Let's Pretend (5sos Adoption Story)

0.7

The next day school was brutal at best. I avoided Brynn like the plague, it was hard considering the number of classes we shared, and I skipped lunch completely. Sometimes I'd see her in the halls and I'd have to make myself disappear into the crowd before I could see that expression on her face, like I'd completely betrayed her. I told myself it was unreasonable for her to think that, we'd only just met. But I wasn't very convincing. Luke picked me up on time, thank god. I didn't want to stay there a minute longer than I had to.

I didn't even talk to the boys when we got home, I just went straight up to my room and slammed the door. All of them knocked several times, trying to get me to come down for dinner or talk to them but I didn't answer. I didn't want to be around anyone at the moment, I just needed to be alone. I fell asleep early, probably out of boredom.

That night was the first time I had a nightmare in a whole year. It started the way it always did;

When I got home from school, I dropped my bag at the door, just like every day. I went up the stairs and called, "Mom, I'm home." Just like every day.

She wasn't where I thought she'd be. Usually she was in her studio, painting. Today the studio was empty, but I could tell she'd been in there recently. The paint she'd been using was still out, and her latest piece was laid carefully on her desk, drying.

"Mom?" I checked her room. She wasn't there. I frowned, going into the hall. I stayed still for a moment, trying to think where she could be. I knew she wasn't downstairs, she would've said something. Then, I heard something coming from my room. Quiet sobs.

I walked down the hall. The door was open. Mom was standing at my bed, sobbing as she folded my clothes. She was laying them in my suitcase, packing everything neatly.

"Mom?"

She turned, her red hair flying. "Alison."

"Are you okay?" I crossed the room. "Why are you packing? Are we going somewhere?"

Mom sat on the bed, motioning for me to come stand by her. Slowly, I obeyed. She took my hands in her own. Hers were cold to the touch. "Honey, you're going to go for a while."

I blinked. "Okay, where are we going?"

She pursed her lips, looking at the floor. She didn't let go of my hands, though. "Hon, you're going without me."

"What? You mean with Dad?"

"No, alone. Not with me or Dad or anyone."

I took a step back, out of surprise, almost like I had been pushed. My hands slipped out of hers. "What? What do you mean? Where?"

"Don't worry, it's not forever." She smiled softly at me through her tears and smudged mascara. "Think of it like... a camp. You're going to have fun."

"But it's spring. I don't go to camp until the summer."

"This time you're going for the spring, too. It will be fun, you'll be able to get out of school."

"Okay." At the age of fourteen, I knew there was something very off about this. I wasn't stupid. But I followed my mom outside to the car and stayed quiet the entire ride.

Mom handed me a piece of paper. "Go inside, okay? Give this to someone and tell them that your name is Alison Percy."

I nodded. "Okay. See you later, Mom."

She nodded, but her voice was strained when she said, "I'll be back for you one day, Allie. I promise."

"What? Mom, what do you mean?"