right? I know. In her eyes I'll be even more riddled with mythical diseases. But how else can I get what I need in order to stay with her in school?
Growling to myself, I push Jeanette's opinion of me out of my mind. Why should I care?
Chapter 18
Jeanette
Tamrin was, thank God, not there when I came out of the shower this morning, and didn’t make an appearance at school today. Maybe he finally got the hint and went back to whatever land of make-believe he came from. I shuffle to the bus, knowing Dad won’t be home until after the chorus concert this evening. He's got to make an appearance at most school events.
Emily comes up beside me looking surprised. “Hey Nett, where are you going?” “Home,” I groan. “No social interaction means no catching a ride home with Celeste like normal. So, I have to take the bus.”
She plops down beside me. “Are you okay? You’ve been acting really weird the last few days.”
Should I tell Em about Tamrin? Should I make her worry? Maybe not… She’ll want me to call the police, which I’ve decided against, although I know I should.
If I’m right, and Tamrin’s actually the one that’s having hallucinations, then I kind of want to help him. He doesn’t have a mom or dad. No one to care about him. What does that mean? He’s an orphan? A runaway? Has he been living like a wild child in Caver Hall Park? No, he said Roxel raised him…A faerie queen? Is Roxel a figment of his imagination? Imaginary mother and lover and rule maker?
He said it’s Roxel’s fault that he wants to hurt me. And if she isn’t real then he’s not really a threat to me or Dad, right? So, if Tamrin is as harmless as I’m beginning to feel, it seems cruel to send him to the loony bin. In my mind, I can’t help but think of him as a stray. If I call animal control, they’ll put him in the pound…They euthanize the unadoptable ones.
Emily’s eyes are still on me, still waiting…
Can I really live with myself if I put him where they’ll strap him down and pump him full of drugs for the rest of his life? That seems cruel…I know it’s not okay to accept him for how he is, but what if I could help him? Be a friend? I like the idea of being the friend he needs, of being able to finally save someone. He needs someone other than this imaginary Roxel person. I’ve always worried that I’m not a good enough friend. Letting go of Timmy in the park, missing Amber’s meet…
No, I can’t tell Emily about Tamrin. “I’m bummed about being grounded, you know?”
“You're still serving time?”
I shrug. “This,” I point to the seat we're sitting in, “is the tip of the iceberg. I've got more than a month of this to look forward to.”
Emily looks distressed. “Omigod, your dad's still going to let you go to AniCon isn't he?”
I freeze. “Oh,” I gasp. “I-I don't know.” CRAP CRAP CRAP! If I can't go to my yearly anime convention I'll die. And that makes me an even worse friend! Now I can’t go with Em! I give Emily a pained face.
She holds up hands tipped in bright yellow nail polish with black stripes. “Don't panic. We'll think of something. Be super-angelic and maybe you'll get off on good behavior.”
I stare at my best friend. “Yeah, right!” Dad will never do that and she knows it. Maybe if I explain I've already spent money on tickets? No, he won't care. At least I had the early bird discount. Stupid Spanish . “I think the only way to get out of my grounding is to magically become fluent in Spanish,” I grumble.
Emily's expression becomes determined and she stops pulling her blond hair into a ponytail. “Okay. I'm sending you as many Spanish dubbed episodes of Wolf's
Growling to myself, I push Jeanette's opinion of me out of my mind. Why should I care?
Chapter 18
Jeanette
Tamrin was, thank God, not there when I came out of the shower this morning, and didn’t make an appearance at school today. Maybe he finally got the hint and went back to whatever land of make-believe he came from. I shuffle to the bus, knowing Dad won’t be home until after the chorus concert this evening. He's got to make an appearance at most school events.
Emily comes up beside me looking surprised. “Hey Nett, where are you going?” “Home,” I groan. “No social interaction means no catching a ride home with Celeste like normal. So, I have to take the bus.”
She plops down beside me. “Are you okay? You’ve been acting really weird the last few days.”
Should I tell Em about Tamrin? Should I make her worry? Maybe not… She’ll want me to call the police, which I’ve decided against, although I know I should.
If I’m right, and Tamrin’s actually the one that’s having hallucinations, then I kind of want to help him. He doesn’t have a mom or dad. No one to care about him. What does that mean? He’s an orphan? A runaway? Has he been living like a wild child in Caver Hall Park? No, he said Roxel raised him…A faerie queen? Is Roxel a figment of his imagination? Imaginary mother and lover and rule maker?
He said it’s Roxel’s fault that he wants to hurt me. And if she isn’t real then he’s not really a threat to me or Dad, right? So, if Tamrin is as harmless as I’m beginning to feel, it seems cruel to send him to the loony bin. In my mind, I can’t help but think of him as a stray. If I call animal control, they’ll put him in the pound…They euthanize the unadoptable ones.
Emily’s eyes are still on me, still waiting…
Can I really live with myself if I put him where they’ll strap him down and pump him full of drugs for the rest of his life? That seems cruel…I know it’s not okay to accept him for how he is, but what if I could help him? Be a friend? I like the idea of being the friend he needs, of being able to finally save someone. He needs someone other than this imaginary Roxel person. I’ve always worried that I’m not a good enough friend. Letting go of Timmy in the park, missing Amber’s meet…
No, I can’t tell Emily about Tamrin. “I’m bummed about being grounded, you know?”
“You're still serving time?”
I shrug. “This,” I point to the seat we're sitting in, “is the tip of the iceberg. I've got more than a month of this to look forward to.”
Emily looks distressed. “Omigod, your dad's still going to let you go to AniCon isn't he?”
I freeze. “Oh,” I gasp. “I-I don't know.” CRAP CRAP CRAP! If I can't go to my yearly anime convention I'll die. And that makes me an even worse friend! Now I can’t go with Em! I give Emily a pained face.
She holds up hands tipped in bright yellow nail polish with black stripes. “Don't panic. We'll think of something. Be super-angelic and maybe you'll get off on good behavior.”
I stare at my best friend. “Yeah, right!” Dad will never do that and she knows it. Maybe if I explain I've already spent money on tickets? No, he won't care. At least I had the early bird discount. Stupid Spanish . “I think the only way to get out of my grounding is to magically become fluent in Spanish,” I grumble.
Emily's expression becomes determined and she stops pulling her blond hair into a ponytail. “Okay. I'm sending you as many Spanish dubbed episodes of Wolf's
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