The Program [Book Two of The Test]

Chapter Five

The Program

Chapter Five

A year ago, my mom put aside her differences with Mary and traveled the two hours to my dad's house so me and my brother could see him. It wasn't what I wanted to be doing, sitting in a hot car with the windows rolled down, our air conditioning didn't work in the crappy vehicle, and have my body sticky with sweat only for the prize at the end of the horrible ride to be my father.

Sure, I loved him. It was Mary that was, no, still is the problem. But that day, besides for the day I went to the beach with them before being sent to the test, was the last time I actually hung out with them. Sure, I see them here and there, like when they now drop by unexpectedly to see if I got hurt. But I never once begged, pleaded, or anything that would slightly indicate me wanting to see them. Which is why I have held off this long from going to my father's new place just ten minutes from my own house, and it was actually quite a large distance from John's.

"What's your deal with Mary anyway?" John asked me. He was being nosy, prying into my business as if it were his own and still would not tell me why in the world he was putting me through the torture that would be seeing Mary and my dad. 

"Do you really need an answer to that question?" He just looked at me as yet again we pulled into a driveway today. And what did I want? To be at home, resting in bed or maybe curled up with a good book, definitely not here. 

"I asked you, didn't I?" He said.

I huffed before running my fingers through my hair and then giving him a slight answer. "Sometimes, depending on what's going on, people have a hard time with change."

"And you're telling me that you are one of those people?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, I was sent to the test, remember? I'm pretty darn sure that going to a crappy place of torture is a lot of change, and I think I handled it well." He started chuckling. "What?"

"You think passing out because a pixel mark showed up on your arm is handling it well?"

"Luke's hand went right through me, you would have done the same." I shot my words his way.

"And that time you made bears disappear, or maybe kissing my brother even though you were getting on to other people for doing the same with people they liked." He added. "And let's not forget, those few days after Luke came back into the test and you went kinda crazy."

"You knew about that?"

"Everyone knew, we were just waiting to see when you would lose your mind completely. And that's when I got Jack to help me run things in there, remember? God, he wouldn't quit talking about you all the time. It was Lexi this and Lexi that." He said. And then he mocked, "Oh, I bet Lexi's having a hard time stuck in the shack all day doing nothing, i'll go check on her. Maybe she's hungry, i'll take her some lunch and see how she's doing." He looked like he just might gag. "It was freaking annoying. I don't see what you saw in him then or now."

"You know, he is your brother, you could be a little bit nicer about all of that."

"By adoption, he's not been my brother forever you know. He didn't even start calling me his brother til about two years ago anyway." He pointed out but must have realized his words and changed the subject. "But we have bigger things going on right now, Lexi. Come on, get out." He mumbled. And it was then that I realized I hadn't moved from my spot in the truck, just sitting still and having a kinda sorta fight with John.

During this time, my father and Mary had made it outside, now standing by my door as I got out. "I thought I heard a vehicle outside. What brings you here?" My dad asked me, coming forward and giving me a quick hug.

"Um, well, I wanted to see you." I couldn't exactly tell him the only reason I came was because John wanted me to, could I? Even though I still didn't know exactly why John wanted me to anyway.

"And the reason John is here?" Mary questioned, a smile on her face and it was probably there because she wanted me to be with him and I was standing next to him. You do the math on what she may have been thinking.

"Can't I come see you without being questioned about it?" John asked her. Mary let out a chuckle and ruffled his hair which I could see him giving her a glare about.

"Anytime, John. You're always welcome here. Same for you, Lexi." And Mary had a little giggle leave her mouth as she continued to act more like a fangirl than what I do when I read about fictional people. I mean, sure, she could 'ship' John and me all she wanted. But the problem with her logic involving us being together was, well, there was absolutely no logic in it at all. "Well, since it's your first time over here, why don't we show you the new place?"

And that's how I ended up in my dad's kinda new house, pretending to be fascinated by the color choices Mary picked out and how well the furniture went with everything. And I lost John while all this was going on, somehow I was the only one to notice his absence as well. 

I mean, I still didn't know why he dragged me here, it would have been nice if he didn't disappear for no good reason. "So, would you like to stay for dinner?" Dad asked me. "I'm sure your mother would be fine with it." He smiled and I gave him one that was half-hearted.

"Um, actually, i'll give you an answer to that question in a minute, okay? First, I need to find John. Did you see him leave?" I asked him, looking around. It would probably be better to look outside. And that was actually a good idea because seconds later he came through the back door.

So, of course he had been outside. And what had he been doing? Dragging some other helpless individual into the fiasco that is this beautiful family visit. 

But actually, that poor and helpless person wasn't either of those things, suddenly kicking John in the leg and making him fall to the floor for a moment. And while Mary and my dad went toward him to help and find out why this girl had done such a thing, I was smiling. And not just because she had caused John pain, it was also because of who had done it.

"For the love of freaking god, John. You don't just grab people and bring them their neighbor's home without warning or permission, you dang idiot." She yelled, dusting off her clothes though she was free of any dirt. The purple strip in her hair seemed a bit duller now instead of the bright spot I saw in the test. But it was still her.

"Annie?" Her head snapped to me and i'm not sure exactly what it was, but something told me that John didn't bring me here so I could chit chat with my dad and step mom. He brought me here to see Annie, the girl that was now right in front of me and wrapping me in a hug.

Wow, two hugs from Jack today and now I get one from Annie.

It's sure has been a pretty great day.

And something else told me, probably the hug, that finally someone else, besides for me and John, remembered the test.