In the Band

Chapter 26

Chapter 26 Allison’s P.O.V.

“I can’t believe the big game is already on Friday!” one of the underclassmen at practice gushed.

Giving her a half-smile, I said, “me neither. We need to start kicking ass.” I clapped my hands together and addressed the whole group “Let’s run it again!”

After practice, I headed back to Carson’s house, having brought my own car this time, it was an easy pursuit.

When I arrived, Carson’s dad was sitting in their living room, feet up on the coffee table, reading the newspaper.

Mr. Woods seemed to always be reading the newspaper when I saw him. Despite the lack of thick-rimmed glasses, he looked like he came right out of the fifties. He had dark brown hair, like the rest of the Woods’, and a medium build. Always using words like ‘Honey’ and ‘Darling’ towards his wife; Carson’s parents didn’t really talk much when they were around each other, but they both smiled more and in the middle of the night, I’ve heard them talking in their room through the vent system.

“Hey, Mr. Woods,” I said warmly as I passed him on the way to Carson’s room.

“Hello, Allison.”

Carson was on her bed reading a magazine when I came into her room.

“Hey,” she greeted me. “You’re back late.” I shrugged, then caught sight of her phone.

“Carson! Will you help me set up for dinner?” Mrs. Woods called from the kitchen. Carson got up to talk to her.

“Can I use your phone?” I asked as she left the room.

“Sure,” she said in the hallway.

I picked up her fancy smart phone and took a deep breath before dialing my grandmother’s number.

“Hello?”

“Hi, this is Allison. Is Kelsey there?”

“Why, yes, wait a minute.”

I sat on Carson’s bed, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Allison?” My heart dropped when I heard my grandmother’s voice again. “Kelsey said she doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“Why?” I said airily.

“You haven’t called in three weeks, Allison,” she paused. “Kelsey’s not happy with you.”

I covered my face with my hand. “When can I see her again? She needs to come home.”

“See Allison,” my grandmother sighed. “I don’t think it’s good for Kelsey to go back.”

“She needs to come home! What about school? She is missing way too much school.”

“She can enroll here.”

“Please,” I begged, “I need her.”

“She thinks you tried to get rid of her.”

“That’s the exact opposite-“ I started to yell, but she cut me off.

“Allison, if you can get the money to fly her back home, then she can.”

“I don’t have that kind of money-“ my grandmother cut me off again.

“That’s the agreement I’ll make with you,”

“Fine, bye.”

“Be careful, Allison,” I didn’t know what she meant, but I hung up anyway.

I dropped the phone and put my head in my hands. How am I going to make 600 dollars? A lurching in my stomach suddenly reminded me that I had a job.

“Shit,” I whispered. I forgot about my job at the dry-cleaner’s! I’m probably fired by now.

I dragged myself off of Carson’s bed with a sigh and started walking down to her kitchen. Right outside the room, I heard her and her mom in deep conversation and hid behind the doorway.

“Don’t you think she’s overstayed her welcome this time?” Carson’s mom said.

“Mom, she needs a place to stay…”

“Why, Carson? Why can’t she go home?”

“I don’t know,” Carson said quietly.

“You see? It’s not that I mind her staying here a couple of days, but weeks? Months? How long will this go on?” Carson sighed. “Doesn’t she have anywhere else to go?”

“I don’t think so.”

“But you don’t know do you? I’m not trying to be nasty, Carson, but we don’t roll in money, I have to keep feeding her, paying for her to use our power, water-“

“Come on, mom, she’s hardly even here.”

“Well, why is she here in the first place?” Mrs. Woods let go of a short breath.

“I think she has family problems.”

“With who? Her mother? Father?” I cringed. “Does she have any siblings?”

“I think she has a sister…”

“Have you ever even been to her house?”

“No, but-“

“But what? We give her so much hospitality, ever since you two were little and her family never returns the favour? There is something wrong with that, Carson.”

The conversation went silent.

I counted to 30, took a deep breath and went in.

“Thank you so much letting me stay so long, Mrs. Woods, but I think it’s time that I go home.”

She looked surprised. “Oh, well, no problem dear, anytime,” she said politely.

Carson came up and hugged me. When she let go, she looked worried. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” I gave a fake smile and left.

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