The Delinquents
Chapter Four
“So, you were five when your mom was diagnosed right?” Evan asked. He had dragged me into his office to be questioned. I sat in a blue beanie bag chair whilst he sat in a chair that swivelled and turned. I wondered idly if he made his office this unprofessional on purpose. Was it supposed to calm the teenage mind?
I nodded, “Yup, that sounds right.”
“That must have sucked,” Evan said.
I nodded again, “Well I think finding out your mom has cancer sucks at any age.” My best tool for defense was to be as nonchalant as possible. I learned a long time ago that any crack of emotion would widen until it split open and everything came rushing out. Better to pretend like nothing hurt you that to risk a catastrophe.
Evan frowned, “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“Look, there isn’t much to anything I just—”
Evan laughed, “It’s weird, I have this odd feeling like you’re holding back something major. I don’t get it, your dad starts drinking and stays for two years and then he just leaves? Why did he leave, Piper?”
I shrugged, “I don’t know, I guess it was just too much.”
Evan pursed his lips and tilted his head to the side and stared at me. I felt my cheeks heat up under his intense stare and turned to look at anything besides him. He grunted and I turned to raise an eyebrow at him.
“You’re hiding something,” he declared.
I rolled my eyes, “Don’t be ridiculous.”
Evan leaned back and laced his fingers together behind his head. “It’s only a matter of time, I will get it out of you, just wait. One day soon you will by dying to tell me.”
“Have you ever considered that you don’t need to know everything?” I shot back.
He nodded, “I have considered that, but then I remembered that it’s my job to unearth your ugliest secrets and help you move past them. So I do need to know everything,” Evan smirked at me, his brown eyes arrogant.
I sighed, “Whatever, can I go now?”
Evan shrugged and gestured towards the door, “Sure, sure. I’ll see you here tomorrow.” He winked and I let myself out of his office. I walked back out to the backyard and looked around with a frown. Everyone was gone.
I decided to go sit under the cherry blossom tree again and leaned against the trunk, facing the forest. I relaxed, enjoying the silence and the last warmth of the afternoon. Suddenly, the empty backyard was filled with loud curse words and I jumped up, my eyes darting to the tree line.
“God damn it Derek, next time you’re getting the ball—” Keegan stumbled out of the bushes, twigs and leaves caught in his hair. He had a football in one hand while the other hung limply at his side. His eyes found mine and slowly he looked around the backyard.
“Where is everyone?” he asked me quietly.
I shrugged, “Your guess is better than mine.”
YOU ARE READING
The Delinquents
Ficção AdolescenteSeventeen year old, Piper Delaney is caught red handed. After managing to steal thousands of dollars worth of merchandise over three years, it was only a matter of time before she was caught. Piper is then sent to Ash Falls Group Recovery Home for T...
