All Of Me

24

"Time for Group," Luke motioned, knocking me out of my trance. I didn't even hear the speaker go off to announce it. Usually we don't go until after this class, but this class was yet to be over with.

"Already?"

"They just made an announcement," he shrugged. I nodded slowly as I stood up with him. "Are you feeling okay? You keep zoning out. Ms. Snowden had to catch your attention like five times last period."

"I'm fine," I shrugged, partially lying.

There's a lot on my mind, but I am fine.

He just looked at me with a blank stare.

"There's a lot on my mind," I said instead, grabbing his hand as we walked to SPG together.

He squeezed it tightly, making me smile.

"This thing with Gordan isn't over. We are going to get him back behind bars where he belongs."

Oh God, I hope so. For the benefit of everyone.

"You don't think there's any possibility he's changed?" We arrived in the library before everyone else. Mr. Hayes was the only one there, currently chatting with the librarian.

"Did I ever tell you that all of those times I'd come in late or get called out for family purposes was to see him in jail? My mom tried to get him to change, but there was no use. He's a terrible man that belongs behind bars."

It didn't even click until now. All of those times I'd seen Luke in the office when I'd have to see Lee or get medicine, he was coming from or going to see Gordan. He was never happy before or after it either.

"He has done much more than drunk driving, too, which is why he's been in jail for 16 years," Luke added on information I genuinely had no idea about. "He won't on parole right or nine years ago, but violated it by getting caught in a drug deal. Now here, we are - some odd years later, waiting for him to violate parole again."

Let's just hope no one gets caught in the crossfire of time on parole.

Most of our group joined us, including Chloe, at this point. Mr. Hayes decided to call everyone around into the circle.

Chloe didn't do much talking today, only listening. She was probably more in thought about her brother than her dad at the moment, which made sense. I kind of put her into that position with my unintentional mention of how I missed him.

Everyone was present from group today. Some were in an uncharacteristically good mood that I was happy to see them in. The rest were not very talkative, like Chloe, and it hurt my heart, but I understood.

Some days are harder than others.

"My dad took us ice skating the other day. I haven't been in so long so I wasn't necessarily good, but it was fun. It felt like I was in a winter wonderland," Katy chuckled softly.

She was one of the members in a good, sociable mood today.

Shockingly enough, Ed and Gillian were the other two talkative ones.

Ed saw his dad's mother in her nursing home for the first time in a while on Sunday and played bingo with her, which he said has put him in an indefinitely good mood until further notice.

His words exactly. It was a comical comment that got a chuckle from each of us, including Chloe and Oliver who seemed far away today.

"My mom and I aren't that close, but yesterday, she came home from work to spend time with me. We watched a movie, moved my room around, and went out to eat. It was really nice." Gillian smiled softly down at her hands in her lap. She never talks much, or even smiles much, but she was today.