Chapter 11
Hal drove a little faster than I would have liked but got us there in one piece thank god, the downside to that was my father had set up a parked car with cops in it to apprehend me no doubt. Lucky for me I know this neighborhood and my house far better than they do.
Sneaking around to the back of the house was child's play and avoiding them using the different trees and bushes was even easier. Three different times I was close enough to reach out a touch the cops patrolling around my house without them ever knowing it.
Timing the climb up the tree in the backyard and climbing out on the branch to the window was a bit more tricky but I managed it in the end, I wasn't sure how I was going to get three huge boxes of stuff past them when I wanted to leave but I figured that I would worry about that later.
When I crawled into my room it was a disaster area, it looked like a full blown tornado hit and there was no survivors, most of my stuff wrecked beyond salvation even the stuff that had been thrown into boxes so I figured it best to grab my spare backpack and fill it with whatever matter to me most, I grabbed three of my favorite outfits, a music box my grandma gave me when I was two and all the money I had hid.
Giving a last look at the room I had called my own for so long I said goodbye and then jumped out the window towards the branch and the start of a brand new life, it was strange that even with all the bad things I felt today I wasn't sad any longer instead I was angry and one way or another I won't get some payback.
During my journey back to the car I noticed that it wasn't so much that I was great at sneaking around but rather the officers didn't seem to really want to find me. I could swear that more than once different officers looked straight at me and chose to ignore the fact I was there. Maybe they didn't like my dad anymore than I did, was I the only one he had fooled this whole time?
Trudging up to the car I could feel the exhaustion of the day wearing on me finally had I not ate that powerbar I would have probably been dead on my feet already. I made a mental note that I had to thank Greg for that when I got the chance.
Hal opened the door for me as I can to a stop. "Is that little backpack have everything you wanted?"
"It's all I cared to take." I answered sliding into the passenger seat.
"Having a rough night I hear." An unfamiliar voice said startling me.
"Jesus!" I cried out. "Who the hell are you?"
"A friend who is about to do you a favor. I'm Hal's cousin Jordan." He answered holding out a hand for me to shake.
"Thank you for helping me." I said shaking his hand.
"No problem, I'm a sucker for a damsel in distress." He laughed leaning back as Hal got in.
"Okay you crazy kids where to?" Hal asked like he was chaperoning us.
"I would suggest the motel 6 on Coors just off the freeway that way you can pay for two nights at a cheap rate and it is right by West Mesa so you can get to school easy, plus Hal told me you work at the McDonalds right there so it'll be easy to get to work and back." Jordan suggested.
"One place is as good as another for me." I answered barely able to keep my eyes open.
"Motel 6 it is." Hal said speeding down the freeway.
The next thing I knew strong arms were laying me down in a soft bed and pulling blankets over me.
"Did you get her all tucked in?" Jordan voice questioned from the doorway.
"Yeah and I put her stuff over there on the dresser with a note and an alarm clock." Hal answered tucking me in a little more. "Sleep tight Alex."
The next morning the blazing sound of the alarm clock woke me up to find out that it wasn't some nightmare I had but instead my life really happened last night in the worst way. Dragging myself out of the bed I headed straight for the shower hoping to shake the grogginess of morning.
Forty minutes later I was dressed and ready for the school day even though hundreds of things weighed on my mind. Walking over to the dresser in the room I found a piece of paper on the floor and that's when I remembered in my daze I had heard Hal say something about leaving a note.
The letter read:
Dear Alex,
I know that right now it seems like things can never be good or right in your life again, but trust me it will, this is just a big bump or pot hole on the road of life. Take it on faith that things will workout and I knowhow that sounds and I am more than well aware of your stand point on God, but just this once for me, for yourself, believe that everything happens for a reason and remember that no matter what you will never be alone. I am always here for you when you need?no matter how annoying you get!
Love always,
Hal.
I couldn't help but smile knowing that he was there pulling for me, he was right I wasn't much for faith but I figured what could it hurt?
So for the first time since I was five years old I got down on my knees and closed my eyes. "God, if you are up there, it's me Alex. I know it's been a long time since we talked and I'm probably not even your favorite person unless it's for a punching bag, but please can you help me out?"
I waited for some kind of sign to happen but of course nothing happened so I got up off the floor and grabbed my stuff before cussing under my breath when I saw the time. "I tried and this is what I get?"
With everything going on I had forgotten that I was supposed to be at school early for detention for the next month, the coach was going to love adding punishment to her already unfair sentence I was sure.
I ran to the bus stop after placing the do not disturb sign on the door hoping I would be lucky enough to catch it and save myself the trouble of running the whole way.
As I crossed the parking lot Hal drove up coming to a stop in the street and nearly causing a wreck.
"Sorry! Sorry!" He yelled at the person who served around him while flipping him off. "Whoa, why are you in such a hurry slick?" He yelled at me. "We don't have to be at school for another twenty minutes."
"Maybe you don't but I do, I have detention before and after school." I answered barely noticing the person in the back seat for the first time. "Haile?" I questioned.
"Is it still so difficult for you to call me mom?" She questioned painfully.
"Sorry." I blushed. "Old habits die hard. What are you doing here?"
"I checked myself out of the hospital at six this morning and Hal was kind enough to give me a ride to take care of some stuff today, I had a wonderful talk with his parents and they called and excused him from school. But first we need to do something about this detention situation of yours, what happened exactly?"
I recounted the tale from start to finish making sure that I didn't leave anything out, the whole time I talked Haile patiently listened without interrupting and I realized that she had always been that way. If there was something that bothered me she listened intently waiting for me to finish before saying anything good or bad, this time when I finished a smile spread across her face.
"Hal let's get to the school I'd like to talk with the principal before the bell rings." She grinned.
When we pulled up to the school Hal helped me to get Haile into the wheelchair and push her to the office with everyone whispering and talking in their clicks, I didn't know what to make of it all and probably neither did they.
Pulling into the office everyone froze for a moment especially my coach who had a horrified look on her face.
"Can I help you?" The secretary asked.
"Yes you can, please tell principle Higgins that Ms. Holt is here to see him." Haile answered.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but I assure you that he will not have a problem seeing me, just let him know that I am here please." Haile insisted.
Five minutes later the principal walked into the office and came to a stop right in front of my mother. "Haile it is so good to see you outside of the hospital, I'm sorry that I didn't get out to see you more during the time you were there. What can I do for you?"
"Think nothing of it James, I know you are a busy guy. As for
why I'm here perhaps it would be better if we spoke inside your office in private." She answered. "Hal why don't you just go ahead and wait out here this won't take long I'm sure."
"Follow me." James asked leading the way. "So what is this about?"
"Problems with a staff member I'm afraid, it may be prudent if we ask Ms. Laden to join us for the discussion." Haile sighed trying to keep her pain under control.
"This sounds serious." He said rubbing the sides of his head.
"It is." Haile answered.
Stepping back out of the office for a moment James called for the coach to join us, once we had all taken a seat Haile wasted no time. "Ms. Laden what gives you the right to assign detention to my daughter when she did nothing wrong?"
"She mouthed off to me swearing and calling me names!" She replied.
"When did this happen?" The principal demanded.
"Yesterday sir, I called Alex in to let her know that her father agreed to have her replaced as class president and cheer captain." She answered.
"Without going through me?" He questioned in a deadly tone.
The look on Ms. Laden's face said it all, she had screwed up and got caught trying to go around the top dog and now she was going to be bit by that dog she had hoped to fool.
"I didn't want to disturb you with a minor thing that had parental approval." She answered trying to side step punishment.
"So you admit that the principal had no knowledge of this what so ever?" Haile asked.
"Yes but that doesn't mean it can be undone." She answered smugly.
"She is correct Haile, even though you are head of the PTA if it was signed off upon there's not much to do about it." James answered looking disgusted by the words he was having to say.
"I disagree James, I merely asked if you know because I wanted all responsibility solely on her." Haile smiled.
"Responsibility for what doing my job?" Ms. Laden snapped.
"No, for allowing a non parent or guardian to authorize anything concerning my child, if I'm not mistaken that is against the law and punishable by jail time, at the very least you could lose your job." Haile answered.
"What are you talking about her father?"
"As of seven o'clock in the morning yesterday all legal rights had been transferred to me by my ex-husband Richard, so every thing he said, did or signed was done illegally."
"What are your plans?" The principal asked trying not to laugh.
"As she has taken full responsibility for everything, I believe I will be calling my lawyer today and having both her and Richard brought up on charges for this, I'm sure that he'll slither out of it some how he always does but that doesn't protect you Ms. Laden." Haile said with a smile. "Now my dear Alex, what do you say? Care to still be head cheerleader?"
The Life Of Alexandria Drama Of Epic Proportion Page 11
