Jody in Neverland

Chapter 27 - Back to Reality

The next day, Ashdene Ridge was back to normal. Except for the staff bedroom, which looked like there had been an explosion in a paint factory. By the time the police had left the night before, it had been so late that Mike and May-Li had sent everyone straight to bed, without any discussion about the events of the evening. But Tyler, Jody, Alex and Sasha, weren't going to get off that lightly.

I cant believe you would put yourselves in danger like that exclaimed Mike to the four teenagers that were standing in his office.

You not only put yourselves in danger, but everyone else in the house. You should have come straight to me or May-Li as soon as you realised what Kingsley was planning.

We're disappointed in you, all of you. Added May Li. Jody you should know by now that no matter what we are here for you. We could have sorted the situation without anyone confronting the burglars.

It was the only way to make sure that Kingsley would get caught and sent to prison. If we had told you he was planning a break in , you would have gone straight to the police and they would have had no evidence to charge him with anything.

Tyler, whatever your intentions, it was still dangerous, anything could have happened to you.

Fine, if you want someone to blame. Blame me. It was all my idea. Sasha and Alex were just helping me retorted Tyler

We wanted to help interjected Alex

We're just as much to blame agreed Sasha

No, no that's not fair. Its all my fault. If I hadn't of helped Kingsley, then none of this would have happened piped up Jody

Look, Jody, we understand why you did. Kingsley treated you very badly and put you in an impossible situation. Its not your fault replied May-Li 

We're not trying to blame anyone. We just want you to realise just how serious the situation was. It was lucky that Charlie told us what was going on and we called the police when we did.  If the police had arrived a few minutes later, things could have ended very differently. Explained Mike wearily. You could have got seriously hurt. The burglars could have had weapons, anything could have happened. Not to mention that had any of the burglars managed to get away, they would have been taking laptops, phones, tablets, with personal information on them, which could have put some of your housemates at serious risk. Do you understand?

Yes Mike responded the four teenagers despondently

You are all grounded until further notice and double chores for a month.

Later that day, Jody went to find Tyler in his room. He was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling, deep in thought.

Can I come in? asked Jody hesitantly from the doorway

Sure replied Tyler, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Jody sat down next to him.

I just wanted to say thank you for everything.

For what?

For believing in me and defending the DG from Kingsley and his mates.

I was just looking out for you and the DG. What you did was much braver than me. You believed in yourself, you found the strength to stand up to Kingsley, you owned up to your mistakes and risked getting in trouble with the police to put things right and protect your friends.

Believe in yourself and ignite a flame no grown up can extinguish. A flame of strength and determination. There will always be pirates but there doesn't have to be pain. In the darkest moments that flame will light up the shadows and take away your fears. Jody repeated the words Peter pan had said to her in Neverland.

What?

Oh just something someone said to me. Something that helped me.

Well whoever they are, they give good advice

Yeah. Ty, there's one thing I don't understand. Kingsley said that I would go down with him, that he would tell the police that I helped him and I would end up in Young offenders. But they haven't done anything, they haven't even spoken to me.

Well, between me and Mike, we convinced the police there was no need to speak to you, that you'd been through enough. Plus I provided them with evidence to show Kingsley forced you to help.

What, how?

When I confronted Kingsley, he freely admitted that he had forced you to help, locking you up and everything and I got it all recorded on my Dictaphone, which was in my pocket. That along with the video footage of him breaking into the safe and rifling through the tech box has been handed over to the police. The recording is enough evidence that he bullied and intimidated you into helping him. So you aren't in any trouble and Kingsley is out of your life for good this time.

You did all that for me?

Of course, I'd do anything for you, you know that.

I thought I did. Before all this when Mike had meetings with us about life after care, you didn't seem bothered that we cant be placed together in the same flat.

Of course I was bothered. I was so angry about it, so frustrated and upset, but I knew you had a chance to have a future with your mum. So I kept quiet because I didn't want to ruin that for you. And I know it sounds stupid, but a part of me kinda felt that if I ignored everything that had happened, didn't think about the future, then it wouldn't happen, we could just be happy, care free kids forever.

We all have to grow up Ty. But I don't want to grow up without you. You're important to me. I never wanted to go back to my mum's, not really, I guess deep down I knew that Mum and Kingsley would never change. But I thought if I couldn't have a future with you, I should at least give my mum a chance.

We will have a future together, I promise. We've just got to be patient and things will work out.