The Wanderers

Chapter 10

When I got back to my room I collapsed on the bed and glanced over at my alarm clock. It was one pm here so that meant it was eleven am back home. I pulled out my phone and scroll through my contacts. My thumb hovered over Home. I hadn't talked to my mom since I got here and that was over a month ago. She was probably freaking out by now.

Letting out a breath, I hit call. "McCallister residence," Danni answered.

"Hey, Danni."

"Ella, how are you?"

"I'm good."

"Oh no, what happened?" Danni knew me better than anyone and could always tell when something was wrong just by the sound of my voice.

"I don't want to get into it now, but I promise it's nothing I can't handle."

"Okay, well you know I'm always here when you need to talk."

"I know Danni, thanks. Is my mom there?"

"Actually no, she's at a meeting."

"Okay thanks, Danni," I said a little disappointed.

"Do you want me to tell her you called?" she asked.

"No, I'll try and reach her later."

"Okay, you take care now."

"I will. Tell Hadley I said hello and give her a big kiss for me." We said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone and lay back on my bed. I closed my eyes hoping I'd fall asleep, wishing that when I woke, this would all had been just a bad dream.

I had no such luck. I tossed and turned for an hour until I finally gave up.

Josie strolled through the door not saying a word. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. She went straight to the mini fridge, dumped some ice into a bag, and tossed it at me. "You should put that on your face," she said.

I picked up the bag and watched as she made one for herself. "Does this mean you're not mad at me?" I asked softly.

"Oh no, I'm mad at you, but not because of the fight."

"Then what?"

"Because you gave me a black eye," she said, pointing to the small bruise below her left eye.

"Josie that was an accident."

"I know but it still hurt," she replied, sitting next to me on the bed.

"I really am sorry," I said, laying my head on her shoulder.

"I know you are but that still doesn't mean I'm not going to milk this for everything it's worth," she said, making me laugh. "What the hell happened, anyway?"

"Ugh!" I groaned, throwing myself back on my bed. "It was stupid and totally not my fault."

"Uh-huh," Josie said, moving to her bed.

"What? It wasn't. She started it," I declared.

"And you didn't say anything to provoke her?" She tilted her head to the side.

"She pushed me first," I said defensively.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," she laughed.

"Whatever."

"I'm pretty sure she deserved it. A lot of people don't like her. I think the sisters only tolerate her because they have to. She can be a real bitch," Josie confessed.

"Tell me about it."

"Hey, I have a surprise for you," she said, getting up and heading out into the hall. She returned with a TV on a roller cart. "I bribed one of the A.V. guys into letting me borrow this for the night. I thought maybe we could have a Glee marathon," she said, popping one of the DVDs into the DVD player.