Abandoned

chapter eleven.

Walking through the school halls and being gawked at by every single student around, I realized how out of place I looked. I still had on my sweats and ripped tank top, but with a zip-up hoodie thrown over. I hadn't had the chance to fix my hair or makeup, plus my eyes were probably puffy from the crying and my face still red. Also, I walked with Rose by my side, holding her hand. She was still in her pajamas and had tear-stained cheeks.

We made it to Pattie's office before the morning bell rang and I knocked, quickly returned by a "Come on in."

Her face fell a bit as she looked up from some paperwork and saw us. By the look on her face I could tell she knew something was wrong. Actually, the fact that something isn't right is kind of hard to miss in this situation. I spoke before she had the chance to ask questions.

"So, about your offer..."

Justin

After the morning announcement played my dreadful literature class began, entirely too long and too much work. The teacher passed around worksheets and everyone started. I rested my head against my arm and hardly got my name down before my eyelids got heavy.

"Dude," Chris, a guy I'm friends with on the basketball team, bumped my elbow, causing my head to drop down and nearly slam into the desk. He laughed, "What's up with you?"

"Just tired." I shrugged. In reality, I just have a million things on my mind. Mainly, ever since Ray asked about my dad a few weeks ago, it's been bothering me. I haven't talked about it since my mom forced me to go to a therapist right after it happened.

I really want to finish telling Ray, but I haven't. I haven't talked to her at all, actually. Even though I want to tell her, just to be able to explain it to someone who doesn't already know, I'm scared to. What if she starts treating me differently after she knows, just like everyone else? Not that it makes much of a difference, I guess, because she already wants nothing to do with me.

Looking at the larger scope of things, I hardly know Ray or much about her. I do know that she's perfectly content being alone, and that that is what she wants. Although I decided to try and respect that, I too often find my thoughts drifting to her and I don't know why.

Right on cue, my attention snapped to the conversation two girls were having in front of me. I scooted up a bit, trying to be nonchalant about my eavesdropping.

"Did you see what happened this morning?" One girl asked the other.

"No, but I heard. About that chick walking in all messy with a little girl?"

"Yeah, it was totally weird. It was that loner punk chick, that's in our calc class. What would possess you to come to school dressed like a homeless person?" At little girl and loner punk chick, I easily realized they were talking about Ray.

"Some people were saying her house burnt down overnight and she had nowhere to go." The other girl suggested. Why would Ray bring Rose to school? And why would they look 'messy'? I obviously knew their house didn't burn down.

My thoughts halted when the teacher called my name from the front of the room. She handed me a pass. A blue one, which meant it was to guidance. What could my mom possibly want?

I frowned as I grabbed the pass and walked down to Mom's office. She was standing when I entered, filing through a stack of papers on a shelf.

"What is so urgent you had to pull me out of English?" I asked, actually glad that she gave me an excuse to get out of there.

"Do you have anything really important the rest of the day? Tests or anything?"

"Uh, no." I answered.