Broken || Tyde Levi

fist fights & break outs.

-Jade's POV-

I sat alone at the lunch table Chris and I usually sit at. I stared at my food which looked like something out of a garbage can, not a kitchen. I pushed my plate away from me and looked around. The clock was hung right above the door. I stared at it and watched the time go by. "A few more hours." I thought, "Just a few more to go." I was shortly interrupted by someone sitting across from me. "Hey what's wrong?" It was Chris.
I sat up straight, "Nothing, Just don't have much of an appetite." I reached for my cup of water and took a sip out of it.
"Hey Wilson!" Someone yelled from across the cafeteria. I looked over at Christina who quickly tensed up. I then looked over at the person the voice came from. It was Iris Hope, she's been been here for the same amount of time I have.
Iris walked over to our table and sat next to Chris, "Heard you're getting out today." Chris said nothing. "Why so quiet? You weren't like this the other day in here."
I know what day she's talking about.

Flashback

"So my Payroll Officer said he found a foster home willing to foster me." Chris said. "That means I'll be out sometime next week."
I grabbed my tray of cold mush and followed her to our table, "That's great Chris." I replied.
"I wish you were getting out too, it sucks that you have to stay here for so long."
"Yeah, it does." I mumbled. "So tell me about that foster home."
"Oh well they have two other kids," She looked over at me, "One is eighteen the other is our..." Chris was quiet. I stopped walking and glanced over at her.
Her tray of food was spilled all over her. But how? I then realized that she had bumped into someone.
"Whoa, sorry about that." Iris said.
"You're sorry?! You should watch where you're going!" Chris yelled.
"Chris, calm..." I began to say.
"How could you not see me!?" She kept going.
"Chris, stop." She heard me now.
"She bumped into me and now look!" Chris cried.
"SHE wasn't paying attention!" Iris snapped back.
"That's it!" Chris took a step forward and lifted up her arm, about to swing. I dropped my tray and grabbed her waist as I pulled her back. "JADE LET GO!"
"Hey, Hey! Cut it out all of you!" A guard said running over to us. I let Chris go and stood up straight. "Peterson. Wilson. Clean this mess up. And the three of you have lost your yard privileges for the week."
I looked over at Iris, her green eyes stared at me and I knew she was angry. "Let's go get the cleaning supplies." Chris too my wrist and dragged me to the janitors closet.

Flashback over

From then on Iris has been giving us dirty looks. "Speak up Wilson!" Iris yelled hitting Christina's shoulder.
"Hey leave her alone." I said.
Iris glanced over at me, "What did you say?"
"Leave her alone." I stood up.
"Look, the killer's speaking up." She smirked.
"Come on Iris, just take a walk. She's going to be gone in a few hours so you don't have to deal with her anymore."
"She may now be here but you still will." She walked over to me.
"Yeah, I'll still be here."
"Good, then you'll have time to recover." Her fist collided with my jaw and I fell on my hands and knees. I tried getting up but she punched me once more. People were yelling but I didn't exactly hear what they were saying. I felt her foot hit my rib cage again and again.
"BREAK IT UP LADIES!" Someone yelled. The kicking had stopped, "Get up Peterson."
I almost didn't hear the voice. Slowly I began to get up and I felt a pair of hands help me. "Come on Jade." Thank God, it was Chris.
I stood up, my legs were trembling. Christina took me to the bathroom to clean up. I sat down on a bench and stared into space. Too terrified and frigle to do anything else. I caught a glimpse of my reflection on the aluminum sink. I could just make out my short brown hair, curly as it fell at my shoulders. My eyes were blurry and hard to see but I knew they were a bright brown colour. "Here you go." Christina said handing me a damp cloth. I wiped away the dry blood and held the cloth to the place she had punched me.
Chris sat down next to me, "Thank you."
I looked over at her, "For what?"
"For sticking up from me. I didn't think she'd take things that far."
"Didn't think she'd kick my ass?"
Christina laughed, "Hopefully you'll get your strength back by tonight."
I nodded, "How am I going to disguise myself?"
"My Payroll Officer brought me some clothes and shoes. You could take an outfit that you can change into at the bus station."
"But what if..."
"Stop worrying. You'll be fine, you're going to break out."

***

About two hours passed. Chris was packing getting dressed and I just sat on my cot. I looked out the barred window and thought about my new life. Where I'd go. Who I would meet. If I'd get caught of not. I tried not to think about that part. "Wilson, your payroll officer is here to pick you up." A guard said walking over to our cell. Chris and I looked at eachother, I stood up.
"I guess this is goodbye." Chris said.
I nodded, "I guess so. I'm going to miss you so much."
"Me too." She gave me a huge hug, "good luck tonight." She whispered.
"Thanks." I smiled.
"Oh before I leave," she pulled something out of her pocket, "the adress of my foster home. Hope you'll write me some letters."
I nodded, "Bye Chris."
"Bye Jade." The guard opened the cell for her to step out. She took one last glance at me before the cell door slammed and she walked away.

***

This is it. I looked over at the time, 11:05P.M. I need to leave before midnight, a guard passes through our section at the top of every hour. As soon as the coast was clear I reached for the clothes Chris left for me and a backpack Emily got me a while ago. I quickly changed into the black T shirt, jeans, and a army green jacket she'd left.
I looked over my shoulder, no one. I ran over to the window and shook the bars. A little shake but not much. I pushed it. Nothing. I pushed harder, it came loose.
I smiled and ran back to my bed and grabbed my backpack and stuffed the bus ticket in my pocket.
I placed my hands on the ledge of the window and pulled myself up. I sat on the ledge and looked out on the courtyard. Taking a deep breath, I jumped. I landed on my knees, which ended up getting scraped. I stood up and ran, not letting the pain get in the way of anything. I was at the fence now, but after realizing that it was electric, I knew I was done for. Ready to give up, I looked around and saw that the bottom of the fence was peeling away. It created a hole that I was able to fit under. I got on the ground and crawled. That's when the sirens went off. "I'm not giving up." I said to myself. I wiggled a little more until I was free. I stood up and turned around. The fence didn't hold me captive anymore. I was now free.
After having my moment of joy I grabbed my backpack from the floor and ran. I ran as fast as I could run, even if I was tired I pushed myself to go on farther.
The sirens and police car sounds soon faded in the distance and I knew I was in a safe place. I caught my breath and found that I was on a sidewalk. The streets were empty and so were the business around me. I looked around for an open place and I ended up finding a McDonald's. I walked inside and the familiar smell from my childhood filled the air.
Besides the workers and myself, there were only two other people in here. A man who looked to be fifty, was in the corner wearing a cap in the corner of the room. He stared at me through his glasses. Closer to the register there was a woman, about twenty, who was wearing a dress and tall heels. Her make up was done nice and so did her hair, but she looked unhappy. I slowly walked over to the register. There was a brunette there. She was tall, thin, and a little pale. I read her name tag, Ashley. She flashed me a fake smile, "Welcome to McDonald's how may I help you?" She asked.
"Hi. Um, I seem to be a bit lost. I need some help." I stuttered.
"What can I help you with?"
I looked over my shoulder then back at Ashley, "I need to find a bus station."
"The bus station? At this late an hour?"
I nodded, "I need to go somewhere."
She let out a huff, "Sorry sweetie, but I don't know where the bus station is."
"It's two blocks North from here." The man in the cap said.
I turned to face him, "Which way is that?" I asked. I didn't know where North was and I didn't have a compass on me.
"Just make a left at this street. Keep going until you reach the Pancake House. You won't miss it."
I nodded, "Thank you so much sir."
"Wait miss!" He called before I went out the door.
"Yes?"
"Good luck." He said, as if he knew what I was doing.

***

I found the Pancake House but not the bus station. I looked around and saw a little bench, then realized that was it. I sat down and sighed. The street was suburban and I wasn't sure if a bus was going to come at all. Fifteen minutes rolled by and a big white bus stopped in front of me. The two doors opened and I walked inside.
The driver was a middle aged woman with blonde hair. She looked at me, "Where are you headed?"
I handed her my ticket, "Perth." She nodded and I went to go take a seat at the very end of the bus. I used my backpack as a pillow and curled up against the window.
There's nothing to do now but drive and pray that all goes well.