Adopted By Magcon

Table Talk

Cam's POV

Matt and Via came into the kitchen about 6:30. We were all sitting around the kitchen table, waiting. Via had braces on her wrist and ankle, so I guess Matt got around to patching her up. Matt went to the cupboard and took out all the boxes of cereal that we had. "Do you want Rice Krispies, Cheerios, or Fruit Loops?" He asked Via. Via just shook her head no to each choice. I said, "Via, please sit down." and patted the chair next to me. Via gingerly sat on the very edge of the chair furthest from me and the rest of the boys.

Matt sat down in the empty chair next to Via, and put her arm around her. But what surprised me was that Via didn't shy away! Matt must have had a very serious conversation with her. I looked at Via and she stared at the ground, careful not to make any eye contact with me. "Hey, Via?" I asked touching her arm. "Can I tell you something?" When my hand touched her, Via jumped, sliding off the chair onto the ground. "P-p-please don't hurt me." She was crying with her head on her knees. I felt really bad.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I'm really sorry if I scared you. I was just trying to protect you. Nobody is going to hurt you here, but you have to trust us." Via looked up at me with tearstained cheeks. "But, Nash l-l-lied to me. He promised." She looked down again and started tracing the tile on the kitchen floor. "Via, look at me." I tilted her chin up so that she was looking into my eyes. "Nash said that you wouldn't be hurt by one of us. Brent is not one of us." She looked at Matt and he nodded. "I couldn't prevent it from happening then, but I will prevent it from happening again. Now please come sit down in your chair. I hate to see you on the floor crying like that." Via got up and sat down in her seat. I put my arm around her and this time she didn't shy away. I looked at her and smiled. She gave me the shyest smile I'd ever seen, but it was a smile. That's what counted.