Let's Try This Again / h.s

Chapter 36

"Cali come on don't you want to join?" I shake my head no pulling my knees up to my chest.

"Please you've been here for a week and you seem like you're getting better but you just don't want to socialize with anyone" Annabel sighs sitting down next to me.

"I just really want to be home..."

"I know, but hey soon enough you will be home. We're just going to play board games, eat pizza and drink... pop it can't get any better than that" she smiled at me.

"Okay, I'll come" I finally decided.

"Really?" she jumped off the bed and did a little dance I couldn't help but to laugh at her she looped her arm around mine as we walked out our bedroom and into the living room.

I see five other kids sitting around a coffee table with a few pizzas on the side of the table and a board game in the middle with a bunch of other board games under it. The kids didn't stare at me, they laughed and smiled giving me a warm welcome.

"Hey I'm Ethan" a boy with short brown hair reminding me of Nathan Kress.

I waved hi at him '"I'm Stella," a girl with midnight blue curly hair that is so beautifully done.

She was really pretty, no piercings the only thing different on her was her hair that went so well with her skin, "I'm Bryant" another boy who had curly black hair that rested on his head.

He was quiet the looker, his curls reminded me a lot of Harry.

"I'm Chelsea and this is Ryan" a girl with an Indian symbol on her forehead, with a red haired ginger sitting right next to her. They were holding hands which made me believe they are dating, as much as complete polar opposites they are they seem so comfortable with each other.

"Come on sit down" Annabel pulled me down in a chair next to her and Ethan.

"Tonight we're not going to focus on our issues that we need to fix-tonight we're going to enjoy ourselves and we don't care who's judging us" I looked over at Bryant who took a sip of his pop.

"Bryant what are you talking about?" Annabel laughed.

"I say, we leave we all have windows in our rooms we say we are all going to bed and we just bust out of here-"

"Dr. Toms isn't going to be checking on us tonight, come on guys what do you say we have one night to make things memorable with someone we don't know, we're all strangers here yes we known each other for a couple months but we leave in either two weeks or two more months who knows we just have tonight to make things incredible" Bryant was right I don't know any of these kids they don't know my story.

And even though, I heard a few background stories about them there really isn't much I know about them.

When we sit down with Dr. Tom and tell about our night I don't really pay attention I get lost in my train of thought, I don't share or speak during the whole session the only time I say anything is when Dr. Tom asks me if I want to share and I say no.

I look up and notice Bryant is still trying to convince everyone "I agree" I notice a few people stare at me in shock that I even said anything.

"Whoa, Cali we don't have to-"

"No Annabel, I agree with Bryant we only have tonight which is the only night Dr. Tom isn't going to check up on us. I say we do it, when you look back in your life you're going to regret not going out and doing some crazy young reckless thing that we wish we had done. I don't know about you guys, but I'm twenty-one and I am tired of saying I'm going to do something and end up not doing it. I agree with Bryant" I look at Bryant and he was sitting in amazement smiling at me.

I glance to my side at Annabel she was smiling at me "you know what I agree with Cali too" she reached over on the table to grab two cans of pop handing one to me.

"Oh what the hell why not" Stella grabbed a pop can.

"Fine I'm in" Chelsea looked over at Ryan and squeezed his hand "how many times in our life can we say we went on a joy ride while being in rehab" we laughed at Ryan who grabbed two pop cans for him and Chelsea.

"So we in?" Bryant held the pop over the coffee table, I stood up followed by Annabel and everyone else.

"We're in" we clanked our drinks laughing as we took a drink from our sodas.

"Alright so here's the plan..."

...

"Good night girls" Dr. Tom closed the door turning off the light for us, I heard a few more doors being shut.

I rolled on to my side looking at the digital clock on the night stand it said 10:29pm I glance up at Annabel who was grinning from ear to ear as the clock changed from 29 to 30. We flipped the covers off of us I grabbed a set of black converses slipping over a red flannel shirt rolling up the sleeves.

I had on jean shorts with a white pocket t shirt, "here toss me a hair tie" I whispered to Annabel as she slipped on a pair of high waisted shorts.

She tossed me the hair tie as I put my hair up in a sloppy pony tail and opening up the window.

I towards Annabel and she had on gray Keds with black jean shorts and a floral design pocket t shirt tucked in the shirt with her hair in a sloppy braid.

"You ready?" I whispered.

She held one finger up as she fixed the bed to make it look like someone was sleeping on her bed and mine, she jogged over to me as I held the window open for her helping her down.

I hopped out the window closing the window slightly "here toss me a rock" she threw a small rock my way.

I stuck it in the corner holding up the window just in case it shut on us.

The night was cool but it was nice and warm at the same time, we crept pass the building not trying to make much noise. We hopped over the gate surrounding the pool Annabel had the most trouble trying to getting over.

"Here" I stood on top of the dumpster reaching over the gate grabbing her hand.

I yanked her over she was surprisingly light, I swung her over as we both stood on the dumpster. I jumped off waiting for Annabel, we both ran towards the front of the gate noticing a group of kids standing at the corner.

We ran to them out of breath "what took you guys so long?" Bryant asked.

"Annabel had a bit trouble getting over the gate" I laughed she shook her head fixing her hair.

"Alright where too?" Chelsea asked, I notice she wasn't holding Ryan's hand I wonder how they met.

"There is a carnival down the street we can go to, we ride a few rides then grab a bite to eat. It's some festival, there are supposed to be fireworks going off so at midnight we meet at the beach right across this street on the dock and we watch them together-"

"How are we going to pay to get in the carnival?" Stella asked us.

I notice Bryant pat his pockets, no one had any money on them "I got it covered" I said.

"Are you sure?" Annabel asked me as we started walking towards the lights that were in the distance getting closer to us, I can hear the carnival music playing in the background my excitement was growing bigger and bigger.

"Yeah I'm sure... hi can I have 7 tickets please" I asked the lady behind the glass.

She smiled at me "10 bucks please" I handed her the money as I took the tickets.

"Here's some money" I handed everyone money as they all thanked me and went their separate ways.

It was me, Annabel and Bryant in a group while Stella, Chelsea, Ryan and Ethan all went together another way.

"Come on Annabel, Cali! We have two hours to do anything here, so what do you want to do first!?"