Twenty-nine
I sat at the dinner table hearing my little sister babble incessantly about her plans for Spring break. I heard not one word, choosing instead to think of the monumental task before me. The good news was the day I needed to stage this rescue attempt was on a Friday night, so I would have plenty of time to do what I needed to do to save them. The bad news was the ever-present threat of my beloved family waking me up before I had completed my task. If I was unable to save Dresden and Ghias from the noose because of one of Aurora's constant, shallow issues, I thought I might kill her. But that night at dinner, my unspoken prayers seemed to be getting answered. "I'm going to spend all day Saturday hanging out with Jessica, Kyla and McKenzie at the mall. Mom, can I get new pajamas? Oh, and some new clothes? I can't stay at Jessica's house with my old stuff."
Score. One of the two people I needed out of my way was leaving this weekend. Things were looking just a little brighter; now if I could get rid of my mother as well. "That's fine, sweetheart." Mom replied. "I need to do some shopping as well. The hotel Robert is taking me to has an indoor pool. I have to buy a new bikini. We'll go tomorrow." For the first time ever my interest my mother's personal life was piqued.
"You going somewhere, Mom?" I asked.
She rolled her eyes and dropped her fork on her plate. "Yes Medora. It's the only thing we've been discussing at this table all evening, all week for that matter. I'm going to the beach for the weekend with a – friend of mine. Aurora is staying with friends and you...well, you need to find someone to stay with. You were supposed to do that already."
Joy was permeating every single cell of my body at that moment, but I couldn't let them know how happy the thought of losing them, even for just the weekend, made me. "Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot." Actually I never listened to anything they had to say. "Must have gotten the dates switched around. I'll call my friend Jordan. She won't mind having me over for a couple of days."
"You mean that freak with the stringy hair you eat with at lunch?" Aurora smirked, taking a bite of her instant potatoes. "Jennifer says you two are total dikes."
"You know what? Why don't you shut up!" I slammed my fists on the table.
"Well, that was rather rude Medora." Mom responded. "Is there a reason for this sudden outburst, other than you trying to get yourself expelled picking a fight?" I shot Aurora a dirty look. If I had thought my sister had my best interests at heart when she tattled to my mom about the encounter with Sasha, I probably wouldn't have been so angry at her for spilling the beans. But, knowing it was more out of concern for her own reputation than for her bruised and fallen sister, I didn't withhold any of my contempt in my gaze. "So why are you picking a fight with a group of girls when all you have to do was keep your nose down and keep out of trouble?"
I figured I might as well be honest. "I didn't start anything. I went to the bathroom and those girls surrounded me. Sasha tried to make out like she wanted to bury the hatchet and she wound up burying it in my back. They didn't say anything to the teachers and I didn't feel the need to tell anyone either. Trust me, you won't be hearing from the principal about today."
"I simply don't understand you Medora." My mom put her hands on her hips in a gesture of exasperation. "You did so well for the last couple of months. You didn't rock the boat and they left you alone. Why today of all days did you have to try to get into trouble?"
