Lost And Found

truth's and questions

I get more and more nervous the closer the end of detention gets, because when it's over I will have to face Clare. Earlier I said that I hated it when she was right, but I hate admitting that I was wrong, even more. After the teacher releases us, I walk to her class room, but when I get there her door is locked, I figured maybe she was waiting for me in the parking lot. When I get out there though, it's not Clare I find, "Sam, what are you doing here?"

"Picking you up" he says in a duh tone, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why, where's Clare?" still not understanding what's going on.

"Clare told me you two got in a fight, and I figured it would be best if you and her had some time to think. That and I wanted to talk to you" He says, and all I can think about is how he's probably upset with me too.

"You're not going to yell at me too, are you?" I say causing him to laugh.

"No, not quite," He tells me, while opening the passenger door. "now get in."

I do as told and get in the passenger seat. Once he's in the car he turns to me "so what happened?"

"I knew it, you are going to yell at me" I exclaim.

"I'm not going to yell at you, I just want to know what happened" he says calmly, and patiently looks at me, waiting for my response.

I study him for a moment, trying to gauge if he's being sincere or not. "Alright, what happened was that Clare had told me to make friends my age, So I did, it's not really a big deal" I down play it.

"That's all, nothing else? There's no other reason?" His face displaying no emotion, making him hard to read. He most be a really good cop.

"No, well, there maybe be one other reason," I tell him, playing with the seatbelt strap. He nods telling me to go on, "so the new friends I made were cutting class, and Clare thinks that I'm not acting like myself because I did too, and then I was rude to her and it doesn't seem as big a deal to me as it would have seventeen years ago."

"Do you think maybe she's right that you are acting different than before?" he asks, still not showing his thoughts on the subject.

I shrug, "I don't know, maybe. It's just I don't feel as wound up as I use too, like getting caught cutting class doesn't seem as big a deal when my entire life just got turned upside down." We sit there for a moment in silence before I continue, I look down guiltily "but I do feel bad about the way I treated Clare, I shouldn't have talked to her that way."

"Your right you probably shouldn't have, but Clare understands that you're going through a lot right now." He tells me with a kind smile, he then faces forward and starts the car. "she just wants what's best for you, now come on let's get home."

We're about halfway there when I decide to break the silence "thanks for not yelling at me."

He slightly smiles, "Your welcome, you should also know that Clare wanted to ground you, but I talked her out of it. I understand that it's probably hard for you adjusting. So, it's to be expected that you would do something out of your boundaries," he tells me with a half-smile. "But that's your only pass, next time you get in trouble you'll be grounded, understood?" He says Sternly, and I nod my head. "Good, now let's go inside" he pulls into the driveway, shutting the car off.

When we get inside, we're greeted by Chase and K.C. running up to us. Chase hugs Sam "want to play cars with me?"

Sam ruffles his hair, "In a minute buddy, I have to go talk to mommy first, but Kaison will" Sam says looking at me pointedly. I nod getting the point of it not being an option.

"Yeah, come on" I grab his hand as he leads the way to the downstairs play room.

"I want to play too" K.C. says running along beside us.

An hour later Sam walks in, "I'll take over," he says sitting down and putting Chase in his lap. "Why don't you go help Clare with dinner." Just like earlier I know I don't have a choice.

When I walk into the kitchen, Clare's standing with her back towards me, facing the sink. "Need any help?" I ask nervous of her reaction.

She turns around surprised, "I didn't hear you come in, but sure. You can roll out the dough" she points to the counter.

After a couple minutes of silence, I decide to speak "you were right."

"What? "she says confused.

"I said, you were right," she turns to face me, giving me her full attention. "I am acting different, it's just, err, I don't know how to say this."

"Go ahead, try anyways" she tells me.

I nod and take a deep breath "before, I did everything right, I got good grades, I did everything that was asked of me, never got in trouble not even as a little kid. So why of all people was I taken, why did I why have to go missing, and now I feel different, not so worried about everything anymore. Which is like so messed up, and I don't really know why but it probably has something to do with me being gone so long. what if," I pause "what if the reason I went missing was because there was something wrong with me in the first place?"

"Look Kaison there was nothing wrong with you before and there is nothing wrong with you now" she says gently, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"But why did they take me, in fact who took me, and why haven't I aged, where have I been for the past seventeen years?" I'm more along the lines of yelling My questions at the world instead of her.

"Kaison, I don't know why, who, or how, but we'll figure it out and until then just stay the person you've always been" she says.

"I don't want to be that person though" I exclaim "that person was scared of everything, scared to make a mistake, or to take a risk. I like not caring if I get caught doing something, because for the first time in my life I feel like an actual kid."

"Then don't be that person, just remember to be the good parts of who you used to be, okay" she gives me a warm smile.

"Okay," I say calmed down now "Clare?"

"Yeah?" she says absentmindedly, as she's gone back to preparing dinner.

"Why'd you make such a big deal out of me cutting class?" I ask her.

She stops again, turning back to face me, "I've seen enough of those movies where there's an out of control teenager, because the parents let them act out because it 'their way of coping', and I wasn't going to let you turn out that way, so I figured I'd shut it down at the roots" she tells me. "plus, I didn't plan on reacting that way, I just didn't like the attitude you gave me."

I laugh "you're so weird" I say while hugging her.

"I know but that's what you love about me" she says laughing too. "I also didn't want you to start making mistakes you might regret later."

"It looks like you two made up" we both look up to see Sam leaning against the door frame.

Clare laughs and turns around "how long have you been standing there?"

"Just for the hug part" he says, smiling at both of us.

"Well since your here, you can finish dinner" Clare hands him her apron.

"Wait, ... But," he tries, but fails, Clare's already out of the room.
He turns to me "you're going to help right?"

"Nope, sorry you're on your own" I say with my hands up as I back out of the room.

"Hey, if it wasn't for me you would be grounded right now," he yells after me "Come on, just a little help?" I can hear him yell as me and Clare enter the play room, joining the little kids again.