Skeletons

Chapter 12

"Lydia are you ready to go yet?" My Mother hollers from the kitchen making me jolt a little "Uh yeah almost just packing some stuff I forgot to earlier." I say zipping up my backpack after putting in some chapstick and hair ties. 

Once I get out from my room I see my Mom, she gives me a quick smile before speaking. "Do you have everything you need?" I nod my head and walk towards the door, mom follows. 

As we walk to the bus stop she starts talking about rules and expectations she has for me, I mostly tune it out, she's said these things a million times before I could guess with near perfect accuracy the next thing to come out of her mouth. 'Be respectful of the parent volunteers I don't want to get a call at twelve at night from your school' or 'I don't want you staying up late' frankly it was getting boring

We eventually made it to the bus stop I am about to turn to step on but then out of the blue mom pulls me into a hug which catches me off guard; she has never been the affectionate type, I guess my little self harm reveal has made her into a more hands on parent, both literally and figuratively.

Eventually she breaks the hug "Have fun Di be safe and if anything happens call me ok?" Her voice is sugary sweet, it reminds me of how she would talk to me when I was little. "Alright I will." I smile at her before turning around to get on the bus which was thankfully here. I don't think I could have spent another moment being fondled by her.

Ever since the whole incident she's been acting weird like she has to tiptoe around me, I mean she gave me a full on interrogation when I brought some safety scissors to my room yesterday. 

I understand why she is so worried really I do but her treating me like I am made of glass and if she doesn't keep me bubble wrapped I'll shatter.

"Lydia, hey!" A familiar voice says taking me out of my thoughts; Michael "Oh hey" I respond meeting his gaze. "Mind if I sit?" He points to the empty seat next to mine. "Oh uhm no not at all." I say while moving closer to the window to give him room.

"Your Mom actually let you go?" He says as he sits next to me putting his yellow backpack under his seat. "Yeah once I convinced her I wouldn't be doing drugs she was fine with it." That wasn't really true but I wasn't planning on telling him that my mother was worried I'd slice myself up if I was out of her sight.

"You think anything interesting is going to happen?"

"I mean probably nothing more than a few kids sneaking off and getting high in the locker rooms while the volunteers are busy gossiping about the latest affair in their mommy circles."

He lets out a small laugh. "Maybe there will be a fight? Those are always fun."  I nod my head. "Sure maybe."

The bus starts and stops repeatedly taking more and more students on it until the bus is filled to its max capacity and the air is soon thick with the scent of axe body spray and sweat.  

Not the most pleasant of scents.

Eventually we pull up to the pristine hellhole that is my high school. I'd usually be absolutely appalled with the thought of staying there for any amount of time more than was legally required by the state of New York.

Not today though, the usually bleak color scheme of the building was decorated with balloons and a few stands where parent volunteers are handing out entry tickets to the students.

Some people are already there, one bus is parked along with some parked cars of the kids whose parents drove them.

Once I get out I scan the area looking for Owen or Ava (jeez that girl scares me) eventually I find her she's like a little round pink ball in a sea of grays and blacks which makes it pretty easy to find her amongst the rest of the student population.