Turner's Camp For Troubled Teens

Chapter 16: Kerosene

Read with caution: Death, pyromania, and assault. This chapter describes Rory Mansten's backstory in vivid detail! It's also the second last chapter. Enjoy <3 

Rory

Nostalgia hit Rory like an ocean as they finally arrived at the bus station and she spotted her gorgeous, blue camaro parked amongst the other cars. She wanted to jump out of the bus and melt into the leather seats, playing Metallica as she left the rest of the people at the station in her dust. Their last image of her could be her middle finger. But, as much as she wanted to, she couldn't. Rory had to wait for Turner to assess her as 'cured' before she was allowed to so much as move a single toe out of his sight.

When the bus came to a shaky stop, Rory was the first one up. She raced towards the doors and stepped out onto the dusty, sand covered ground. Heat hit her the moment she exited the bus, yet it didn't stop her from moving amongst the crowd of parents to get to her car. She ran her hand over the hot metal, checking to see if the paint job was fine. She didn't want some fucking kid to tag it. Luckily, the car was completely fine, despite the fact it had been sitting in a shitty car park for weeks. There wasn't even a crack in her windows.

Rory unlocked the car after fishing the keys out of her bra, and sank into the burning leather seat. Heat radiated off the car, dust swirled in the air, and it smelled suspiciously like burnt plastic, but for the first time in a while, Rory felt at home. She found a pack of cigarettes in her glove box and chain smoked as she watched the other kids getting off the bus to greet their parents. It was a little sad, actually, as she watched their parents hug them and kiss them as if they hadn't seen their kids three weeks ago. While they had loving parents and adorable siblings to greet them, Rory had a car. A shitty car she had won in a bet.

Suddenly, somebody slid into the seat next to her and interrupted her thoughts. Rory looked up to see Roxanne fucking Farings sitting beside her, hot and sweaty from the sun that was beating down on them.

"Hey," Roxy said.

"Get out," Rory replied. She reached over and opened the door. "I don't want to speak with – what is that?" Her eyes fell down to Roxanne's lap, where a folder sat neatly. Her name was clearly printed on the front. So, Rory thought. She's finally read it. She voiced her thoughts to Roxy, who nodded and closed the door again.

"Well, I..." The girl trailed off, as if unsure to say. Rory decided to speak for her.

"You read it, and you're saying that you don't want to ever let it get out that you dated me. Not only am I a girl, but I'm an insane one at that, one who accidentally burned a man alive. I get it. I'm trying really hard to get over you, Farings, but I can't do that if you keep showing up and getting in my personal space. So..." She let out a deep sigh and turned away from those big, brown, doe eyes. "Get out of my car."

"No," Roxy said. "Not that. We need to talk."

"I'm busy."

"You're clearly not."

"I clearly am. I'm busy trying to decide whether I should blow up the bus, or–" Rory directed her gaze towards the building itself. "–Light up the shelter, where there are a bunch of people. So, unless you want to be part of a list of names that get mentioned on channel seven tonight underneath the headline tragedy at bus station, get the fuck out my car."

"I want to hear your side of the story!" Roxy said quickly, which stopped Rory in her tracks. With a sigh, Rory leaned back against the seat and took a long drag of her cigarette. The smoke filled her lungs and she welcomed it, craving the burn of tobacco and the calmness the nicotine supplied. She wanted to cry. But she didn't.