by Ava O'Shay
“No relatives?”
“Nope.”
“Father?” Abbey questioned.
“Sure, there’s one somewhere, but never met him. My brother and I are wards of the state. My grandma took us in, but my mom gave up rights years ago.”
“Where’s your grandmother?”
“Dead.”
“Well then. We’ll need the number and name of your case worker.”
“Was Quill arrested? He was looking out for me. It’s my fault…”
Abbey held up a hand. “I think this whole thing will end up being a wash. I’ll see what I can find out. Write your case workers name and number down and we’ll get things moving. You can stay in the waiting room until your case worker shows.” Abbey cocked her head to the side, directing her to a row of plastic chairs.
Ren decided on an orange chair next to a small, fake-wood table. Settling in, she closed her eyes and pulled her knees into her chest.
She’d just dozed off when she felt the chair next to her dip, then a hand reach out and touch her shoulder. She shot out of her chair, tripping over her feet, before focusing on the person sitting next to where she’d just been.
Her lab partner.
Jolin
Monday, October, 27
6:30 p.m.
He jumped when the house phone rang. The phone never rang. Everyone called on his cell. He wasn’t sure if he should answer it. Unlike his cell, there was no caller ID. He had no idea who was calling. Jolin stared at the phone for two more rings before he decided to chance it and pick it up.
“Hello?”
No one said anything.
“Hello?” he tried again.
“Jolin?” It was his mom.
“Mom? Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you at work?”
Yes. Just a minute.” A scratchy noise came over the phone as she covered the receiver with her hand. Her muffled voice was talking to someone.
“Jo? I’m back,” she said. “Where are you?”
“I’m home. You called me here. What’s wrong?” He was freaking out.
“Oh. That’s right. I couldn’t get you on your cell. I wanted to let you know Ren was here.” Her voice was hushed. She wasn’t supposed to tell when people came through the ER.
“Just a minute.” She muffled the phone, but he heard someone telling her someone was being released in the next hour.
“Is she okay?” His stomach was in knots.
“All I can tell you is she was here with the police, and they released her and took her back to the station. I thought you might want to know. I got to go.” And she hung up.
“Holy shit,” he said to no one. Jolin grabbed his keys and headed downtown to the police station. Breaking a few laws getting there. Akeo told him to open his eyes…well, they were wide open now and Akeo was right…Ren “having a lot going on” was an understatement.
When he found her, she was wrapped in a ratty blanket and huddled in a bright orange chair. There were a few other people waiting in various corners of the room, but everyone kept to themselves. He was relieved to see she didn’t need to be bailed out. He took a deep breath and walked over. Settling into the chair next to her, he lightly touched her shoulder. Her head was balancing against the wall, eyes closed, but as soon as his hand made contact, she shot out of the chair, tripping over her untied boots. The Ren who stood in front of him was not the Ren he’d seen the past few weeks. Her hair was stringy and looked like it had air dried in an awkward position, a chunk had been cut short and close to her head. She had absolutely no makeup up on and was wearing basketball shorts and a white tank top covered in dried blood and no bra. Her face was bruised and blood splattered across her cheek and down her bandaged arms.
The pressure in his chest made breathing difficult. She looked broken. The sassy, strong girl who frustrated and confused the hell out of him was an empty shell. His gaze dropped to floor then back up to Ren’s. She was broken. Whatever happened tonight had taken down all her defenses. His heart ached for her. Mentally he conceded….he was throwing up his hands in defeat. He couldn’t suppress his feelings anymore. He needed Ren in his life. He needed to protect her from whatever was pulling her down.
Ren took a deep breath and wrapped her arms tightly across her chest.
“You okay?” It was obvious she wasn’t but it seemed like the right thing to say.
“Why are you here?” She was so vulnerable, Jolin wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let her go.
He shrugged. “I’m your lab partner.”
Ren gave him a smug smile. “Does that include bailing me out of jail?”
“I didn’t know you needed bailing out. I thought you might need a ride.”
Ren shook her head back and forth and returned to her chair. “I can’t leave until our case worker gets here. They’re holding Quill for assault.”
Jolin ran a hand over his hair. “Did he? Did he do this to you?” His voice was rough with emotion. He’d asked her before if it was Quill. He kicked himself for not stepping in sooner. If Quill hit her Jolin was going to beat his ass as soon as he was free.
Ren shook her head again. “No. Quill was protecting me. It got out of hand.”
“That’s an understatement.”
Ren gave him a nasty look. “We all can’t live in happyland.”
“You greatly misrepresent my life.”
“As do you, mine.” Ren pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. “How did you know I was here?”
“My mom called. She was at the hospital when you came through. She thought you might need someone.” Jolin risked it and reached out and to touch her arm. “I know you think I’m a stalker, but I’m not. I like being around you and your shitty attitude.”
“You just want…”
Jolin cut her off. “I don’t want anything. I stopped you at my house….before…because it isn’t supposed to be that way with us. I get it now.”
Ren raised an eyebrow. “You get what.”
“My stutter. When I’m wrapped up in stupid stuff. Worried about things I have no control over, my words get jumbled. When I’m with you, I get out of my head and worry about you. I get it. All this shit going on at the high school? That’s all it is…shit. It isn’t important. You’re important.”
Ren snorted. “I know how the world works and I know my place in it. I’m the one sitting in a police station… while my mom and her asshole… if they hadn’t had drugs in their pockets, would be sitting in my house partying. This whole fucking day has turned into my problem. I had everything under control until she came back.”
“I’m beginning to think we never have anything under control. My life went to shit with one play in a football game.”
Ren glared at him. “Mine went to shit the day I was born.” She got up and went over to a table with a crusty coffee maker.
“Why do you have a case worker?” Jolin finally asked.
Ren poured some coffee into a paper cup and turned around. Her posture was stiff. It looked like she was getting ready for a fight. “Quill and I were taken away from my mom off and on since we were eight. She signed her rights away when we were about twelve. We are wards of the state. When you screw up, they call your parents. When we screw up, they call the State Department of Kids that have been Screwed Over.”
Serenity
Monday, October 27
7:00 p.m.
When Quill calmed down, the police agreed to release him. Their social worker had to come in and sign a release, since even though their mom was back, she wasn’t a legal guardian. Jolin waited patiently in the waiting room while they went through the paperwork.
Quill and Ren sat next to each other in a cold room too small for the size of table it housed. He had yet to look at her. She knew he was pissed she didn’t tell the police what actually happened.
“I hoped things would be okay with you two after your grandma died. I hadn’t heard anything and the school said your
grades are staying up.” Betty, the case worker, flipped through a thick folder that held Quill’s information. An equally thick folder with Ren’s name sat beside it.
“It was. It is. It was a misunderstanding,” Ren said quickly. She felt Quill’s gaze bore into her.
“You don’t agree?” Betty addressed Quill’s look.
“Everything’s fine,” he finally muttered.
“I wonder how the confrontation was between you and Mr. James, yet it appears Ren somehow got the worst of it.”
“Caught in the crossfire I guess.” Ren shrugged. Ren snuck a look at Quill. His knuckles were split open from punching the man’s face, and he had a swollen lip from the one lame punch the guy had gotten in. They had to make a united front otherwise the system would move them into another foster home. Or more likely a group home. Neither of which they wanted.
“Quill. Mr. James has decided not to press charges. He accepts it was a misunderstanding.” She sighed. “The two of you are almost eighteen. I’d like to get you there without having to put you back in the system. I’ll sign you out. But understand I’m here to help you. I can’t do that if you aren’t telling me everything. I don’t like that you have let your mother back in the house.”
“We didn’t really have a choice,” Ren mumbled.
The case worker looked from Quill to Ren then sighed again when they didn’t offer any more information. “Okay, you guys can go.”
Quill stood up fast, his chair hit the wall behind him, but he couldn’t get out of the room until Ren moved. Her chair and the table boxed him in. He stared her down. Slowly, she looked up at him. Ren’s lip trembled, and her eyes brimmed with tears but they wouldn’t fall. She didn’t cry. “I thought he was…”
“Fuck,” Quill said under his breath before he grabbed Ren by the shoulders and pulled her into a hug. “I know.” Was all he said before guiding her out of the room.
Jolin jumped up when he saw them coming.
“Why is he here?” Quill growled.
“He’s my lab partner?”
“What?” He clenched his teeth and directed the question to Jolin. “Why are you here?”
Ren turned and placed her hands on Quill’s chest. “He’s okay.”
Quill shook his head then pushed past her to get to Jolin. “Daniel.” He nodded.
Jolin nodded back. “Quill.”
“You here for her?” Quill challenged.
“One hundred percent.”
Quill raised an eyebrow, his expression mirrored the expression Ren gave him so often. “Don’t fucking use her, or I’ll kick your ass.”
“Never.”
Quill moved closer, lowering his voice, “Take care of her.”
“I’m trying to, but she’s not easy to convince.”
“Don’t give up on her. She doesn’t think she deserves to be treated with respect.”
“Shut up, Quill,” Ren snapped.
Jolin smiled at her. “I’m hoping to wear her down.”
Quill patted Jolin on the shoulder. “Let’s blow this place.” Quill led the way out the door.
They’d been at the police station for hours and it was dark by the time they left. Ren called work and told Natalie she wouldn’t be in. She checked her watch. She could still make it, but didn’t have the energy to even think about work. Jolin waved his hand out to encourage her to go through the door.
No one spoke in the car. Quill’s energy bounced around and she knew the minute they got home, he would get in his car and either go to his mystery girlfriend’s house or a party. Although it was a week day, so a party might be hard to find. Either way, he was going to get stoned or drunk.
That’s what he did. Bailed on her when she needed him most.
When Jolin pulled into the driveway, Quill hoped out. Ren ran after him. “Quill.”
He stopped, but didn’t turn around. The cold bit into her bare skin. She’d left the blanket lying in the car.
“Quill don’t go.” She touched his arm, but he moved away.
He turned around and ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I get it. I know why you lied, and I know you had to. But our life sucks and it isn’t fair he’s going to get away with it. It isn’t fair you have to live like this.”
“Life isn’t supposed to be fair.” Ren grabbed his shirt sleeve. “Thank you. I know what would have happened if you didn’t show up. If you wouldn’t have been there. Thank you.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. Quill took her in his arms. They were twins, but he was taller than her. He buried his head in her hair. Quill was always quick with hugs and affection. Mom didn’t give love to them, just her boyfriends. Ren tried to make up for it, but physical contact was hard for her.
“I got to go.” His voice was tight. He needed a release, and Ren couldn’t help him.
“Don’t miss school.” She turned on her parent voice.
He waved her off and got in his car. She stood in the middle of the driveway, not sure where to go from there.
“Ren?” Jolin walked up behind her.
She spun around, having forgotten he was there.
“He’s leaving you here alone?” Jolin’s gaze swept over her body covered only in the blood soaked tank. His eyes stopped on her arms.
She pulled her arms around herself trying to conceal her exposed skin, but he’d already seen the scars.
“Jesus, Ren, what happened?” Jolin’s words held a disgust. One she didn’t want to deal with tonight.
Ren looked at her feet, shaking her head, then walked past him toward the house.
Jolin followed. “Hey. Ren.Stop.” He grabbed her, stopping her before she could get in the door and close it in his face. “Ren. You can’t stay here alone. I won’t let you stay here alone”
Her gut clenched at his words. “Go home, Jolin. I’m not in the mood for paying off debts tonight.”
Jolin
Monday, October 27
8:30 p.m.
Her comment confused him at first. Until Brock’s drunken rant at the party connected with their argument in the hallway.
“Shit. Can’t you just accept my help? I don’t want anything from you.” Jolin dropped his hand and walked back down the sidewalk. “Not everyone is a dick.”
Ren stood on the porch, but didn’t take the opportunity to go inside and lock him out, she seemed to waver, not sure what to do.
He turned back to her. “I don’t want to …” He didn’t know how to finish the sentence.
Ren closed her eyes. Her shoulders slumped.
He knew she wanted him to go. To leave her to figure out what to do next. But his feet wouldn’t take him out of her driveway. He wanted to be the one person who wouldn’t desert her.
“You could come in for a little while. Just until I…” she whispered.
“I’ll stay as long as you need me.” Jolin walked past her into the house.
It was a disaster.
“I’d like to say it doesn’t usually look like this but I’d be lying. I stay upstairs.” Ren walked past him.
He followed her, looking back over his shoulder at the mess. There were food cartons and beer cans everywhere, and what he guessed was the remnants of drugs.
Ren went a few steps down the hall and turned into a room. Across the hall was the bathroom. The tile floor was splattered with water and blood. Smears of hand prints were across the wall.
“Scene of the crime?” he asked, cocking his head back at the bathroom.
Ren grabbed the sweatshirt Jolin loaned her and pulled her arms through the sleeves, covering the speckling of scars and bandages exposed by her tank top. She shrugged at him. “Sorry I didn’t have time to clean up.”
She ran her fingers through her hair and tied it in a messy ponytail. The chunk that had been sheared off hung loose in her eyes, too short to reach the band holding the rest of her hair. She kicked off her boots and sat on the bed, pulling her legs into her body while leaning against the wall. “Go ahead and ask.” She yawned.
; “Ask what?” Jolin leaned against the door frame trying to keep a safe distance. He wasn’t sure where solid ground was between them.
She waved her hand. “For some reason you’ve been pulled into the shit that comprises my life. I owe you for that. Go ahead. Free questions.”
He shook his head. “You don’t owe me. That’s what lab partners do. It’s like written in the handbook. Page fifty-four I think.” He brought his hand to his chin, tapping it in thought. “Yep article seven.”
Ren’s tiny smile inched at her mouth.
“Are you hungry?”
Ren relaxed and the smile he’d been waiting for finally came. Her eyes were sad, but it was a start.
“Wait, second question. Please tell me you don’t like fruit on your pizza.”
“That isn’t a question.” She giggled a little.
He was in trouble. Any doubt he could keep himself from falling hopelessly in love with this girl was mute. It was too late. She had a hold on his heart and it scared the shit out of him.
“Still requires an answer, so I think it can loosely be defined as a question.” He teased, pulling out his phone. “My treat. What do you want?”
“I’m not really hungry.” She snuggled her feet under the blanket on the bed. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, showing her exhaustion. He couldn’t help himself and moved across the room to where she sat. Her gaze met his, her eyes held so much emotion it tore at his heart. He crawled onto the bed and pulled her into his arms. Pushing her head to his chest, he stroked her back, rocking slightly. At first her body was stiff and tight, but the longer he held her, the more relaxed she became, finally melting into his side. Jolin scooted up and leaned against the wall, pulling her tighter into the crook of his arm, resting his chin on her head.
“So, I’m your stutter cure?” she mumbled into his chest.
“I guess. For some reason my head relaxes around you. Well not always…” He shifted uncomfortably as the thought of their first study date crept back into his head. “You distract me.”
She snuggled into him, her body starting to shake. He didn’t stop his hand from drawing circles on her back. He was afraid if he changed anything, she would pull away. She wasn’t making a sound, but black dots from her tears were appearing down the front of his sweatshirt.
