The next week was spent handling all legal things having to do with Dalton's so called "murder."Andrew insisted that Dalton was very likely to have killed himself, and he also explained how Reed's knife had been taken by Dalton a long time before his death. It wasn't exactly that easy. There were lots of things that had to go through with the court. It was very boring and tiring.
Then one day while we were at the court, Ms. Greener showed up. My eyes widened and I tried to hide behind Carmine, but it was no use.
"Hello Harley," she said in that tone of voice that said you're in deep shit, young lady.
"Um, hi," I said nervously. She looked at me with a resentful expression. "So..." I said, trying to avoid an awkward silence. "How's Gail?" She sighed.
"Harley, you know I can send you back there anytime I want," she said.
"No!" I said, sounding like a three year old complaining.
"Why would she come back if we hurt her?" Nikolai intervened. Ms. Greener pursed her lips. Win. She stalked off to her seat. Then a security man brought Reed in. He still wore the orange suit, and was handcuffed. I wanted so badly to run over to him and hug him! I hadn't seen him in almost four months! Just the sight of him made me excited, and my eyes watered from joy. He didn't so much as look at me as he took his seat towards the front of the court.
***
"...Mr. Cameron is not responsible for Dalton Collins' death. Case dismissed," the judge said, and hit the table with his hammer. I felt like I could finally breathe again. Everyone stood up to leave, and I had to fight my way through the crowd to get to Reed. I hugged him before the security guard had even gotten his handcuffs off.
"Whoa!" he said, stumbling back. "Hey there!" he said. His voice sounded worn out, it lost that happy, carefree tone. I took a step back so the handcuffs could be taken back. I studied Reed's face. He had dark circles under his eyes, and even though he was smiling, he seemed to be putting up an awfully large effort to keep it that way. Once the handcuffs were off, I pulled all four of us into a giant group hug. Nikolai ruffled Reed's hair.
"I knew you were innocent, kid," he said. I raised an eyebrow, but didn't make any comment.
"It's good to have ya back, bro," Carmine said.
We went home, and Reed went straight to the couch. He sighed contently, rolling onto his back and closing his eyes.
"Just let 'em sleep. I'm sure a jail cell isn't that comfortable, even compared to that couch," Nikolai said. Him and Carmine began making an extra big dinner to celebrate Reed coming home. I went over to the couch, and sat on the floor. I put my hand on Reed's wrist.
"Can I get you anything?" I asked softly.
"Uh, could you get me a glass of water?" he mumbled. I patted his hand and got up. When I came back, I carefully gave him the glass. He sat up, wincing as if he was really sore. "Thanks," he said, taking the glass from my hands. He didn't like he was up for conversation, so I left.
"I love you," I whispered before I went to my room.
When I got in my room, I closed the door behind me and locked it. I stood in the middle of my nearly empty room, breathing in the cool air. I didn't know what to feel. On the one hand, I had my whole life back. I had my brothers, and they were ok. But that wasn't exactly great. I also got back the fighting, the guns, the gangs, the hate and crime that filled my neighborhood. This place was like a warzone sometimes. It hurt to feel like I had to put my guard up again, when it had taken so long to let it down. I also lost my sisters, Gail who was practically my mother, and my friends, and the love and warmth of where I had been living the past couple of months. That night, I cried myself to sleep.
Whether they were tears of joy or sadness, I don't know.
The next morning, I dragged my lazy ass out to the breakfast table, and got myself a bowl of cold cereal. I ate absentmindedly, only snapping back to reality for a couple seconds from sounds outside. Then there was a knock on the door. I watched it intently, not even thinking to get it. Nikolai sighed and opened it.
"Umm... may I help you?" he asked. I heard some murmurs, but I couldn't tell who it was. I couldn't even bring myself to be curious. "She's right here," I heard him whisper. Then I heard the running of a bunch of feet.
"Harley!" a familiar voice cried. My eyes snapped up to see Aspen and Jezebel running at me, nearly taking me out of my chair. My heart seemed to fill up so much, I was sure it was going to explode. I hugged them close, then saw Gail holding Bride come in. Behind her followed Scout, and even Trace, Forest, and Bambi! I couldn't believe all these people came to see me!
"You guys!" I shouted. I ran up to them, with Aspen and Jezebel still wrapped around me. We made the biggest group hug probably ever invented. "What are you guys doing here?" I asked.
"Well," Scout began. "After you left, we didn't know where to look. Then yesterday Ms. Greener stopped by and proved the rumors to be true: you did return home. So, we wanted to come and have a formal goodbye... And congratulate you on your brother returning home." I smiled and hugged them all again. Bride squealed.
"So, aren't you gonna introduce us?" Gail asked, gesturing to my brothers. Nikolai stood near the doorway, Carmine in the threshold of the hallway, and Reed looked at us warily from the couch.
"This is Nikolai, Carmine, and Reed," I said, pointing each one out. Then I introduced my foster family, and then my friends. Then before I knew it, Reed was standing behind me, looking everyone over. He seemed so cold and bitter now, I was afraid of what he might say. He looked Gail in the eye.
"You were the one that took my baby sister in?" he asked. Gail nodded. He was silent for a moment, then closed the distance between them and hugged her real quick. "Thank you," he said. "Thanks for taking good care of her."
"It was my pleasure," she said warmly.
Gail and everyone stayed for lunch, and we had an awesome time. It was like having family over for the holidays, or at least what I'd think it's like. We've never had this many people in our house at one time.
I was especially sad when they left. Scout, Forest, Bambi, and Trace hugged me as they left.
"Keep in touch, ok?" Scout asked. I nodded.
"Of course," I told all of them. Aspen hugged my waist, and I heard her sniff. I knelt down, until I was face to face with her. "I promise I'll keep in touch, Aspen." A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I don't want you to go," she sniffed. Her lip trembled, and my eyes filled with tears.
"I know... But it's just the way things are. We can still call each other. Maybe we can visit sometime."
"But I don't want to say goodbye," she whispered.
"Everything happens for a reason. It makes us stronger. You need to be strong, ok?" She nodded. I kissed her forehead, then gave her a big hug. I said goodbye to everyone else, and gave them hugs as well. When they left, once again I felt numb and empty.
"Well that was nice of them to stop by," Nikolai said. I nodded. I went and began cleaning the house, just to give me something to do. I heard Carmine murmur some concerned words to Nikolai, but Nikolai just said I was trying to be helpful.
That night, we all ate separately. We've never really done that before; Nikolai likes dinner to be quality family time. I ate a bowl of macaroni and cheese in my room. I was beginning to fear that my life would never be the same here again.
Then one day while we were at the court, Ms. Greener showed up. My eyes widened and I tried to hide behind Carmine, but it was no use.
"Hello Harley," she said in that tone of voice that said you're in deep shit, young lady.
"Um, hi," I said nervously. She looked at me with a resentful expression. "So..." I said, trying to avoid an awkward silence. "How's Gail?" She sighed.
"Harley, you know I can send you back there anytime I want," she said.
"No!" I said, sounding like a three year old complaining.
"Why would she come back if we hurt her?" Nikolai intervened. Ms. Greener pursed her lips. Win. She stalked off to her seat. Then a security man brought Reed in. He still wore the orange suit, and was handcuffed. I wanted so badly to run over to him and hug him! I hadn't seen him in almost four months! Just the sight of him made me excited, and my eyes watered from joy. He didn't so much as look at me as he took his seat towards the front of the court.
***
"...Mr. Cameron is not responsible for Dalton Collins' death. Case dismissed," the judge said, and hit the table with his hammer. I felt like I could finally breathe again. Everyone stood up to leave, and I had to fight my way through the crowd to get to Reed. I hugged him before the security guard had even gotten his handcuffs off.
"Whoa!" he said, stumbling back. "Hey there!" he said. His voice sounded worn out, it lost that happy, carefree tone. I took a step back so the handcuffs could be taken back. I studied Reed's face. He had dark circles under his eyes, and even though he was smiling, he seemed to be putting up an awfully large effort to keep it that way. Once the handcuffs were off, I pulled all four of us into a giant group hug. Nikolai ruffled Reed's hair.
"I knew you were innocent, kid," he said. I raised an eyebrow, but didn't make any comment.
"It's good to have ya back, bro," Carmine said.
We went home, and Reed went straight to the couch. He sighed contently, rolling onto his back and closing his eyes.
"Just let 'em sleep. I'm sure a jail cell isn't that comfortable, even compared to that couch," Nikolai said. Him and Carmine began making an extra big dinner to celebrate Reed coming home. I went over to the couch, and sat on the floor. I put my hand on Reed's wrist.
"Can I get you anything?" I asked softly.
"Uh, could you get me a glass of water?" he mumbled. I patted his hand and got up. When I came back, I carefully gave him the glass. He sat up, wincing as if he was really sore. "Thanks," he said, taking the glass from my hands. He didn't like he was up for conversation, so I left.
"I love you," I whispered before I went to my room.
When I got in my room, I closed the door behind me and locked it. I stood in the middle of my nearly empty room, breathing in the cool air. I didn't know what to feel. On the one hand, I had my whole life back. I had my brothers, and they were ok. But that wasn't exactly great. I also got back the fighting, the guns, the gangs, the hate and crime that filled my neighborhood. This place was like a warzone sometimes. It hurt to feel like I had to put my guard up again, when it had taken so long to let it down. I also lost my sisters, Gail who was practically my mother, and my friends, and the love and warmth of where I had been living the past couple of months. That night, I cried myself to sleep.
Whether they were tears of joy or sadness, I don't know.
The next morning, I dragged my lazy ass out to the breakfast table, and got myself a bowl of cold cereal. I ate absentmindedly, only snapping back to reality for a couple seconds from sounds outside. Then there was a knock on the door. I watched it intently, not even thinking to get it. Nikolai sighed and opened it.
"Umm... may I help you?" he asked. I heard some murmurs, but I couldn't tell who it was. I couldn't even bring myself to be curious. "She's right here," I heard him whisper. Then I heard the running of a bunch of feet.
"Harley!" a familiar voice cried. My eyes snapped up to see Aspen and Jezebel running at me, nearly taking me out of my chair. My heart seemed to fill up so much, I was sure it was going to explode. I hugged them close, then saw Gail holding Bride come in. Behind her followed Scout, and even Trace, Forest, and Bambi! I couldn't believe all these people came to see me!
"You guys!" I shouted. I ran up to them, with Aspen and Jezebel still wrapped around me. We made the biggest group hug probably ever invented. "What are you guys doing here?" I asked.
"Well," Scout began. "After you left, we didn't know where to look. Then yesterday Ms. Greener stopped by and proved the rumors to be true: you did return home. So, we wanted to come and have a formal goodbye... And congratulate you on your brother returning home." I smiled and hugged them all again. Bride squealed.
"So, aren't you gonna introduce us?" Gail asked, gesturing to my brothers. Nikolai stood near the doorway, Carmine in the threshold of the hallway, and Reed looked at us warily from the couch.
"This is Nikolai, Carmine, and Reed," I said, pointing each one out. Then I introduced my foster family, and then my friends. Then before I knew it, Reed was standing behind me, looking everyone over. He seemed so cold and bitter now, I was afraid of what he might say. He looked Gail in the eye.
"You were the one that took my baby sister in?" he asked. Gail nodded. He was silent for a moment, then closed the distance between them and hugged her real quick. "Thank you," he said. "Thanks for taking good care of her."
"It was my pleasure," she said warmly.
Gail and everyone stayed for lunch, and we had an awesome time. It was like having family over for the holidays, or at least what I'd think it's like. We've never had this many people in our house at one time.
I was especially sad when they left. Scout, Forest, Bambi, and Trace hugged me as they left.
"Keep in touch, ok?" Scout asked. I nodded.
"Of course," I told all of them. Aspen hugged my waist, and I heard her sniff. I knelt down, until I was face to face with her. "I promise I'll keep in touch, Aspen." A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I don't want you to go," she sniffed. Her lip trembled, and my eyes filled with tears.
"I know... But it's just the way things are. We can still call each other. Maybe we can visit sometime."
"But I don't want to say goodbye," she whispered.
"Everything happens for a reason. It makes us stronger. You need to be strong, ok?" She nodded. I kissed her forehead, then gave her a big hug. I said goodbye to everyone else, and gave them hugs as well. When they left, once again I felt numb and empty.
"Well that was nice of them to stop by," Nikolai said. I nodded. I went and began cleaning the house, just to give me something to do. I heard Carmine murmur some concerned words to Nikolai, but Nikolai just said I was trying to be helpful.
That night, we all ate separately. We've never really done that before; Nikolai likes dinner to be quality family time. I ate a bowl of macaroni and cheese in my room. I was beginning to fear that my life would never be the same here again.
"It's nice here. I don't know many people though..." Victor brushed his hair back, smiling again. "Well, by tomorrow, all of the kids at school will wanna be your friend." "Oh..." Jade turned slightly to see the raven haired boy deep in thought. "What is it?" "Hn? Oh, it's nothing. Oh, we're here." The blonde looked up ahead and saw her house. "Really? Cause my house is right there." She pointed, and Victor burst out laughing. "Haha-I live right next to you then..." The blonde looked at the house next to hers. It seemed normal. A little old fashioned, but definitely normal. "Cool! Well, I'll see you tomorrow then?" "Yeah..." The onyx eyed boy took Jade's hand, kissed it lightly, then walked off. "What was that?"
Jade Adams was making her way home when she saw him. The dark haired kid everyone had been talking about earlier today was walking in the same direction she was. "Hey! You're the new kid in school right?" "Hn?" The boy turned around to face Jade, making her heart skip a beat. He had to be one of the most strikingly beautiful people she had ever seen. He was pale, with onyx colored eyes, and jet black hair that hung over his eyes slightly. "H-hi. I'm Jade..." the poor girl was at a loss for words when he flashed his dazzling smile at her. "Hey, I'm Victor." She blushed slightly and readjusted her Slipknot tee over her black skinny jeans. "Soo... what road do you turn onto to get home?" "I turn onto Salem road, what about you?" Victor looked over at her again, scratching his head awkwardly. "Me too! Wanna walk home together?" "Sure!" The blonde girl started walking ahead, leaving Victor o follow. "So, how do you like it here?"