Her heels clanked against the tile floor as she waltzed over to a nearby bench and sat down. I did the same before turning to her and asking, “Why are you here?”
She laughed. “Oh, Hayley. You’re one of my favorites.” I bristled at the thought, picking at the stray pieces of my tattered skirt end. “I just came to check on things. You know, that’s kind of my job.”
“Things are fine,” I answered truthfully. Things weren’t that bad. They could always be worse.
“That’s what you all say.” She shook her hair out and massaged her temples. I knew that being a social worker was a thankless job, but I also knew that not every social worker did their job correctly or with as much heart as others. Ann, though, was beginning to show her worth. I was pretty sure she was one of the good ones. There was something about her that was warm and fuzzy. Motherly. But that didn’t mean I was going to divulge in some amazing mother/daughter relationship with her. I wasn’t going to suddenly start seeking her advice. Should I go to the game with Piper? Should I keep pushing Christian away? Should I trust him when he asks me all these questions? Why is he butting in? Why did his kiss brand me? What do you think about Pete locking me in my room? I’m almost eighteen, do you think those men who killed my father are going to show up on my doorstep like they promised so long ago?
Ann dissolved my thoughts just as quickly as they filtered through. “Who is your friend? The one you were sitting with?”
“Her name is Piper.” I licked my lips.
I could feel Ann staring at me, but I didn’t meet her eye. “I’m glad to see you have made a friend here. Have you guys hung out outside of school much?”
I shook my head. “Not really.”
“And why not?”
This time I turned my attention toward her. “Do you really think she’s going to want to come hang out at Pete and Jill’s with me? And honestly?” I sighed. “Even asking Pete and Jill to use the washing machine grants me an eye roll and heavy huffs of breath. I don’t talk to them unless I have to. The thought of asking them to go to Piper’s or to the game this Friday makes my skin crawl.”
Ann’s small, makeup-covered nose twitched. “Creating these relationships with your peers is important, Hayley. Consider it done. You’re going to the game Friday. You’re going to be a normal teenager. Your grades are soaring. Headmaster Walton told me that the faculty letters are pouring in and they’re excellent. There is no reason why someone as hardworking as you can’t have a little bit of fun.” She dipped her head down low. “Especially considering the last five years of your life. Pete, nor Jill, will protest when I tell them this.”
A rush of anxiety hit me. “Why do you care so much? I’m almost out of the system. Maybe you should put forth your effort with someone younger than me. I don’t need your help with Jill and Pete.”
Ann’s eyes stayed warm, her expression still relaxed. Her lips turned upward just slightly. “I care because you remind me of someone I used to know.”
She stood up, smoothing out her skirt. “Go to the game. I’ll give Jill and Pete a call. I need to check in with them anyway. I didn’t like how things ended last week.”
Curiosity piqued me. Angling my head up to her, I asked, “Who do I remind you of? Another kid who is lost in the system?”
Her expression never changed. It was still warm and comforting. “Was.”
“What?”
“She was lost in the system.”
She started to walk away, and at the last second, before reaching the end of the hall, she looked over her shoulder. “You remind me of me, Hayley. And I’d love to see you come out on top.”
Then, she walked out of the doors, leaving me with my thoughts. I knew she wasn’t like all the rest.
I stood up and smoothed out my skirt when I heard the bell ring. Scooping up my backpack, I was about to walk to my next class when a rough and callous voice rang out. Christian was the first to enter the hallway, everyone else still gathering their things and throwing away their lunches.
“Going to the big game on Friday then, yeah?”
My jaw slacked. “Were you spying on me?”
He tucked his hands into his pressed khaki pants, casually. He looked effortlessly cool in his uniform, whereas I looked like a lost schoolgirl with tangled hair and ratty shoes. “Maybe.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Why? Why are you so concerned with everything I do?”
His jaw tightened, his teeth working back and forth. He began to walk past me as people started to pour out of the lunchroom. Piper caught my eye and lifted her eyebrow, a knowing grin on her face.
As soon as his clean, woodsy scent enveloped me, he whispered, “I have no fucking clue.”
Chapter Nineteen
Christian
It was funny how quickly things became a part of your everyday, same ol’ schedule. Things like brushing your teeth, taking a piss in the morning, running suicides before practice. The things you didn’t think twice about. You just did them because you were so accustomed to doing them. You didn't even give them a second thought.