A Foster's Home

Chapter 3

Once Billy got to school, he excused himself from the family and went to the restroom. He got into one of the stalls and locked it. Then he removed his backpack from his back and took out the sketchbook, but he didn't open it.

Billy looked at the sketchbook as if it were something sacred. Doubts ran through his mind. Going behind his best friend's--his brother's--back just to find his story, was that going too far? He wanted to know really badly, but this wasn't right. If Freddy found out what he had done, their friendship could get rough, maybe even end. Billy didn't want that.

But he had to know. Freddy wasn't going to tell him any time soon. This may be the only way to find out. An opportunity like this may never happen again. Besides, maybe Freddy won't find out. But, then again, he did find out that it was Billy who stole his bullet. No hesitation, no doubt, he just straight up knew.

Billy hit his head with the hard cover of the sketchbook. He was a terrible brother, just the worst. He was going to regret what he was about to do now. He put the sketchbook back into his backpack. The sketchbook was going to haunt him the entire day.

He put the backpack on his back and left the bathroom. He walked toward the cafeteria where his family sat. He didn't go over to them, but stayed at the entrance. They usually know everything. Maybe his siblings knew something about Freddy's past, especially Darla. She seemed to be one who would ask Freddy how he became a foster kid. The sketchbook wasn't the only way he could get answers. His disappointment washed away in an instant. He just needed to get Freddy away from the table.

He walked over to his family. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Billy," Mary said. "Glad you could finally join us."

"I had to use the bathroom, okay?"
Billy looked over at Freddy, who ate silently while reading a book about Atlantis. "Hey, Freddy, can you get some napkins please."

Freddy's eyes looked up from the book. "Can't you get them yourself?"

"Yeah, but I have a lot of studying to do and getting them might take up my time. Please?"

Freddy stared at Billy for a few seconds, his face and eyes impossible to read. Then he sighed. "Fine." He got up from the table and left.

"Billy, why do you make Freddy do everything?" Mary asked.

"Because I need to talk to you guys about something."

"Is it another mission? Are we in danger?" Eugene asked.

"No, it's not. Look, last night I told Freddy about my mother and how I was heartbroken that she didn't want me. He really listened and made me realize again how much I meant to the family. Then I asked him how he became a foster kid and then he freaked out a little bit. He froze and his skin turned pale. It looked like he just saw a ghost. Then he ignored me. I took his sketchbook to see if there could be answers, but I didn't look in it. I don't know why, but it's like I need to know what happened. It's gonna drive me crazy if I don't find out. I'm hoping that you guys might know. Please tell me you know." He looked over to see if Freddy was coming, but many people were blocking the napkins. That'll buy him some time.

The foster siblings looked at each other as if they had a big secret of their own. Based on the look on their faces, Billy could only guess that they knew.

Mary sighed. "I know what happened."

The others looked at her, waiting for her to tell them. Billy saw that only Mary knew based on the other's sudden interest.

"Did he tell you?" asked Darla.

"Yeah, he did. It was a few days after we brought him home. He was shy, surprisingly, and locked himself in his room most of the time. We tried everything to get him out, but it never worked." Mary looked over at Freddy who was still waiting to get through. "One day I heard crying coming from his room in the middle of the night. I couldn't take it anymore so I grabbed a bobby pin and unlocked the door. He was sitting on the floor next to a box. It looked like he was having a breakdown. Inside the box was a bunch of batman stuff. It was like he was afraid to touch them. I tried to comfort him, but he kept pushing me away, but I wasn't going to leave until I found out what was going on and I made sure he knew that. He got the message. It took all night, but he told me everything. He told me about the box, his leg, everything. I got him comfortable with the family and he started becoming himself, the guy you see today. I told him that we were never gonna leave him. But I did notice something that day."

"Oh yeah," Pedro said. "I know what you mean."

"What?" Darla asked.

"Yeah, what?" Billy said.

"Should we tell them?" Pedro asked Mary.

Mary looked over at Freddy again. He was getting the napkins. "Maybe after school, but you can't tell him any of this. You have to be careful."

"Why?"

"Because there's a side of Freddy that you don't want to see," Pedro said. "If you don't stop asking him about his past or mention anything about where he got most of his Batman stuff, he's gonna have a mental breakdown. It's ugly and really sad. It breaks your heart a lot."

Billy looked over at Freddy. He was walking toward them.

Mary gave Billy one last warning. "Trust us, Billy. We tried everything, including therapy. What happened that day broke his heart badly. Don't say a word. Got it?"

Billy nodded. "Got it."

Freddy got to the table and handed Billy the napkins. "Here. Sorry it took long. There's a lot of people over there. I don't even know why you need it, you don't even have your breakfast."

"Well, you know, for just in case."

Freddy rolled his eyes and went back to reading his book.
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Billy couldn't take it anymore. It's been bugging him nonstop. He couldn't wait until after school. He had lunch with Freddy, so during his lunch period, he went to the bathroom again. He went into one of the stalls and locked it. He took off his backpack and took out the sketchbook.

There was more to Freddy than meets the eye. Whatever happened that day really traumatized the poor kid. If he was going to find out, he was going to found out not for himself, but to help Freddy through it, just like Freddy did for him. It wasn't right avoiding the problem. Freddy needed help and Billy was going to help him.

This is for Freddy, he thought to himself. He opened the book and looked at the first page. His heart beated fast in a panic. He was confused.

Billy looked at the next page and the one after that. It was not even halfway to being finished. This sketchbook wasn't about Freddy's past! It was about his adventures with Billy Batson from the moment he walked into his room.

"No, this can't be it." He put his hands through his hair. There had to be more. Maybe there were more sketchbooks, maybe an entire drawer full of them. He didn't give up hope, though. If his siblings didn't tell him anything, the sketchbooks will. He had to do this...for Freddy.

In frustration, he put the sketchbook back into his backpack, left the bathroom, and walked toward the cafeteria to avoid any suspicion.