Scattered Leaves (Early Spring 2)

"I had to wake myself first with my alarm clock." she told Alanis. "It's been a long time since I had to get up for school."

"No kidding?" Alanis looked at me and shook her head. "Better get moving. We can't miss the bus. No one is taking us to school," she said dryly. She started to turn, then stopped and smiled. "You wearing a bra?"

"Mrs. Morgan told me to wear it or else she won't let me into her classroom."

"Oh. yeah? Well, we don't want to upset Mrs. Morgan."

"It's very nice of you to look after her, Alanis." Great-aunt Frances said. "You're like a big sister. My sister never had the patience. She once left me alone after school and I waited and waited until a teacher saw me crying in a corner. My father was very upset with her. I was only seven!"

"How sad," Alanis said, but didn't sound really sad about it. "C'mon."

I picked up my schoolbag and followed her out to the door.

"I gave her money for school uniforms and things," Great-aunt Frances called after us. I wished she hadn't told

.

"She did?" Alanis asked the moment we stepped outside. "How much this time?"

"Fifty dollars," I said.

"That's good. Good work. Jordan."

"I didn't do anything. She just gave it to me."

"I told you she has lots of money hidden in there. We've got to look for it. You better let me hold on to the fifty. You don't want to lost it."

I didn't want to give it to her. but I didn't know what to say that wouldn't make her angry, so I dug it out of the schoolbag.

"Don't worry,I'll make sure we buy anything you need at school."

We walked down the driveway. I saw where her granddad had filled in holes and trimmed the grass. Suddenly, he appeared at the gate. He was repairing the hinges. He stopped working and looked at us as we approached.

"I don't want to hear nothing from that principal today-- or any day, for that matter," he warned. He pointed his finger at me. "You watch yourself now, Miss Jordan. Your family has enough trouble. You don't want to make new problems."

"Stop picking on her, Granddad. I told you we didn't do nothing wrong. That boy lied."

"Only thing I believe. Alanis, is you know what a lie is so you'd recognize it."

She turned away to sulk. He looked at me, then went back to repairing the hinges. We heard the bus coming and stepped out to board it when it stopped.

"No trouble now!" he warned.

"Don't listen to him. He babbles," Alanis said. "I can't wait 'til I can live somewhere on my own. That's why I love your great- aunt's basement. It's like having my own place."

We got onto the bus, and to both our surprise, we saw Stuart Gavin sitting in the seat on the right side, right before the last seat. His arm was in a cast, and his forehead had a scrape on the right side.

"Well, look what the wind blew in. Jordan," Alanis said as we approached. "The rat himself."

Stuart looked down and we took our seat. The bus started away.

"We didn't think you'd have the nerve to show your face. Stuart," Alanis continued, poking him in the shoulder of the arm in the cast. "We're going to make sure everyone in school knows what a fink you are."

He turned to face us.

"It's not my fault." he whined. "I didn't know what I was saying. I was in pain and the cops were asking me questions quickly. I was drunk and they scared me. I'm sorry. If I wasn't drunk. I wouldn't have told them anything."

"Yeah, right."