A/N: Happy holidays! I hope you all have a great week or more. Please review if you like it, or don't like it. Thank you all for reading this and I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen

I really didn't want to be here.

The days had only slowly gotten better and that was mostly because Robin had heard about the fight and was stepping up to try and make me feel better. So far that had included telling bad jokes, inviting me to her soccer tournament and even giving me a mixtape. The tape included different bands we had talked about and ended with Cher. It was hilarious and somehow having an inside joke made me feel better and worse at the same time. I didn't belong here.

"Baby?" I looked up at Deanna, Tammy's mother, from across the table. She shared a look with Samuel before she smiled. "You've been looking really down lately. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, just...tired." I couldn't say anything. Not really. I made a mental note to find Bob. He knew everything. I just needed to talk to someone and not have to pretend. I was so tired of pretending.

She shared another look with Tammy's father. "Your father and I have been talking," she said slowly. "You can go to the Prince concert."

I felt my eyes widen and I started to smile. Something to look forward to!

"There are conditions," Tammy's father said. "You have a month before the concert. You take the car everywhere. I want you used to driving in all conditions and for longer periods of time. You can have the Pontiac for the month. You have to do everything that comes with taking care of it, and on the way back, you have to stay the night with your Aunt Debbie. I won't have you driving that long in the middle of the night, even with someone."

"Of course!" I said. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes. Thank you!"

"Thank me when you live up to the responsibilities."

"Yes sir," I grinned widely at both of them. It looked like relief on Deanna's face as she smiled back.

oOo

I stared across the gym. This was a bad idea. The gym teacher clearly didn't understand teenagers at all. It was time for the ultimate popularity contest.

"Start picking teams! Meyers, you go first."

I stood with the others as the two captains, girls I didn't know: Bianca and Kelly, stood in front of us to pick teams.

The girl named Bianca jutted out a hip as she looked at us. I waited for the inevitable. I had always been picked middle to last when I was forced to do this in my own body. I was not looking forward to it this time.

"Kate." I looked up at my name to see her staring at me, waiting for me to move. I blinked before slowly making my way to the front. This was weird.

"Ugh," Kelly said. "Lame. Fine. I pick Laney."

I watched the others as they were slowly picked. Carol was glaring daggers at me as she got chosen for the other team right after Ally did. If looks could kill…between the two of them, I should have been dead ages ago.

The game was set to start and I could see Ally and Carol whispering together. Great. This was clearly going to turn out in my favour.

I kept an eye on them as the game started. Instinct took over as I moved, dodging the balls being thrown. I was suddenly very thankful for the karate lessons I had been taking, as well as Tammy's natural grace. Her body seemed to know how to move.

I threw a ball towards the others and somehow managed to hit Ally without meaning to. She glared as the coach called her out. I spun as I twisted to avoid a ball from Carol. She picked up another one that someone on her team tossed towards her. It looked like she threw it at me as hard as she could. I caught it.

"You're out! Off the court!"

"You bitch!" she yelled. I stuck my tongue out back at her.

I kept playing until I got hit by a stray ball from someone on the other side. They looked shocked that they hit me but I just smiled and waved. Thank god. I was tired of playing.

oOo

"Thompson!"

I walked up to the teacher as she called my name after dismissing everyone. "Yes?"

She looked me over before nodding. "I see you got yourself in order. Good job."

"Thank you?" I asked, unsure of where she was going with this.

"Shame it's your last year. You'd do well on cheer." Oh god. That was a thing here, wasn't it?

"Sorry," I said. "Even if it wasn't, I have too much on my plate right now."

"Hmm," she looked at me then waved me off. "Get cleaned up and get to class."

oOo

I leaned on the counter of the library, waiting for Marisa to finish signing out a book for an old man.

"I'm telling you, Marisa, something is happening to the crops. They ain't growing like they should and I only got a couple more weeks before Halloween."

"These should give you the information you need," she said. "It's everything we have on crop growing."

"I hope so. I think I might need it." He gathered his books and walked out. I moved over to be in front of her.

"Who was that?" I put my elbows on the counter and leaned forward.

"Greg Hess, from over at Hess Farm. He thinks the crops are starting to die. Says he's going to sell if he can't get it figured out."

"Huh. That can't be good."

"Selling it?" She asked. I shook my head and waved it away. If crops were dying that couldn't be good. It wasn't fully happening, at least not yet, but if it kept on like that, it probably meant bad things were going to happen.

"Marisa," I looked at her. "If you hear more about crops dying, can you let me know?"

"Sure? Any reason why?"

"It's weird," I said. "Not often crops die for no reason." I slumped down on the counter.

"What's wrong?" Marisa asked. "What has you out of sorts and moping around my library? Don't you have better things to do on days we don't have class?" She looked over her glasses at me.

"You'd think," I said. "I need to find a job. Something more than babysitting otherwise I don't know how I'm going to afford these Prince tickets and gas to get there."

Marisa stared at me for a long moment. "I might be able to help. How do you feel about police officers?"

oOo

I waited for Robin to get to Statistics. Marisa had phoned the police station and spoke to someone named Flo. Apparently, I was welcome to come in for a couple of hours after school and during the weekend to help file. As long as I passed an interview.

"Well well, it's the girl who doesn't look where she walks."

I felt like hitting my head on the desk in front of me. I recognized the voice. I looked up, already unimpressed to see the mullet standing next to my desk.

"Lo and behold, it's the asshole who can't move over."

He grinned. "Are you always a bitch in the morning or is it just for me?"

"Do you have a purpose here or what?"

"Same as the rest of you. I'm here to learn." He moved to sit in the seat next to me. I put my leg up on the chair.

"You can't sit there. I'm waiting for a friend."

"And I'm not a friend?" he asked, hand to his heart. I rolled my eyes. He grinned at me. "Alright, priss, suit yourself." He stepped over my leg and then walked to the back. Good riddance.

Robin came in at that moment and I moved my leg so she could sit down. "That's a new way to save a seat."

I shrugged. "Whatever it takes. Listen. I may have an interview to work at the police station. We'll have the money for the tickets in no time!"

"That's ace!"

"Right?!

"So when's the interview?"

I leaned on my elbow and rested my head in my hand. "After school. Today."

The police station was smaller than I was used to. It was kind of cute. I waited at the counter and was noticed first by an officer with glasses. He was cute but definitely older than Tammy. What a shame.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes. I'm looking for...Flo? Is she here?"

"Yeah, hold on." He moved down the hall and I heard him call out. "Flo! Someone's here!"

I heard a lady reply with "you don't need to yell!" In seconds an older woman came out. She had dark hair and large glasses and she had a serious look on her face.

"I take it you're the girl Marisa was talking about."

"Yes," I replied. "Kate Thompson." I held out my hand to shake hers. She shook it back.

"What type of person are you, Ms. Thompson? How good are you at following directions and keeping your mouth shut? We deal with sensitive things in this office."

"I understand," I said. "I don't have much experience with filing," which was a lie, "but I'm a quick learner. I can definitely keep my mouth shut and if it helps at all, I am currently taking self-defence classes."

She looked at me closely. "Are you now?"

"Yes."

"With Beth Callahan?"

"Yes?" I answered, wondering what the school secretary had to do with it.

"Flo!" Someone came down the hall and came out to the desk. "What is this you left on my desk?" Chief Hopper, who I was fairly familiar with now, was waving a file around. He turned and saw me. "Christ, what are you doing here?"

I grinned. "Applying for a job."

"For what?" He looked at Flo. "Since when are we hiring?"

"Since all my time is taken up looking after you," she said, raising her eyebrows. I saw him wince and I realized I needed to step up and say something. The last few times we had spoken was awful for both of us.

"Excuse me?" I asked, and both of them looked at me. "Can I speak to you for a moment? Privately?" He sighed and nodded with what looked like reluctance. Flo looked between us and stepped away, going back down the hall. The Chief looked down at me. "I know I might not be the ideal candidate for this, but regardless of that I want to take this opportunity that's presented to apologize."

"What?"

"Yeah. Our first meeting turned out terribly embarrassing and I don't know what came over me, nerves I guess that went in a totally wrong direction and I'm sorry. I have no intention of making you uncomfortable any more than I already have and it's totally not cool of me to objectify you, I mean, I hate it when it's done to me so I really need to watch myself because you're just doing your job and from what I've heard from people you're one of the best police chiefs we've had. So, I'm sorry."

"You said that." He took a deep breath. "Look kid, it's okay. I think you embarrassed yourself more than enough and you hit your head hard enough after it might have knocked the sense back into you. You seem like a good kid. Just don't do it again."

"I won't, I promise I can keep a hold of myself. I am sorry."

"Yeah yeah," he waved me off. "As long as we don't have any more of these problems, we'll be fine. You can start tomorrow," he said as he walked away. I waited and after he was long gone, Flo came back.

"What did you say to him?"

"I apologized for being...inappropriate and inconsiderate," I said. "Teen girls, we can be jerks."

Flo smiled. "That they can be. Come round after school and I'll get you started tomorrow. It's just a trial run mind you, least for now."

"Thank you." I left, cheering inwardly and trying not to show it. God, now I just had to watch myself from speaking without thinking.

[tbc]