Dance In The Rain

~61~ Dynamic Trio

Kenna hasn't been in school all week, and the longer I go without seeing her, the more anxious I'm feeling. I just want her to be okay.

Holden has tried to call her mom several times, but it always goes straight to voicemail. Whenever he calls his cop friend, he's basically told to mind his own business, because everything is being handled.

But we feel helpless

It kinda feels like we tattled and then turned our backs. We haven't had to deal with the ramifications of this at all, but they have. It isn't fair.

"Can I stay home today?" I ask as I come into the kitchen and grab a banana. Holden is filling up his tumbler with coffee, his shirt still not tucked into his black dress pants.

"No, Annie," he sighs without looking at me as he shuts off the coffee pot and rinses out the extra coffee.

I may or may not have asked him every day this week to stay home.

"Holden, I haven't missed a single day since we got here. Being at the school without knowing if she's okay is awful....Please?"

He finally looks at me as he starts tucking in his shirt. "Julianne...All you will do today is be in your own head about this. You need to get your mind off of it."

"But...."

"The answer is no, Julianne. Eat your breakfast and get your stuff. We're leaving in ten minutes. TATE! YOU BETTER BE OUT OF THAT BED!" He yells as he walks toward our room.

I hear arguing, and then Holden walks out angrily after a minute. "I'm serious, Tatum. You're ready in ten minutes or you're in trouble. I have a meeting that I can't be late for!"

"Quit calling me that! It's worse than Rex," he moans as the bed creaks and he shuffles to the bathroom.

Holden rolls his eyes as he checks his phone, and slips it into his book bag.

"It's Friday, Annie. Just get through today, and it will be the weekend again," he says gently as he kisses my head and puts one of his folders in his bag too.

~*~

School drags on, and when I'm sitting alone at lunch for the fifth time this week, I sigh sadly.

I was hoping things would come full circle and I'd be sitting with a huge group by now, but apparently not. Or, maybe me sitting alone at lunch IS full circle.

This blows

I look over at Tate, with his huge group of friends, and when we make eye contact he gives me a sad smile. He tilts his head slightly, silently offering me to join them, and I just shake my head.

Even though I know he's trying, I also know that I still embarrass him. I appreciate him offering, though. He wouldn't have even considered doing such a thing before Holden.

I eat my pudding cup, not really enjoying the creamy chocolate like I normally do as I watch all the commotion around me. A cheerleader throws a piece of her hotdog at a jock, and it gets stuck in his hair and everyone at the table howls. Tate takes the rest of her hotdog and drops it on the table, amused that it bounces like a rubber ball.

Gross

The band and chorus kids are sitting together, and I watch as someone starts to sing the song 'Popular' from Wicked. It catches a jock's attention, and he boos loudly. The girl who was singing flushes a deep red as she ducks her head in shame, picking at her fish sandwich.

I just wish I could fit in somewhere. Anywhere! It didn't bother me as bad in California, but it does now. It does because I had a very best friend here, and the loneliness I'm having is more crippling than being alone in my room all those months ago.