When school ended, Vaggie sneaked in to meet up with Charlie at her locker to discuss what their plans for tonight to be. Vaggie still wanted to go back to Mystique Hollow but Charlie's reservations about last night remained.
"I can't come Vaggie." Charlie said getting her books out. "I'm babysitting Octavia again, but even if I wasn't watching her, I don't think I'd still go. I just don't really like Levana anymore."
"Well she sure has done a lot for us." Vaggie said. "I mean yeah she had that freak out moment but that's because she was scared of you bring around that grinning creep. And after what you told me about her real kids, I can't say I blame her. Besides it just one mistake."
"No it's not just that. It's certain things about her and that place."
"Like what?"
"Like...Like Dennis and Mia for example. The other night I had the strangest feeling that Mia was trying to tell us something and Dennis was trying to shut her up. And then there's what Alastor told me, now I know at this point it's his word against Levana's but considering he saved my life and she tried to punish me, I'm kind of leaning toward trusting him."
"Well my mother always said you can't trust men."
"No offense but your mother is a little on the biased side. I mean you told me she was suspicious of Angel for Heaven's sake."
"Good point. Still considering how many children and teenagers Levana has taken care of, I think she might be the more trustworthy one."
"That's another thing that's been bothering me. If her world is home to so many kids then where are they? Think about it, we haven't seen one child or teenager since we've been there. Only adults in weird costumes. Don't you find that a little weird?"
"I have noticed that." Vaggie said. "But it's a big world Hon, we probably haven't seen any yet because they're in another part of Mystique Hollow."
"I guess that would make sense. Still I don't want to go back there Vaggie. I'm afraid of that woman."
"Well if that's how you feel then I understand. I'll just visit her by myself."
Vaggie felt the ribbon in her hair getting loose so she took a moment to fix it while gazing into the small mirror that hung on Charlie's locker door.
"I don't think you should go back either." Charlie added. "Even if that place doesn't turn out to be dangerous, it'll only be a matter of time before your mom finds out what you've been up to. Especially if she gets that promotion at the add agency. You told me if she does she'll be able to quit the diner and that means no more late night shifts."
"Maybe I just won't come home then."
"You're not serious."
"Actually I am. All Mom does is pressure me about future and how she can't let me make the same mistakes she made. I can't take it anymore."
"So what are you going to do?"
"I think I'm going to live with my dad."
"Has he talked to you about this?"
"No."
"Has he called? Sent a letter? Done anything to indicate that he'd like for you to live with him?"
"No but he's probably tried to and Mom gets in the way. For all I know, he's probably called the house and sent countless letters but Mom hung up and swiped the letters."
"Now why in the world would your mother do a thing like that?"
"To spite him."
"Oh come on Vaggie, you know your mother better than that. She may hate the man but she knows how much you want to see him. I'm sure that if he was really making an effort to see you, she'd let him for your sake. She loves you."
"Maybe." She scoffed.
"Vaggie that's a terrible thing to say."
"She resents me Charlie. She met Dad, got pregnant with me, and that killed her college dreams. I ruined her life. She regrets having me."
"Did she actually say that to you?"
"No but what I am supposed to think when she constantly tells me that I can't screw up my life like she did by fooling around with boys? Or that kids limit your opportunities? Or that if I get knocked up my life is over?"
"Well that is laying on the scare tactics a little thick. But that doesn't necessarily mean she doesn't love you or that she regrets having you. I mean Stolas has said the same thing to me. Well actually he told me make sure you never have a baby with someone you don't love or you'll be stuck with them forever, but that doesn't mean he regrets having Octavia with Stella. I've heard him say it a hundred times, if he had a chance to do it all over again, he'd still do it just so he could still have Via. And in the case of Stella, if that doesn't mean he loves Octavia I don't know what does."
"But it's not the same. Stolas had Octavia on purpose, I was an accident."
"A happy accident."
"I don't think so."
"You know maybe instead of talking to me about this, you should try talking to her about it."
"What's the point? She won't listen. She'll just say I'm wrong, she's right, and that's how it is."
"You could at least give her a chance."
"I've given her plenty of chances. Since the day we first left Dad but she assumes that she's always right and that she doesn't have to listen. She's so stubborn."
"Well now I know where you get it from."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I hate to tell you this Vaggie, but you and your mom are a lot more alike than you think."
"We are nothing alike."
"Sure you are. You're both headstrong, cynical, argumentative, distrustful toward men, and neither one of you can control your temper."
"I can control my temper."
"Oh please, you're second only to Stolas's ex in that department. Remember that time Angel slipped a playboy magazine into your purse as a joke? You pushed him into the creek."
"He was making fun of my sexuality."
"Oh he was not, he was just trying to annoy you and you played his little game. I told you when he does stuff like that, you should just ignore him. He only does it for attention."
"If that's the case how come he doesn't do it to you?"
"He does tease me, he just didn't pull the magazine prank because I live with a small child and if Octavia ever got her hands on that filth, Stolas would bury Angel alive and dance on his grave."
"Well that's hypocritical, didn't you once tell me you found a naughty picture of Blitzo in his room?"
"Yes and let's drop the subject now before the nightmares come back." Charlie shuddered.
"By the way has Octavia ever seen-"
"No! God no!" Charlie shook his head. "I found that picture buried in his sock drawer which is way too high for Via to reach."
"What were you doing going through his sock drawer anyway?"
"I was helping out with the laundry, but from now on I just help do my clothes and Octavia's."
"Good idea."
"But seriously Vaggie, I can't believe you're actually thinking about running away and leaving your mom? I mean you're kind of being unreasonable and that's not like you."
"Hon I've tried to be reasonable, I've tried to be fair, but Mom just keeps resenting me more and more. She'd probably would have aborted me if she could have afforded it."
"Now you're just talking nonsense. I mean really, hanging up on your dad if he calls you? Stealing letters if he sent them? Wishing she could have aborted you? Where is this all coming from? This is not something you would normally say about your mom. It sounds more like something..." Then it dawned on Charlie. "Levana put these crazy ideas in your head, didn't she?"
"We have talked about my mom."
"She's trying to turn you against your mother."
"No she's not."
"Yes she is. She tried to do the same thing to me last night. She kept trying to convince me that Stolas didn't really love me, manipulating me almost. Vaggie you can't go back over the bridge."
"Since when do you tell me what I can and can't do?" Vaggie started to get frustrated.
"I don't think you should trust her. How do you even know if anything Levana told you is true?"
"At least she cares about me. She listens to me and supports me, which my own mother does not."
"But you don't even know this woman. Come on Vaggie, you were always the more reasonable one. Can't you see that there's something wrong here?"
"I know what I'm doing."
"I don't think you do. I think you're so angry at your mom right now that you're not thinking clearly and Levana keeps pushing your buttons to make sure you don't."
"Um reminder, you're the naive one. Not me. You're the one willing to trust so creepy guy who has a history of being a sexual predator."
"At least I know who really loves me and who doesn't. Vaggie if you do this, you're gonna break your mom's heart!"
"Don't act like you know my mother! Cause you don't!"
"And apparently you don't know her either!"
"She's my mother! Not yours! I know your mother is gone and that you miss her, but that doesn't mean you can project her on to mine!"
There was a still silence as Charlie stepped back with a horrified expression on her face. She looked at Vaggie as if to say, "Why would you say to me? I'm your best friend."
But she didn't speak at all. She just grabbed her bag, slammed her locker door shut, and ran toward the school exit. Vaggie didn't realize the mistake she made until Charlie was gone. She tried to find her and apologize but by the time she had spotted her again, she was in the back seat of Stolas's car as it drove away.
Vaggie felt awful. She didn't mean to hurt Charlie's feelings or to bring up her parents. She was just so angry and frustrated with Charlie defending her mother and seemingly inability to see things from her point of view that she snapped. Charlie just didn't understand. She didn't know what it was like to be under constant pressure from one parent and to feel abandoned by another. To feel like your entire existence is a mistake.
She didn't think anyone else could possibly understand that at all, and that made her the perfect prey.