Jane's Cardinal

Chapter three

Chapter 3

Hypocrite

I thought Friday would never come. As Cheyenne followed beside me in what is now "our" school I realized the day I waited all week for is here. The high school matched the town in its size. This meant Cheyenne had the majority of her classes with me. Half of the day consisted of "this" and "that". Not at lot of interactions between Cheyenne and anyone, at least not until speech class.

We walked in unison through the door and she found an empty chair next to me, a guy named Brian, and a Native American girl named Cassie. The only other people I find myself communicating with in this class besides the teacher. Mrs. Antell gave her everyday lecture and then gave Cheyenne the free speech assignment to work on. She seemed somewhat livelier when Cassie and Brian quizzed us on each other and why Cheyenne came to live with me. Neither one of us could come up with any. At least that I know of. Cheyenne knew the reason but she refused to go in detail. Brian and Cassie were left just as clueless as me.

When lunch finally came along Cheyenne introduced two strangers to me I never knew lived in this town. "This is Mackenzie and Thomas Brocks." Cheyenne announced. I positioned my eyes at their identical faces. I've never seen a brother and sister look so much alike. "They're twins." Cheyenne said reading my mind. Well that explains it.

"Where did you two come from?" I asked charily. I watched as the siblings coincidently look at each other. Thomas spoke first.

"We didn't come." He voice was sincere, but irritated. "CPS brought us here." He then glanced at his sister who was slurping on a carton of milk. I bit my lip afraid to say much else.

"Our mother is not crazy!" Mackenzie busted out. Cheyenne glared at me with every spectacle of not knowing what she was contemplating. Thomas rubbed his sister's back and held his head down. Mackenzie had now spoken softly. "I just wish I knew where she is." My lip is becoming sore.

"Is your mother's name, Julia by any chance?" The both instantly stared at me. Their eyes were beginning to burn a hole in me. I almost forgot what I had asked them till Thomas changed his reaction.

"Well yeah." He swallowed. "You know where she is?" I could feel both their hearts pouncing constantly against the hardened table. I for one couldn't swallow at all. Cheyenne was narrowing her eyes at me. She seemed to know I was about to get myself in a bind.

"I uh," They were gradually getting closer to me. "Yes." Hot air was thrown out of my lunges. I restricted myself from continuing at the moment. I waited for someone else to take the focus off of me.

"Where? Bring us to her!" Mackenzie thrust herself at me and snatched my shirt into her hand.

"Mackenzie you know we'd get in trouble." Thomas listened to his sister sob as he comforted her.

"Maybe if you guys want to write her a letter I could bring it to her." I offered. Cheyenne kept quiet.

"You would do that?" Mackenzie lightened up. "Thomas hand me some paper would ya?" Thomas increased his speed to a maximum reaching in his bag for paper and a pen to write with. He politely let Mackenzie write first. She took up the entire page so Thomas had to write on another. They both signed their names and handed the letters over to me.

"Thank you so much." Thomas said lovingly. He grabbed his sister's hand and they traveled off to their next class.

"Didn't you tell your mom you weren't going back? You and your mother made a deal." Cheyenne asked suspiciously. I constricted myself from rolling my eyes.

"I'm sick of staying away. I feel like I've deserted them. I have to go back Cheyenne." She shrugged her shoulders and picked up her tray lightly. At least I was getting something out of her.