Sacrifice for a Dream

Chapter 18

"Hi, sweetheart!" Anne's voice seemed so far away. I didn't realize how much I missed her until I heard her voice. Tears pricked my eyes and I tried to sniff them back.

"Hi Mom," I told her without thinking. When I first moved into Anne and Gerald's house Anne had told me when I was ready, I could call her mom, but Gerald had put his foot down. I knew it hurt Anne that I wasn't allowed to call her mom.

"Well, if I knew sending you away to school would get you to call me that, I would have sent you a long time ago!" she laughed but I could hear the sadness in her voice.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but it's taking me a little while longer to finish everything before I can bring you home," she told me. I could hear the pain bleeding through her voice.

"I understand." I missed her so much.

"Are you making any friends? Fala and her dad seemed nice." Her words this time were full of hope.

"Actually I am. Fala, and her sister Mika. Talon and Hawk, who are part of their tribe. Also, there are these five other boys. Everyone calls them the Lost Boys."

"That's amazing, Wren. I'm so proud of you!" Anne said enthusiastically. "Are you liking your classes? Who is your favorite teacher?"

"Some are better than others, Ms. Stacey my math teacher is my favorite even though I do not like math."

Anne laughed; she knew better than anyone how much I disliked math. "I think everything should be taken care of before Christmas. I've already got the apartment and your new school has saved you a spot. You'll start at the beginning of next semester. Theresa helped me with your adoption papers and I'm just getting everything packed up and ready to go. I thought I could pick you up on December 21nd, it's the Saturday after the semester ends which means you won't miss any classes."

I glanced up and saw the worried expressions of the Lost Boys, but Phoenix nodded.

"That sounds good, mom. I'll make sure to have my bags packed. My heart hurt thinking of leaving them, but I also missed Anne.

"I know we discussed you coming home for the weekends, but I'm trying to save money for the move. Would you mind if you stayed at school until I come to get you? Mr. Acorn, Fala's dad say you can come stay with them anytime."

"Yeah Mom, that's fine. I understand." I told her, I missed her so much but at the same time, I was happy that I'd get to spend some more time with the Lost Boys until I had to leave them forever.

"You're such a good girl, Wren. I'm so proud of you, you didn't grow under my heart, but you most definitely grew in it!"

I smiled at her words. "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too, Wren, don't forget to call me. I miss hearing your voice."

With those parting words, I disconnected the call. Tears were streaming down my face. I hadn't realized how home sick I was. At least, I was home sick for Anne.

The boys held me quietly while I cried. When I was done, Saint asked "How long have you been with your current foster parents?"

"Since I was 9, so around 7 years." I blew my nose into a tissue Stone handed me.

"How come they are only adopting you now?" Legend asked quietly.

"Anne is adopting me, she's also getting a divorce from Gerald, my foster father. Gerald didn't want to adopt me. He said I was retarded and that he'd only adopt a normal baby."

All the boys stiffened. I wondered if they realized how connected they were, sometimes I even noticed that they moved together like synchronized swimmers.

"Did he ever hurt you?" Stone picked up my hand and held it in his. He traced each of my fingers with one of his own fingertips.

"No," I assured them all, "he just liked to yell a lot and call me names. He always thought I was breaking something, or I was going to steal something. Some nights he would just sit in my room. My room used to be the guest room, there was another bed next to mine. I would wake up and he'd be starting at me. I asked him why and he told me he was making sure I didn't get up in the middle of the night to steal things. It made me feel uncomfortable, but he didn't hurt me."

Stone stared at Phoenix, and they had a silent conversation I was not privy to.

Luck and Legend jumped up and surprised me, "You know what this means?!"

I nodded, "I will be here until the day of the Winter Solstice."

Luck spoke, "Well yes, but it also means that you can go to the dance!"

"Absolutely not!" Phoenix shook his head adamantly. "She needs to stay here, where we can protect her."

"Aww, c'mon Phe! The girl's never been to a dance before," Legend pleaded

"I can't," I told them, I did really want to go. "I don't have a dress or a date." I didn't know a lot about teen social customs or how to navigate them but from all the books I read, those two were a must.

"Mika can get you a dress, she has tons," Stone smiled.

"I said no!" Phoenix tried to speak louder than everyone else, but he was outnumbered.

"And you can go to the dance with me," Saint said shyly.

"Hey wait a minute!" Luck crossed over to Saint and punched him in the shoulder. "I just thought of the perfect plan! She should go with me and Legend!"

The noise continued to get louder and louder. I was feeling over stimulated, and Phoenix gave a loud whistle attracting everyone's attention. "If she does decide she wants to go, we will all go with her as her dates."

"Is that normal?" I asked Phoenix, he knew more about navigating this school and its social norms than I did.

"Do you care about being 'normal'?"

"Well, no, but I also don't want to get in trouble."

All the Lost Boys started roaring with laughter, except Stone who just smirked. Stone tried to assure me, "you will not get in trouble. I promise, Wren."

I thought about all my options. I did not know when I'd get another chance to experience being a teenager. At my last school, no boys ever spoke to me, let another paid me this much attention. "I'd like to go."

All the boys had soft smiles on their faces, even Phoenix, but his smile looked slightly forced. His mask cracked, peeking out underneath was fear.

Saint called Fala and Mika and told them of our plans. They invited me over the following day try on dresses and have dinner with their family.