Oddity

29

I could not cry. I had cried too much recently, and I did not want to do it again. Crying made me feel weak.

I already felt weak, and crying would only make it worse.

They were sending me away, and crying would not change that. I had been promised one more chance, and I blew it.

I sat in silence until Lauren arrived. Zack was with her, making the pain in my chest grow more.

"They're sending you away, aren't they?" Zack spoke softly, only a few minutes into the drive.

I rested my head against the headrest of the passenger seat, staring out the window. "Yes."

"Why couldn't you have just done what you were told?" Lauren murmured, just above a whisper. It was a rude comment, but she sounded more distraught than angry with me. Either way, it made my stomach hurt.

I did not know what was wrong with me. Mom, Dad, Zack, Lauren, and even Lindsay had been telling me, my whole life, that there was something wrong with me; but they never told me what.

I did not like it.

"Can we stop at Mitch's house so I can tell him what is happening?" I questioned, looking at Lauren pleadingly.

She shook her head, "Dad gave me strict rules. The house and back...no stops."

I understood that she did not want to get in trouble, but I had no way to contact Mitch.

No way to say goodbye.

Once we pulled into the driveway, none of us moved. We sat in silence for a while, and all I could do was stare at the house.

"It won't be the same without you," Zack murmured after a long silence.

I felt angry. If he had let me go to Dad in the first place about the drugs, we would not be in this situation.

But, if I had ignored him and gone to Dad anyway, we also would not have been in this problem.

"I'm gonna call Dad and let him know we made it okay. Zack, go help him start packing," Lauren ordered simply.

I wasted no time exiting the car and approaching the house.

I did not want to be around Zack, but there was nothing I could do about it. I entered the house, listening as Zack jogged to catch up with me.

"I know, you're mad at me, but—"

"Please...can we not talk about it?" I interrupted, leading the way up the stairs.

Zack sighed in defeat, but did not speak.

Once I stood in the doorway of our bedroom, a wave of nostalgia hit me. I could not fathom never being in here again.

Zack stood at my side, before reaching in and turning on the light. He let out a long sigh.

He walked in first, and I followed.

Only a moment passed before the door slammed shut. Zack and I both flinched, before turning in an instant, looking at Michael Turner and his friend, who had been waiting behind the door.