I thought I missed my 11th anniversary on this site, but here we are.

XIV: Who'd Want to Visit Some Lost Students?

For the first time since Jason arrived, it's visiting day at the Wilderness School. Usually, families visit and catch up with their kids, or lawyers and case workers discuss legalities with their clients. It's a tense day usually filled with more arguments, but it means no classes and activities since everyone's preoccupied. After visiting hours, they're left to either do some homework, play outside, hang out in the common areas, or sit in their rooms.

And sometimes, visitors bring food so they could skip out on the questionable cafeteria servings.

Jason doesn't expect visitors. Who would visit him anyways? He doesn't know anyone outside these walls. But this gnawing feeling in his gut hints that someone will come for him today. Maybe it'll be the girl calling his name in his dream, a voice that echoes in his mind whenever he thinks he's forgotten about it.

Jason refocuses on Coach calling out the names of people who have visitors waiting. His hands are in fists by his side as he hears every other name be called except for his own. His heart drops as more kids are called and he's still sitting there. Coach looks at him remorsefully and Jason shrugs. He isn't surprised nobody's here for him, but at least Leo is still in the room with him.

"No visitors for you today?" Jason asks.

"I've never had one," Leo responds, getting up from his plastic chair. "Come on. We get a free day today."

"Visiting hours are all day?"

"Oh no. Just until noon. But visiting days always put everyone on edge or drain them so they let us be."

Jason nods and they head out and pass the auditorium where chairs and tables are set for families and other visitors. Jason and Leo walk into the library where they peer through an observatory window to see all the visitations.

A lot of their fellow cohort mates were begrudgingly chatting with their parents, slouched at tables with Coach supervising. Leo told Jason about times when some of their classmates would lash out at their parents — Coach had to use his bat one time. Some families didn't even visit. Some kids had lawyers show up in the case of upcoming trials or litigation. Others got to make phone calls in the office that they heard on their way over.

"I don't think I'd want people to visit me, though, even if I had anyone," Leo says. "What is there to talk about? Sorry, I screwed up everything for you guys? I took a walk in the desert before eating bad food and crying myself to sleep. That's all my life is."

Jason nods. "I'm sorry."

"Shouldn't be. I got myself here. Better than juvie, I guess."

Jason thinks back to when they broke into the Headmistress's office to find his file. When they discovered that his was empty, Leo wanted his record clear. If it's filled with an event that should've placed him in juvie, what could it be? It's like the questions he has for himself: what could he have done to end up here with no memories?

"Why wouldn't anyone visit you?" Jason asks. "Not even Tìa Callida?"

Leo sighs as he fidgets with a paper clip in his pocket. "My mom is dead and I don't know my dad. My extended family each had their turn with me after her passing and got rid of me when they could. They never looked back or even checked up on me. They could believe I'm dead for all I care. I don't even think I knew Tìa Callida. If that's the case, kinda glad because she was creepy."

"Leo…"

"You said sorry already, it's fine. Besides, you don't even know if you have a family."

"So? Your life is your life. I'm honoured you told me about it."

Leo stares at him, face softening before smiling a bit. "You're my friend. At least I got to tell you."

Jason raises a brow. "What do you mean by that?"

"For me and Piper, our classmates found out and used it to bully us. I'm sure she's told you. You've even seen it."

"I have. It's not like they've lived perfect lives either. They've done worse."

Leo scoffs. "Worse than Piper? Definitely. Worse than me? I highly doubt that."

Jason doesn't budge into asking about Leo's past. He'll find out whenever Leo wants him to. It's only fair. Even if someone dared to mention it, he'd shut them up. Maybe it wouldn't be all that bad if someone told Jason about his own past because he wants to know, whatever it may be.

"At least you've owned up to whatever happened," Jason says. "That's a thousand times stronger than any of them could ever do."

Leo smiles a little. "Thanks, and I'm sorry you don't know if you have a family. For all we know, maybe they don't even know you're here."

"For the record, I'd visit you."

"Yeah, right."

"I would. I promise. I'd even bring food."

The boys look down and see one of their classmates having a fit with their lawyer, shoving all the paperwork onto the floor. Coach heads over and starts yelling, munching on one of the pages.

-o-

They walk down the hallway and stop when they see Piper sitting in a nook. Her eyes are rimmed red and her knees are up to her chest. When she noticed the boys, she wipes her eyes and lowers her legs as they sit next to her. Jason pats her shoulder and Leo pulls out some modelling clay from his pocket for her to play with. Piper grins as she starts pressing within her fingertips.

"I was supposed to call my dad, as usual, but he didn't want to talk to me," Piper explains. "He knows today is calling day but all I got was his stupid assistant. I hate her so much. She's why I'm in this stupid place. I couldn't even find out where he was if he was filming a movie or something cause she wouldn't tell me. Like, I know our phone calls have been cold and weird lately; at least I got to hear him."

Jason hugs her on the side, remembering how Piper said she didn't feel loved by her father. She holds up a small heart she made with the modelling clay and rolls her eyes.

-o-

Despite usually being left alone after visiting hours, everyone was in the library supposed to work on some research assignments. (Key word: supposed. Some are playing games or online shopping). Most of the students sit in a row of computers, except for Jason, Leo, and Piper. They're at a table with novels and stray worksheets.

"I don't know what we ever did to have no computer privileges," Leo grumbles.

Piper shrugs, flipping through a harlequin novel with a hot pirate couple on the glossy cover.

"We don't need it," Jason states.

"Coach said that computers attract monsters but that's just some dumb parent thing," Leo says. "Do you think Coach had kids?"

Piper shudders. "I doubt he has a family if he's here all the time."

Jason can't help but laugh given his current unknown family situation. No wonder he's at this school. He might as well belong here.