Not Like Before

Chapter 2

Third Person POV

"Juvie? What did he do?" Laura asked and stood up. Zay stood up too. "Laura, don't panic." He said cautiously.

"Don't panic? You just told me that the sweetest person I've ever met is in Juvie. How did this happen? Was it fighting?" Laura asked anxiously.

Zay scratched the back of his neck. "N-no. Um actually it was...underage drinking. And possession of drugs. But it's not like Juvie Juvie it's like a program! For troubled youth! That happens to be held at...t-the juvenile detention center. " He tried to make it better, voice trailing off at the end when he realized it really wasn't much better.

Laura was upset and confused.

"Chandler? How'd this happen? How'd he even get drugs and alcohol?" She asked. Zay stifled a laugh.

"Zay none of this is funny." Laura said to him. "Yeah I know, but no offense, that was the dumbest question you could've asked. You understand who his parents are, right?" Zay responded.

Then, it dawned on Laura.

"He doesn't live with Andy?" She asked quietly.
Zay scoffed. "Of course he does, don't worry. But they made an agreement, every other weekend he stays with his parents." He explained.

"For how long?" She asked.

"About 6 months. They got out at the beginning of last school year. They only had a two year sentence and didn't even serve that all the way, got 200 hours of community service. But Chandler wanted them to be apart of his life again, so they started with visits until eventually the court deemed them trustworthy enough to be alone with him." Zay explained further.

"So it's like joint custody...are they any better?" Laura asked again, she was full of questions and didn't really care if she was being annoying.

"I think so. I mean, there's obviously still alcohol in their house because how else would he have gotten it? Anyway I don't think Will drinks near as much, he always seems nice when I go over there. His mom too. I've only been over there like twice though. We don't really hang out much when he's there." Zay answered.

"Well yeah, plus they're not gonna beat their son in front of his best friend. Where do they live?" Laura started biting her nails anxiously.

"In that trailer park down the road from school. You're not going over there though, right? Go see Andy, you know him at least." Zay shrugged and sat back down.

"I...I can't believe he's in Juvie. That's not like him at all..." Laura hesitantly sat down next to him.

"It kind of is, though. What did you think I meant by he's different? He's always doing something stupid, he's still my best friend and all but I can't do some of the stuff he thinks is "fun", you know?" Zay said, using air quotes.

"Like what?" Laura asks cautiously.

"I don't know, it's like...it's like he wants to see how much he can get away with. Stealing from gas stations, drawing on desks with sharpies, taking money out of his dad's wallet, stuff like that. But what really got him was selling his ADHD medicine to a kid behind the bleachers." Zay explained.

Laura thought about that. She had a hard time imagining Chandler, the boy who wore his heart on his sleeve and went out of his way to help others acting this way.

"I-I don't believe this..." She muttered.

Zay sighed. "Well, believe it. Look, I really think you should stay away from Chandler. I-I know y'all had something really special and I hate to say this because he is my best friend but...I think you're gonna get hurt." He warned. Laura shook her head.

"I don't know if I can do that..." She started.

"Laura, the boy you knew is dead and gone okay? He's not the same person." Zay insisted.

"So? Your still friends with him." Laura argued.

Zay sighed.

"Being friends is different than dating. I can be there for him without getting all mixed up in his new lifestyle, it'd be pretty difficult to do if you were as close with him as you were before." He explained. Laura thought about this for a moment.

"Well you gotta come with me to Andy's at least." She stood up. Zay sighed. "Whatever, but I warned you." He said and stood up.

As they made their way to Andy's house, Laura was getting more and more nervous. She loved Andy and Payton too, in like a 'Future in laws" way.

When they finally get there, Payton is sitting on the porch writing in her notebook.

Laura notices that she looks older, and her curly red hair is now longer and done in two French braids. She looks up and doesn't recognize immediately.

"Hey Payton, look who's back." Zay motioned towards Laura.

Then, Payton seemed to realize. "Laura?" She exclaimed excitedly and stood up. Laura smiled. "What, did you think I was gonna stay gone?" She asked and Payton hugged her. Laura noticed she was a good bit taller.

"Are you moving back?" She asked and pulled away from Laura, who smiled. "Yep. Ohio sucked, couldn't stay there forever." She said.

Payton looked relieved.

"That's good. Maybe you can straighten Chandler out, dad can't seem to. You know where he is? Juvie! I told him to stop being such a brat but look where not listening got him." She rolled her eyes.

Laura fake smiled and looked at Zay, who shrugged as if to say, "told ya."

Suddenly, the front door opened to reveal a very tired looking Andy. "Zay? What are you...Laura?" Andy's tired eyes looked ready to pop out of his head when he noticed her.

Laura smiled and hugged Andy. "How have you been?" She asked as they pulled away. Andy smiled in disbelief.

"Uh, well worn out. How have you been?" He asked. Laura laughed.

"Lonely and bored." She answered. Andy smiled.

"Listen uh...Chandler, he's not..." Andy couldn't find the words to tell her. "She knows, I told her." Zay said. Laura's smile faded on the subject of Chandler.

"Things have definitely changed over the course of two years." She said sadly.

Andy nodded. "Yeah. This isn't an excuse but, he does have a lot on his plate right now. He just needs to get a grip on his anger." He said.

Laura sighed and nodded.

Ok so it may seem confusing for them to keep saying 2 years ago when freshman year to senior year seems like a 3 year gap,  but the last book ended the summer before their sophomore year and this takes place the very beginning of their senior year, so it's more like 2 years and some change. Just wanted to explain that!