Forgotten Story

Surprises and Candy

The back of the police car was dusty, cramped, and smelled of a middle school boy's must. Honestly, I give it 1 star. The only good thing about this whole situation, was that the police were nice, and as far as I know- I wasn't going to juvie. Apparently, the police and my principle were convinced I hadn't killed a tutor, but instead said tutor was attempting to rape me. I had freaked out and broke the vase trying to escape, and he had fled the scene before they could catch him. As for me running, they assumed I had been freaked out, and my fight and flight reflexes were kicking in.

Obviously, none of that was true. At-least...maybe it was? I don't know. But if I was getting away with murder with the cover-up story pre-made by the police themselves...well I wasn't going to tell them otherwise. Besides, the cops had already bought me three new happy meals as an apology for destroying my first one.

So instead of being sent to juvie, (which I will be forever thankful for) they were bringing me home. Yeah, even though they thought I'd done nothing wrong, I was still expelled. Well- 5 for 5, I guess.

We pulled in front of my apartment, which looked quite small and quaint compared to the tall skyscrapers in the background. We pulled beside a taxi that Percy was standing in front of, mouth agape and green eyes wide.

We had many of the same features, such as our emerald eyes, and tanned skin. We both had received our dead-beat father's complexion, much to our disappointment. The only difference in our appearance was the splatter of dark freckles across my cheeks, which I inherited from our mother.

I climbed out the back of the police car, waving goodbye to my new some-what friends, carrying the third happy meal they had given me, before heading over to Percy. "You got expelled too?" I asked, giving Percy a cheerful smile. He nodded his head slowly, his gaze fixed on the cop car that was pulling out behind me. "Yeah...um, what's up with the cop car?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck. I shrugged nonchalantly, opening the new happy meal in my hands. "I committed murder and made a run for it. The police had to find me."

I expected Percy to give me a look, and ask me the real reason I was in a cop car. Maybe give me a pat on the head and laugh, like it was all an elaborate prank. But he didn't. He fixed me with a wide-eyed stare, hands clenched and trembling slightly.

I frowned, reaching out and placing a hand on his arm. "Perce? Are you okay? You're shaking..." He shook off my hand and waved as if to swat away all my concerns, a smile seeming to force itself on his face. "Oh, It's nothing. I'm fine. Let's just go inside, I missed mom and I know you did too." With that, he dragged me up our apartment steps, marching into the little building with a strong hope our mother was home from work.

Something about my mom, was that she was probably the most amazing person I know. As a single mother with two kids that worked in a candy shop, she always made room in her schedule for us. When we came back from school, she always hugged us like we never had done anything bad in our lives. Like no matter what, we were still innocent kids that deserved the world. And it...was comforting. More comforting than anything I could imagine our father giving us. That is- if he were still here.

Instead of our beautiful, wonderful, amazing mother, we were met with our step father. Chips and beer cans were strewn around the living room, the television blaring ESPN on full volume, and Gabe's friends and him sitting around the small table playing poker. I grimaced, picking up a can from the front door mat and tossing it in the trash. Why was the trashcan in the middle of the room again?

"So you're home." I looked up at that, putting on my best sneer for my step-father. As if he deserves that title. "Yeah, and to me it looks like you never left your spot on the couch." I replied snarkily. I was about to continue annoying the heck out of him, but Percy nudged me with his elbow, shaking his head a little as if telling me to keep my mouth shut.