'You'd really do that?' Travis queries.
'Of course.' Ryan nods. 'Brooklyn needs somewhere stable to stay. When she's at mine, she can see you whenever she wants and you can see her whenever you want. I'll still make sure that she still goes to school and that she does all of her homework.'
'Thank you.' Travis smiles.
'What are friends for, hey?'
.
It's been a week. Brooklyn has moved into Ryan's house. Ryan has gotten her settled in his spare bedroom whilst Travis sorts out the foster-to-adopt paperwork and CPS clears him as a carer. It's Monday morning, Brooklyn wakes up and gets out of bed. She puts on her robe and sliders before walking downstairs and to the kitchen where Ryan is.
'Morning.' Ryan smiles.
'Morning.' Brooklyn smiles back. She makes herself a bowl of cereal and sits down at the table.
'Do you need a lift to school?' He asks her.
'No, thanks.' Brooklyn shakes her head. 'Alyssa is going to come by and pick me up.'
'Are you sure that you're ready to go back to school?' Ryan questions. 'It is your first day back after-'
'I'll be fine.' Brooklyn replies, cutting him off. 'I need to go back sooner or later. I'm on a reduced timetable for a few weeks so I'm only in for the morning. Didn't my social worker call you?' Ryan shakes his head. 'No surprise there then.' Brooklyn sighs.
'Well, I'm at work until eight.'
'I've got a driving lesson this afternoon anyway and then Alyssa and I are meeting up back at her house.' Brooklyn tells him. 'I'll be back before then anyway.'
'Do you want me to pick up some pizza on my way home?'
'Sure.' Brooklyn nods. She looks at the clock and sees that she's running late. 'I better go get ready. Alyssa will be here in 45 minutes.'
'Surely it doesn't take you that long to get ready.' Ryan laughs.
'Well, I need to pick out my outfit, do my hair and my make-up on top of having a wash and brushing my teeth.' Brooklyn says. She finishes her bowl of cereal and walks back up to her room to get ready. Once she's had a wash and brushed her teeth, she brushes her hair and does her makeup before getting dressed for the day. As she's finishing getting ready, Alyssa pulls up outside. She gets out, walks up the path to the house and knocks on the door. Ryan walks up to his front door and opens it.
'Hey, Alyssa.' Ryan smiles. 'Come in.' Ryan lets the young girl in.
'Thank you.' Alyssa grins as she steps into the foyer of the house.
'She's still getting ready.' Ryan tells her.
'Of course, she is.' Alyssa laughs.
'Brooklyn!' Ryan shouts. 'Alyssa's here!' After a few minutes, Brooklyn comes running down the stairs.
'Bryn.' Ryan states. Brooklyn turns to face him. 'If you feel that you need to leave school, call me or Trav. Okay?'
'Yeah.' Brooklyn nods. 'I'll see you tonight.' She gives him a quick hug before leaving with Alyssa.
.
When Brooklyn and Alyssa arrive at school, they go around the back of the gym. They sit on the floor with their backs against the wall. Alyssa rummages through her bag, takes out a box of cigarettes, hands one to Brooklyn and takes one for herself. Alyssa lights her cigarette with her lighter before handing the lighter to Brooklyn. Once Brooklyn has lit her cigarette, she hands the lighter back to Alyssa. As they smoke, they talk.
'What are you going to tell people when they ask where you've been?' Alyssa queries.
'Ugh.' Brooklyn groans. 'I didn't think of that.' She adds. 'I could just say that I was ill. It's sorta true.'
'Do you think people will believe that?' Alyssa questions.
'Nope.' Brooklyn sighs. 'But it's worth a shot.'
'You not worried that Travis and Ryan are going to find out that you smoke?'
'They haven't figured it out yet.' Brooklyn shrugs her shoulders. 'Well, they haven't said anything to me.'
'Y'know, I'm surprised that they trust me after I dragged you out that night and got you high and drunk.' Alyssa says.
'One, it's probably because I've already been through so much and they don't want to make it any worse by keeping you away from me. Two, I chose to get drunk and high.' Brooklyn replies. 'They treat me like some fragile seven-year-old. Yeah, I know I'm fragile but if they keep this overprotective thing up, I am literally going to lose my mind. Again.'
'They just want to make sure that you don't go deep into the abyss again.' Alyssa reminds her.
'I know.' Brooklyn nods. 'It's just driving me insane. Trav messages me a hundred times a day asking me if I'm okay. Ryan does the same. Trav's colleagues are also messaging me a lot.'
'Okay, I see what you mean.' Alyssa laughs. 'Anyways, what are you doing for pride?'
'Travis was going on about taking me. There's a camping field there so he was suggesting that we get a tent and camp there for the weekend.' Brooklyn says. 'What about you?'
'I don't know.' Alyssa shrugs her shoulders. 'My parents will be out of town.'
'You're more than welcome to join Travis and me.' Brooklyn states. 'He'll be fine with it.'
'Are you sure?' Alyssa questions.
'Of course!' Brooklyn nods. 'This is your first pride right?'
'Yeah.' Alyssa replies.
'Then he will definitely get me to drag you along.' Brooklyn states. She then looks at her watch. 'We better start making our way to first period.' She says as she stands up. 'We've got chemistry, right?' She asks Alyssa whilst helping her up.
'Yeah.' Alyssa nods. 'With McKaine.' They both stomp out their cigarettes, pop some gum into their mouth and spritz themselves with body mist to disguise the smell of the cigarettes. After they've done that, they pick their bags up and start walking to the chemistry lab.
.
As Brooklyn and Alyssa walk into the chemistry lab and to their bench, everyone stares at them. The teacher, Mr McKaine, then walks in and stands at the front desk. He looks up and sees everyone staring at Brooklyn.
'Miss Montgomery, nice to see you back with us.' McKaine smiles. The bell goes signalling the start of the lesson. 'Right, everyone, face the front!' Everyone turns to face the front of the classroom. 'Today, we're going to be doing an experiment with the Bunsen Burners. I'm going to come around and give you the method and equipment sheets. Once you've got them, I'd like you all to go and get goggles and lab coats on, get the equipment and set it up.' He walks around the room and hands the sheets out. As he does, Alyssa turns to Brooklyn.
'You gonna be okay working with the Bunsens?' She questions.
'Yeah.' Brooklyn nods. 'As long as McKaine doesn't touch me, I'll be fine.'
.
It's halfway through the lesson, everyone is getting on with their experiments. McKaine is walking around the room seeing how they are all getting on. He walks up to the bench where Alyssa and Brooklyn are.
'How are we getting on, ladies?' He asks as he puts his hand on their backs.
'Don't fucking touch me.' Brooklyn says.
'Miss Montogomery-' McKaine starts, not moving his hand.
'I said don't fucking touch me!' She shouts as she pushes him, causing him to fall to the floor.
'Bryn.' Alyssa states but before she can say much more, Brooklyn storms out of the lab.
~~
I was gonna put this up last night but then something happened and I decided not to. Anyways, here it is! I'm now in the process of planning how long I want to make this book and where I want to take it. There will definetly be at least another thirteen chapters!
Let me know what you think!
Much love