Remmington's School for Troubled Teens

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Faye was leaving today.

She didn't want to tell me because she knew I'd be upset and she thought it would be easier instead of dreading a goodbye.

When she came back to the hospital, her car was already packed with all of her stuff, she just had to say goodbye to me, and then she was leaving.

"I have to work tomorrow, Stevie Nicks. I'm the only one bringing in the money." Faye told me simply as I hugged her tight.

Her family consisted of her depressed and alcoholic father and her younger brother, who was twelve. Her mother, Dealia, was a heroin addict who cheated on her father multiple times before she up and left the family when Faye was ten and her brother, Jack, was only five. That's when her dad got into alcohol and never left his room.

Faye mothered Jack and they grew very close because they really only had each other. So Faye brought in the money, paid the bills, shopped, went to school and cared for Jack. I thought she was a hero, she thought she was giving Jack a bad life. But he would've agreed with me.

"I know. I just don't want you to leave, even though it's selfish."

"Do you want to have a smoke with me before I leave?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Yes. I'm dying for one." I agreed and practically ran to get my shoes on. Faye brought me clothes and stuff when she came to say goodbye.

"Luke. You want to come?" Faye asked him.

"Yes!" He basically shouted and then slid his boots on quickly. He grabbed my hand when he came over to me and we walked out of the room.

I spotted my nurse, Cherish and then asked her if we could walk Faye out, since she was leaving. She kindly nodded her head yes and said we had to be back in ten minutes.

When we got outside, the sun warmed me up and blinded me. I hadn't been outside in what felt like so long.

Faye passed Luke and me a cigarette and then asked Luke for his lighter because hers wasn't working. He handed his over to her and she lit hers, passed it back to Luke, who then lit mine for me and his last.

We all sat there in comfortable silence, Luke had his arm around my waist and Faye was sitting on top of her suitcase. It all felt very normal. That was a first.

I thought about everything that had happened, the fact that I wasn't hungry, that Luke told me he loved me, the way he kissed me. I thought about Faye leaving, that she was going back to Alyce Lake, a place that I never wanted to return to, even though it was home. I thought about how strong she was and how I desired to be like her.

"Well, I've got to get going now. I've got a long, eighteen hour car ride ahead of me. If I drive and don't stop I can get home by five am." Faye said putting out her cigarette and grabbing her suitcase.

"You aren't going to stop?!" I gasped. That was a long drive and I didn't want her to fall asleep at the wheel.

"I probably will. Last time I stopped at a rest stop and slept in my car. I think I'll just do that again." She said nonchalantly. But I knew how much she hated car rides. Whenever my mom took us to Seattle, only when we had the money, she would get really grumpy in the car because she hated staying seated for so long. Even though the car ride was only an hour and a half.

"No, Faye." Luke pulled out his wallet and took out a hundred and forty dollars, passing it to her. My eyes bulged out of my head. Who just had that much money laying around?!