An Ocean of Bad Blood

Chapter 1: Court Dates

Sometimes you have to forget what you feel
and remember what you deserve

"Do it and I swear on Satan's ass I'll slit your throat," I shout frustrated banging my fist on the dashboard.

"Relax babe, I got this. All fun," he assures and I roll my eyes, crossing my arms. He turns on the engine slowly pulling out of parallel parking.

"Just wait it out you impatient fuck. You're going to get me locked up. This is my last chance," I remind him, looking out the window. There's a cop car a few yards down from us.

"Not when I'm driving," he smirks, pulling out of the parking spot. Almost immediately as he starts driving down the road bright blue and red lights flash.

"Motherfucker," he curses, starting to speed up.

"You think," I sigh, sinking back into the seat. It's going to be a long one.

•••

"We've done everything for you and this is how you repay us. We fed you, bathed you, clothed you and saved you out of that goddamn crackhouse," Ben yells at me as I sit at the kitchen table.

"I didn't ask you to save me Benjamin!," I shout back.

"Honey we just asked you to stay out of trouble and get good grades. We didn't ask for much. Don't argue with your father," Kelly says softly and I roll my eyes.

"You aren't my parents!," I scream at the top of my lungs. I feel like I'm going to pass out.

"Well where are they?," Ben shouts and I quickly wipe a tear that falls. No tears, no fear.

"They're coming to get me," I say calmly. I take in a few deep breaths trying to calm down.

"Well in the meantime we think you should take a look at this. It's this or jail time. Please," Kelly puts down a pamphlet on the table in front of me. Ben and Kelly then walk out the room.

I'm Charm Finely. Well not actually Finely. I was forced to get my last name changed when I got adopted. Apparently my parents are "dangerous" people and led my sister and I to getting kidnapped. Luckily I got to keep my name. Charmainley but I go by Charm. They found me and put me into the foster system. I guess I was lucky enough to get adopted. By Ben and Kelly.

I got in trouble again. Not my fault my boyfriend, well, ex-boyfriend now, wanted to go joyriding. I told him to wait it out but he doesn't listen. I got charged. Again. This time they're really threatening to send me to juvy. I mean I've been for a few months. Looks better than this bullshit camp I see in the pamphlet.

Camp Thalassophile. Thalassophile means a lover of sea, someone who loves the sea, ocean. Don't know what the hell that has to do with a camp for "bad" kids.

"Hey honey," Kelly softly says walking back in. She puts her hands on my shoulders rubbing them and I sigh loudly throwing the pamphlet.

"How long in Juvie?," I ask.

"Ch-,"

"How long," I repeat cutting her off. I don't think I can handle a camp with people trying to change me.

"Could be 10 months to two years," she answers. I let out a loud groan rubbing my face with my hands. "The camp will only be till the end of the school year. You know we told you to stay out of trouble," she sighs.

"Where's the fun in that," I joke. Crickets. "Fine I'll go to the stupid camp," I mumble.

"If they let you. Mr. Curto is going to try and argue for it," she explains and I nod. Mr. Curto is my lawyer. He's been for the past few years I've gotten in trouble.