Stay...Calm

Chapter 12

Victorine sat next to Asha at the breakfast. Victorine sat on the kitchen counter, with her legs dangling over the side while she munched on a breakfast sandwich.

"You wouldn't believe what I saw last night," Asha said. "Jacey woke up in tears. I think she was having flashbacks or something. It was terrible."

Victorine pretended to be surprised.

"But I can't decide if it was sadder or sweeter," Asha pointed out. "He was comforting her and cradling her head and everything."

Victorine slid off the table, grabbing the fish food in the process. She walked to the fish tank while ripping a tuna steak out of the packaging. She jumped up to throw it right over the rim of the tank. Melissa came over to watch, holding Baby Beau. The tiny baby sucked on a blue pacifier and clung to the blanket he has wrapped around.

"Can I hold the baby?"Asha squealed.

"Not now. He's sleeping,"Melissa whispered. "It's kind of strange to think that you guys are gonna be his family. Where's all of your family?'

"I have a little brother and an older sister," Asha responded. "My brother's away at boarding school."

"And your sister?"

"She's...somewhere with her boyfriend."

"How 'bout you Victorine?"

Victorine paused for a second, her eyes fixed on her hand. Slowly and smoothly, her head rolled up and her eyes met Melissa's. Even a blink took three seconds.

"Where's your family?" she repeated. Victorine's eyes scanned the room. There was nothing to help her now. But Asha still gave a supportive nod. Victorin's eyes just seemed dumbfounded. With a sigh, she showed her right hand, with her empty palm to the ceiling. Melissa glanced over to Asha, slightly confused. But Asha knew exactly what the girl meant.

"Okay," Melissa breathed, a bit at loss for words. She pursed her lip for a second. 

Thelma followed behind a stomping Lee, and both dumped their plates in the sink.

"Would you stop following me?"Lee snapped. "Why don't you just play with the other kids. They like ya, right?"

"No, we don't," Timothy corrected as he walked past them. Thelma frowned up at her.

"Well, have you been getting along with anyone?"Melissa asked Lee. She opened her mouth to respond but paused.

After stuttering a bit, Lee snapped back,"Neither have you!"

"I've been busy."

Victorine and Asha made quick eye contact and shrugged at the same times. They traded a, "Eh, whatever" through their looks.

"See, Victorine the only one making friends!"Melissa pointed out. Thelma's eyes darted around the room until they locked on Anais by the window.

"She's my friend!"Thelma defened, pointing to her, and getting her attention.

"Eh..." Anis responded, made the sideways hand gesture. As soon as she could, she recidivates staring out the window.

"She's talked to me!" Thelma whined. "When she isn't doing...that."

"Yeah right," Lee mumbled. Yolanda and Jacey entered the room. "Speak of the devil..."

"Heard that," Yolanda called out. Lee kept a glare on her as she walked through the room, even if Yolanda paid her no heed. But Jacey spared a glance.

"Stop staring at us," she whispered.

"Don't worry," Yolanda said. "She's probably jealous."

Lee looked ready to have a go at her, but Melissa gave her a disapproving sideways glance before she could do anything.

"Oh, and also," Yolanda stated, flatly. "The lady says schools starting now."

Through the lesson time, Thelma was trying to strike a conversation with Anais. Anais seemed to almost have her nose stuck in her book. Thelma tried nudging her with a pencil. No reaction. She then tried again. And again. And again and again and again and again. Eventually, Anais slapped Thelma's arm with her book, then getting back to reading.

Several times, Thelma would open her mouth, or say a few words, but nothing would shake her concentration. As Victorine tried not to cringe, she noticed a soft noise. She listened in a bit more, her ears leading her right to the girl across from her. It seemed that, ever so softly, and ever so faintly, Anais was mumbling. It was completely incoherent like it was being done almost mindlessly. But Victorine didn't even want to know what she was saying. She was already trying not to question why Anais was talking to herself.