The Numbers on Our Arms

Chapter 29

Seraphina rested her hands behind her head in her bedroom, staring up at the blank ceiling. A knock sounded out on the door and she glanced up. "Come in."

The door clicked open to reveal Fyora standing there with her pinkish peach hair with the front strands pulled back and piercing green eyes. "Have you done the work?"

She pointed a thumb to a stack of three books on her desk next to where her laptop was closed down. Fyora nodded and walked around the double bed to the desk that looked out down onto the acres of gardens.

The door shut behind her and Sera sighed. After the incident during her suspension, they apparently didn't want to push her too far with work, worried that she would actually runaway this time. Though, it's not like she had anyway to go with school out.

Her phone blinked and she glanced to it. She swung her legs off the bed and walked over to her laptop. She opened up to the screen and answered the video call from John.

"Hey." She smiled. "How is home?"

He shrugged. "Nothing much. I've been able to meet up with Adrion." He paused. "Do you have any friends there?"

She shook her head. "I've always gone to boarding schools, except possibly elementary. I don't know anyone around here."

"Do they let you out?" he asked, staring through at the screen with concern.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Occasionally, on stuff they have assigned. But not a lot. I'm in my room a lot."

"What about-?"

She put a finger to her lips. "Don't talk about that here." She pointed to behind her. "The door isn't locked and I can't have anyone overhear."

"But do you?" he questioned.

"They've loosened up since I threatened to runaway during my suspension. They don't want to push me too far in case I do. I don't think they check that I'm asleep at night."

"You're able to do that every night?"

She shook her head. "She understands my availability. She had to be an adult to leave." Her eyes flicked around. "Are you talking to Claire?"

He sighed. "I... We've tried but I don't think either of us trust the other. I'm not sure she ever will. I... Did I ever tell you about the readjustment classes?"

"No, you didn't." She looked away from him. "I mean, there was Isen. He said in your records that there was a missing year. And then Claire mentioned them, but I don't know more than that."

"Well, I don't want to say exactly what happened over the call, or if you can be overheard, but the stuff that happened to me there... It highly focused on her. I don't think I can trust her again almost solely because of that. And I don't think she wants to try. I don't feel like overly trying either."

"But Adrion's fine?"

He laughed hysterically. "I'm almost shocked with him. I didn't think anyone would forgive me for that, but he didn't even seem to care."

"You haven't spoken to him in awhile before that. He probably came to terms with it before you met again."

"Does anyone come to terms with that on their own?"

"You're not everyone."

The call continued on as John asked her about some of the summer maths homework, and she wondered how he was even getting those answers. Not that those thoughts were that uncommon with John. Occasionally, she would check behind her to make sure that no one was standing in the doorway, but there never was. She could never be certain with a newish high quality house like this, there weren't a lot of creaky floorboards or anything along those lines and if she didn't pay enough attention, she wouldn't notice any familiar footsteps. Though, there would be enough people going by that it didn't often matter.

Eventually, the call ended and she shut down her laptop with a sigh. She turned around to see the same emptiness of her giant bedroom. It was the same size as her and Elaine's entire dorm, but a lot more... She preferred her dorm. She was more at home there (but maybe that was expected when you spent the majority of the year there).

Time went on as the day was drawn to a close. Her dinner was served to her in her bedroom ( as none of her parents were close) and then hours passed before she flicked through her wardrobe. Once she was changed into the darker clothing, she opened her window and slipped out at the dead of night.

Isen sat next to his dad in the local Authorities station to his house. He crossed his arms over his chest and bounced his knee as he waited.

He sucked in a breath as the door clicked open and Kassandra walked in with her dark pink hair. "You really get around everywhere."

His dad kicked him in the shin below the table.

"This type of crime is handled by one department in the Authorities. It wouldn't be left to any officer in this... place."

"I didn't do anything."

"Right. We're here to prove that."

"But-."

His father cut him off. "What evidence do you have to link my son into any of this bullshit?"

Kassandra pursed her lips. "There is witness evidence tying you in with the crime."

"What is that witness evidence?"

"It's-." She abruptly cut herself off. "Unfortunately, you aren't allowed to learn what it is."

"Then what evidence is there to accuse my son of anything?"

"It's not that there isn't evidence. It is that the evidence is confidential until the..." She trailed off and looked to the floor, heat rushing to her face. "Trial."

"So, are you saying there is no evidence?"

"There is evidence. I'm saying it is confidential."

"But there isn't enough evidence yet you plan on arresting my son."

"I haven't said there isn't enough evidence."

"He would already be arrested if you had any evidence."

"so what? He can corporate now and maybe he wouldn't be in so much trouble."

"I want a lawyer for him."

A/N: It's been thunderstorms ever evening now. The grass is no longer brown (at least where I live, I don't know about other places in England) and is the normal green. It's weird to hear thunder every evening when normally if they predict a thunderstorm, it's just rain. One time, when I was cornwall and in a house on the beach, we saw lightning strike the sea around us.

Thank you for reading this chapter. Please share your thoughts in the comments.