Perfectly Wrong

19. Misery Loves Company

“ I’m not going to third period.” Camila tells Maisie as they exit history class the next day.

 “ Why not?” The blonde asks with curiosity.

 “ I just don’t feel like it. And I have a headache.” Camila says. “ I think I’ll go sit in the courtyard and get some fresh air.”

 Maisie shrugs as they keep walking down the crowded hallway, but before they part ways, she grabs Camila’s arm to stop her.

 “ Camila, does this have anything to do with what happened yesterday at lunch?” She asks. “ With Mr. Mendes? Is everything okay?”

 “ No, it’s fine.” Camila smiles to reassure her friend. “ Mr. Mendes just wants me to avoid a certain word in my songs during his classes.”

 Maisie keeps walking with Camila with a look on her face that shows she’s not buying that excuse, just like the one her mother had the night before.

 The courtyard is empty as they get there, apparently none of the other students need a breather from the teacher they’re secretly in love with. Camila sits down on a bench and reaches for her phone in her pocket, checking to see she has no texts. She hadn’t texted her friends from Miami since she moved and none of them tried to contact her either. All her friends had other best friends and she realizes now that maybe she never actually had a best friend because she’s not a good listener or sharer.

 “ Mind if I join you?” Maisie asks, taking a seat on the bench across from Camila.

 “ Misery loves company.” Camila says.

 “ Misery? And why are we miserable?” Her friend asks. “ You have a date to look forward to tomorrow night. And your best friend is me.”

 Camila smiles, thinking she could really use a best friend and hoping Maisie can become that.

 “ You don’t think Shawn is going to come looking for us?” Camila asks.

 “ Shawn?” Maisie looks at her a little surprised. “ You mean Mr. Mendes?”

 “ Yeah, Mr. Mendes.” Camila says, trying to come up with an excuse for what she just said. “ We called teachers by their first name at my last school.”

 Maisie stays quiet, picking at the paint on the bench with her blue fingernail while thinking about what Camila just said.

 “ I’m just going to say something here.” The blonde says in a calm tone of voice. “ Maybe I’m way off base, maybe I’m not. But whatever I say, I don’t want you to interrupt me, please.” Camila looks at her friends, who’s eyeing her carefully and nods her head. “ I think what happened at lunch yesterday was more than just a slap on the wrist for inappropriate language. I don’t know how much more and honestly it’s not none of my business. I just want you to know you can talk to me if you need to. I would never repeat anything. I don’t have anyone besides Connor to repeat stuff to.”

 “ No one? Best friends? Siblings?” Camila tries to change the subject.

 “ No, he’s all I have.” Maisie says. “ Well, technically. If you want to know the truth, I’ve had seventeen sisters, twelve brothers, six moms and seven dads.”

 Camila can’t tell if she’s joking or not, so she doesn’t laugh.

 “ Foster care.” The blonde says. “I’m on my seventh home in nine years.”

 “ Oh.” Camila whispers. “ I’m sorry.”

 “ Don’t be.” She says. “ I’ve been with Joel for four of those nine years. He’s my foster dad and it works. I’m content and he gets his check.”

 “ Were any of your twenty-nine siblings blood related?” Camila asks.

 “ Man, you pay attention.” Maisie laughs. “ And no, I’m an only child. My mother tried to sell me. Don’t worry nobody wanted me, or she was just asking for too much. When I was nine she offered me to a lady in a grocery store parking lot. She gave her a sob story about how she couldn’t take care of me. It wasn’t the first time she tried this right in front of me. I was getting bored of it, so I looked at the lady and said, ‘You got a husband? I bet he’s hot!’. My mother was so mad at me for ruining the sale that she left me in the parking lot. The lady took me to the police station and that was the last time I saw my mom.”

 “ God, Maisie.” Camila says in shock. “ That’s unreal.”

 “ Yeah, it is.” She says. “ But it’s my real.”

 Camila lies down on the bench as Maisie does the same, both of them looking up at the sky. She pulls her jacket off and pulls it on top of her, sliding her arms through it backwards so it warms her, then closes her eyes.

 “ I had amazing parents.” Camila sighs.

 “ Had?” Maisie asks.

 “ My dad died seven months ago.” Camila confesses. “ My mother moved us up here, claimed it was for financial reasons, but I’m not so sure she was being honest now. She’s seeing someone else already. So yes, amazing is past tense at the moment.”

 “ That sucks.” Maisie says as they lie there, thinking about the tragedies in their lives.

 Camila knows hers is nothing compared to Maisie’s, thinking she must have seen a lot for such a young age. Sofia is now the same age Maisie was when she was put into foster care. She doesn’t know how her new friend walks around so happy and full of life.

 “ Earlier, the thing I said about Joel, and me being a check to him?” Maisie says, sitting up on the bench. “ It’s nothing like that. He’s really been a great guy. Sometimes when things get too real, my sarcasm takes over.”

 “ Thanks for skipping with me.” Camila says after a moment of silence, smiling at Maisie. “ I really needed it.”

 “ Thanks for needing it. Apparently, I did too.” The blonde says. “ And about Noah? He’s a good guy, just not for you. I’ll drop it, but you still have to go with us tomorrow.”

 “ I know I do.” Camila says with a smile, sitting up before they have to leave for their next classes.