The Red

Chapter 18

Turns out all of the detectives live on the same street. We're all neighbors. Family 1 lives in a brick house, one house away from our blue one. A house with yellow siding belongs to Family 2, and then there's ours, Family 3. We're the last house on the block. But on the left side of Krista's house, is Susan and Stephano, who are apparently married (barf). There are two single detectives further down, and then the leader and his wife. The agency had all of the detectives buy a house when this street was built, and the agency pays for everything. I'm really quite amazed.

I start school today. I wanted to wear my favorite blue shirt, but Shauna insisted I wear her old name brand blouse with a blazer, since it doesn't fit her anymore. The shirt would be okay, but blazers really aren't my thing. She ignored my protests, because no child of hers was going to wear worn out clothes in public. Sigh.

Luckily, she agreed to let me wear my Converse sneakers, even though they were old and worn out. She agreed that I shouldn't wear her nice shoes after all of the bad things that were happening to me, just in case something happens again. She just made me wipe the dirt off of them and get my nicest pants. We are going to go shopping in the evening so we don't have to deal with this everyday. Sigh again.

Caylen and I walk to school. It's only a few blocks away. Lenny gets a ride because his school is farther away and he's only six. I have to use Caylen's black backpack from last year. It's still in perfect shape, but Shauna doesn't want to come across as someone who neglects her child's needs, adopted or not. I take the blazer off as we walk, determined not to wear it. That leaves me with a reasonable looking white blouse. It's got some ruffles, making it a little fancier than I'm used to, but it's not outrageous.

"Shauna never made me wear something like that," Caylen says.

"Well, you're not a girl," I say.

"Thank goodness."

I scowl at him.

"It's not that I don't like them," he says. "It's just that I don't want to be one."

When we arrive at the school, Caylen takes me to the office to get my schedule, and then to the library to get my books. The school is large and white, but a little bit run down, so it matches everything else in this town. It's still very nice, with three stories and numerous classrooms.

We sit at a picnic table outside, looking at my schedule.

"Man," Caylen says. "We don't have any classes together, or even lunch."

"What am I going to do?" I exclaim.

"Meet somebody."

"Who?"

"Find some girl who's willing to show you stuff. I'm afraid I can't show you more than your first period."

"Darn."

"Yeah, it's not too cool. But judging on what Cathy sent in about you, they've put you in some complicated classes."

"At the orphanage, I was only taught for like an hour every day. This should go great."

He shrugs. "If you flunk, we might have classes together next year."

"Caylen!"

He laughs. "Trust me. I had a first day here too."

"When were you adopted?"

His eyes begin to show that deepness they held when I first met him.

"Summer before eighth grade. I went to the middle school, and now I've started again at high school. Trust me, you're not the only new kid here. There've been a few."