Saving the Outcasts

Chapter 7: Discovering Cleo

        The next week at school was completely different. Grant and I were still in a low spirits because of Elliott. We weren't even sure if he was alive, in that case. Special Needs group was difficult to go through by my self. Everything was different without Elliott. No tutoring, no movies as a group, no shopping, no Monkey Joe's. I even refused to drink coffee because the smell and taste reminded me of our tutoring. It's not like I loved him, but Grant, Elliott, and I were a group, and we were all close.

        "Is he going to be okay?" asked Blank a boy in my group with down syndrome.

        "I'm not sure." I saud softly staring down at the math worksheet I was supposed to help them do, "Getting back on track, who can tell me the remander is of 2/4 divded by 7/8?"

        No hands were raised, no voices were spoken. Everyone sat there as if they were the wax sculptures at that big wax musem in Claifornia I visited as a kid. I sighed softly as I watched Grant go along with his sheet just fine.

        A loud screech came over the microphone along with giggles in the backround. I could pick Cleo's laugh out perfectly, knowing that she's the one holding the darn microphone, "Atteion, atteion. Were having a Special Needs art class in the art room..." I could Mr. Sklouksy yelling in the backround, "It's being held in room 705! See you there!" with that the microphone was turned off.

        "Can we go?" asked Clair looking at me hopefully.

        My stomach churned uneasily. My mind was telling my it was a big hoax to embarrass them, but then I thought maybe it wasn't. I came down with the answer that if it's Cleo, it's bad,"I don't think we should," I paused looking at their shocked faces, "You know how Cleo is. That was her voice, plain as day."

        Claire shrugged, "I'm going," she started to wheel away, "Anyone else coming?" Danny, Margaret, and Mark stood up. That left me with only Seth.

        "Guys, don't go..." Seth was cut off by Claire.

        "Maybe you just chicken." said Claire sticking her tounge out at him playfully.

        "Claire, let's go," Mark wheeled her off glaring back at us.

        About 20 minutes later a squeal of giggles came from the art room down the hall. I jolted up and ran down there to find paint spilled over all of the kids who went. My eyes looked from them to Cleo, Hazel, and Eliza laughing so hard their mascara was smearing from the tears. I walked into the art closet and pulled out shaving cream. Yes, shaving cream, the art teath let us play with it sometimes. I walked right up to Cleo and squirted it into her face, "You know good devil! You will never put your dirty hands on these kids again!" I snapped, my eyes burning from the tears forming in my eyes. I was glaring at a mortified group of girls who deserved even more for what they just did.

        Cleo wiped the shaving cream from her face, "What about your friend, what's his name, Elliott? Would he do this?" Cleo was now standing infront of me her blue eyes looking at me fiercely.

        "Elliott isn't here, so keep your mouth shut, Cleo the total..." Grant's hand went over my mouth and he wrapped the other one around my waist.

        "Just go." he looked straight at Cleo and tipped his head to the door. She and the three girls scurried out not saying anything. He moved his hands away from me, "Calm down." his gentle blue eyes looked at me.

        I took a deep breath, knowing that I looked like a complete physco path. Claire was sitting there in tears, "My parents can't afford another wheelchair." she covered her face with her paint covered hands.

        "Claire, you can take the school's wheelchair home." Mrs. Don's hand rested on her shoulder, "We can pay for the rest of your damage. Now, can Yale and Grant take these kids to wash up?" her hazle eyes looked at us, "Please?"

        I nodded as I walked up to Claire and moved her paint covered wheelchair from the puddle of matalic colors. Margaret, Destiny, Kelsey, and Ginger trailed be hind me was we went into the girl's locker room. Unfortunatley, they didn't have and tubs, so me and Margaret washed Claire off and I leant her a pair of extra clothes I have.

        Margaret looked at me, "I don't have no extra clothes... Does anyone else?"

        I sighed, "I can go ask one of my friends." then it hit me. I had no female friends. Cleo was anything but my friend, and knowing Hazel she wouldn't give them to me. Who else?

        I was deep in thought when I felt someone tapping on my shoulder. I turned around to see Regan Mason, the tallest 9th grader handing me her clothes, "You can have these. They may not fit.."

        I cut her off, "Thank you," I took them from her hands and handed the clothes to Margaret, "Go get dressed." I spinned back to her, "Do you have a cell phone?" I took mine out from my back pocket.

        She nodded, "My numder is 442-567-9087."

        I quickly dialed in the numbers, "Thanks, I will text you when I get home."

        James was waiting outside, like usual, but I brought a new friend home. Today, I brought Grant, dreamy, lovely, amazing, Grant. James started laughing when I opened to door, "She finally got a date." he smiled over at Marrie, laughter in his blue eyes. Marrie giggled, but didn't say anything.

        I blushed, "He is just a friend, James."

        "It's what they all say, do you want me to drop you guys anywhere?" James turned to look at us.

        "The hospital," I said looking at Grant, "Right?"

        He nodded, "We want to see Elliott."

        "Okie dokie," James took off, my head jerked back from the force. I watched the shool disappear behind the smoky gray mist clouds.

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        That was a longer chapter I know. :D Also, the phone number isn't real, and if it is. Sorry that I used your phone numder XP