They also brought her back here on Monday night after she took my car for a joyride."

"I see." Helen said.

"Are you able to find another home for her?" Pippa asked her.

"I'll try my best." Helen replied. "But she's very close to becoming a state ward."

"It's just a shame that it came down to this." Pippa said, sadly.

"Don't blame yourself, Pippa." Helen said, gently holding Pippa's hand. "You did the best that you could."

Pippa sighed.

Selina returned home from school in a very depressed mood. She slammed her school bag down on the floor before going into her bedroom and slamming the door behind her.

"Irene, is that you?" Chloe called out from upstairs.

Selina didn't respond and turned on her radio. Chloe entered the room.

"Oh, Selina." Chloe remarked. "I thought you were Irene."

"Ever heard of knocking before you come in?" Selina asked Chloe sarcastically.

"What's with you?" Chloe asked her.

"Nothing!" Selina snapped. "Can you just leave me alone, please?"

"Okay then." Chloe said before she left the room. As Chloe closed Selina's bedroom door, Irene returned home.

"G'day, love." Irene said. "How was school?"

"It was okay." Chloe lied. The last thing she needed was to tell Irene about Sonia's bullying.

"Have ya seen Selina?" Irene asked Chloe.

"In her room." Chloe replied. "But I think she wants to be left alone."

"Fair enough." Irene said.

When Selina does come out of her bedroom later, she is still upset.

"Hi, darl." Irene said.

"Hi." Selina said, miserably.

"What's up with you?" Irene asked her.

"Nothing." Selina replied.

"It doesn't seem like nothing." Irene said.

"Look, I'm very tired!" Selina snapped. "Can you just get off my back for one minute?!"

"Selina!"

"Just lay off!" Selina shouted before running back into her room and slamming the door.

"What's going on?" Irene asked Chloe.

Chloe just shrugged her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Stephanie and Tiegan were at the diner when Sonia Hammond stormed over to them.

"Where do you get off humiliating me like that?!" Sonia shouted at Tiegan.

"You brought it on yourself for being mean to Chloe, bitch!" Tiegan shouted back.

"Sonia, go bother someone else." Stephanie said calmly. "Tiegan and I are having a private conversation."

"I don't care!" Sonia continued shouting. "You're going to regret humiliating me, Tiegan."

"I'm SO scared!" Tiegan said sarcastically.

"You should be!"

"What's going on here?" Melissa asked as she went over to the table.

"Butt out, lady!" Sonia snarled.

"Sonia, do everyone a favour and get out!" Melissa said angrily.

Without saying another word, Sonia walked out.

"Thanks, Melissa." Tiegan said.

"No worries." Melissa said. "Can I get you girls anything else?"

"A strawberry milkshake." Stephanie replied.

Melissa returned to the kitchen.

"Are you still up for the city this weekend?" Stephanie asked Tiegan.

"Of course." Tiegan replied.

Stephanie and Tiegan gave each other a high-five.

In the city, Kerri and Jack were snuggling on the couch.

"I just want to lay like this forever." Kerri said.

"Same here." Jack responded.

"That welfare bitch better not have followed me here."

Jack looked at Kerri.

"I don't think she would." he told her.

"Nuala's been so good to us." Kerri said. "My biggest fear is losing you."

"I don't want to lose you, either." Jack said.

Kerri then kissed Jack's cheek.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Jack and Kerri then started to kiss passionately. After a while, Jack removed his shirt.

"Come with me." Kerri told him.

"To where?" Jack asked her.

"You'll find out." Kerri replied, winking at Jack.

Jack and Kerri then entered the spare room before closing the door.

Back in Summer Bay, Pippa was on the phone when Tiegan and Stephanie walked in.

"Yes, thanks for calling." Pippa said. "Bye."

"Who was that?" Tiegan asked her.

"That was the department." Pippa replied. "They've just rung to inform me that Kerri is going to a foster home in Tweed Heads."

"I hope they find her." Stephanie said.

"So do I, Stephanie." Pippa said. "If only I knew where her and Jack ran off to."

"Don't worry, Pip." Tiegan reassured Pippa. "I'm sure they'll return."

Pippa looked really worried.

NEXT TIME...
- Stephanie opens up to Kelly about seeing her old foster parents again
- Selina and Jerome share a tearful farewell
- Kerri and Jack decide to have a night out in the city