Seeping Wounds

II-Addison

The school I attend is old. One of the oldest in Canada actually.

My dad once made the joke that it was a good thing we're Canadian or we'd really be broke. Our universal healthcare system is wonderful, yes we have to pay taxes to run it but I probably wouldn't be here without it.

Anyway, Mia drives me to and from school everyday. Actually it's her car but sometimes she asks me to drive so she can study or something.

I learned to drive as soon as I turned 16, it gave me a little freedom that my mother couldn't deny me. I don't have a car mainly because I don't really need one. If I need to go somewhere either my mom or Mia goes with me. I wish I could go alone but it worries Mom less if I'm not alone and I will do anything to keep her from worrying about me.

When I climb into Mia's car she grins at me, "Addison!" She yells, "Guess what?"

I laugh, "What?" I ask.

"Remember how I told you that my Aunt Claire and Uncle Derek had adopted a boy a couple years ago?" She asks and I nod, "Well they're moving here."

I stare at her, "Really?" I ask.

"Yeah, so listen there is something you need to know about my cousin." Mia says seriously.

I stare at her confused, "What does he have to do with me?" I ask.

Mia sighs, "Harrison is better than he was but he tends to be angry all the time, he has anger issues and stuff."

"What does that have to do with me?" I ask again.

"He tends to lash out when he's angry, which is like half of the time, so I just want you to be on your guard around him." Mia explains.

The thing I like best about Mia is that when she is warning me about something she doesn't treat me like a baby, she explains why she thinks the she does and then still lets me make my own choices.

"Okay." I say. I've never met Harrison but Mia has told me stories about him when she went visiting over the holidays.

"He was abused by his parents for most of his life," Mia says, "Then one day when he was ten his parents just dumped him in a gas station here, he was born in the States but he chose to stay here."

"It must have been hard." I say, "Where was he the last few years?" I ask.

"In and out of foster homes, no one wanted to keep him long but my aunt and uncle decided they wanted to adopt him and he was agreeable so now he's their son." Mia stops for a moment, "I don't think he likes the rest of us much."

I don't say anything for a moment, "It must be terrible for him." I say, "I'm glad your aunt and uncle adopted him, they'll love him."

Mia doesn't say anything, she just stares at the road ahead.

"Are you okay?" I ask her.

"It's just, I haven't seen Harrison in almost a year. My parents expect me to hang out with him, I wouldn't mind except he's so hard to like. What if he hates me?" Mia says, her voice rising.

"At least he won't be living at your house." I tell her. Mia just rolls her eyes.

Parking in the school parking lot we climb out and head for the school building. Mia still looks worried.

"Don't worry," I tell her, "You can always come to my place."

Mia laughs, "At least I have you." She says, "You don't hate me."

I throw an arm around her shoulders, "If I hated you I would have to hang out with my mom." We laugh until a voice behind us makes us jump.

"Miss. Fields, Miss. Kline."