Florine
Grandma lied to me all this time. My parents are alive.
I grabbed the box and opened it.
There were more letters inside with her name.
This is insane. How could she hide this?
I heard a sound behind me and I turned around quickly. And my grandma was standing there.
-"Florine Dalton, what have I told you before?" she sounded too serious and dark.
-"that monsters will take me for being bad"
-"Exactly" she said.
I decided to run past her and she grabbed my wrist hard.
-"oww, you're hurting me, please stop!"
-"I told you to not go in here!" Her grip got harder and I shoved her. She lost her balance and fell backward.
I exited the attic as quickly as possible and I closed it with her inside.
I ran to the house phone and I called 911.
-"911 what's your emergency?"
-"help, my grandmother attacked me, she's going to do more if I don't get help!"
-"we're on our way, stay on the phone" the operator had a calm tone, on the other hand, I was freaking out.
-"let me out, Florine!" Grandma yelled loudly and started to hit the door.
-"oh my god, please hurry!" I panicked and I was trembling.
Time went so slow, I felt like the world was in slow-motion.
Grandma hit the door and screamed like never before.
I heard a knock on the door.
-"Police!" An officer said and I dropped the phone and ran to the door and opened it.
I ran into the arms of an officer.
-"where is she?" He asked.
-"I locked her in the attic," I said and he nodded.
-"we'll take it from here. An officer will take you to the station"
-"thank you, so much," I said and I walked to the cop car.
I got in and as soon as I saw the cops pull grandma out of the house. I started crying.
The person that raised me, all my life. Took me away from my parents and wanted to hurt me only because I wanted to know more.
They took me to the station and I was questioned.
-"do you have anywhere you can go to?" I shook my head
-"parents, family, anyone in charge?"
-"My family's from Norway. It was just me and my grandma"
The person asking me questions wrote stuff down.
The person received a message that it was safe for me to return home if an adult was there.
-"my neighbor, if you call him he will help, he's generous," I said
-"give me his number" I gave them my number and they sent me home.
Jessica
It's Friday, finally, but I have detention with only Lillie, ugh.
-"Sam, why did I fight her?"
He shrugged and said...
-"you could've done what I did, stay out of it" he ate his breakfast and I ate mine angrily.
-"don't take it out on the poor fruit" he said.
-"don't make fun of me" I whined and he left.
-"we're going to be late, angry eat that apple in the car"
Dad arrived and he looked so disappointed.
-"heard you got in a fight"
He crossed his arms waiting for me to explain.
-"she has been giving me a hard time, that's it"
-"and now you two weeks of detention, use them well" He left and I sighed.
I went to school and many people were surrounding Florine.
I found Crown and I asked her why so many people were surrounding her.
-"It was on the news, her grandma tried to attack her, so Florine locked her in the attic until the police came"
-"Wow, that's intense" I said looking at her. She looked so uncomfortable.
Florine
People talked to me at once, asking me if I was ok. Turns out, everyone knew what happened to me.
-"excuse me, can you give me some space?" I said and people apologized letting me leave.
I ran to the bathroom and I started crying.
I heard a door close and I held my sobs. Don't want anyone to know I'm here.
-"hey, are you ok?"
-"I'm fine can you leave me alone, please"
-"you're probably going through something rough, can I come in?"
After thinking, I said yes.
I opened the stall and it was Jodi.
-"Jodi?" I asked
I haven't seen Jodi in so long. They look so different.
-"Florine, it's you. I've seen the news"
-"Everyone has," I said and they sat down next to me.
-"When was the last time we spoke?" Jodi asked and it took me a little bit to think.
-"at sixth grade, when we had that disagreement about a project and we stopped being friends," I said.
-"After that, we never spoke again" Jodi added.
-"We were so dramatic, back then"
I said and they laughed.
-"you shouldn't be here alone, especially at a time like this. Want to skip?" Jodi asked and I shook my head.
-"I have never skipped class in my life"
-"doesn't hurt to try, But if you don't want to do it, I'm not forcing you"
Jodi smiled at me and I smiled back.
-"I can't stay here, I have a presentation to do" I got up and helped Jodi up. They looked me in the eyes and looked away quickly.
-"umm, see you later?" I asked and they nodded
-"later" Jodi left and I stood there smiling.
The first time I smiled today. I missed Jodi, it was nice to catch up with them for a bit.
I went to my classroom and the presentations were about to start.
I have nothing prepared, what was I supposed to do?
I sat down watching other students give their presentations, waiting for my turn.
-"Florence Dalton, it's your turn" the teacher called me
I stood in front of all the students and I swallowed.
-"The history of my parents is quite short, I don't know much about them only that they are looking for me because I was taken by my damn grandma!"
-"Excuse me, miss Dalton. I don't think that has to do with the presentation"
The teacher said.
-"screw this!" I said and stormed off the classroom.
-"I never expected this from her," said a student to another as I left.
I rested my back on the lockers and I closed my eyes. I can't do this, everything is connected to yesterday.
-"excuse me, miss Dalton" I opened my eyes and saw two police officers.
-"you need to come with us," one of them said.
-"is this about, grandma?"
He nodded.
-"she's requested to speak to you"
-"ok, I'll do it," I said.
I took a deep breath as I followed them to their car.
Jessica
Detention. It's time.
I entered the classroom and it was empty.
Lillie is late, why doesn't it surprise me?
She entered a few minutes after I did.
-"let me guess, you were talking crap about me being late?"
I scoffed.
-"Not everything's about you," I said not even looking at her.
-"can't believe I have to spend one hour of every day with you"
-"I'm sorry, did I cancel your plans?" I asked with fake concern.
-"I was supposed to go to the mall with my friends and now they're probably buying the cutest bag that I would've liked" she crossed her arms.
-"unbelievable," I said.
-"can you shut up, I rather sit awkwardly in silence than talk with you," Lillie said and I didn't talk.
Minutes passed and Lillie groaned.
-"no, I can't stand this silence, come on smack talk to me all you want," she said and I looked at her.
-"why are you so rude to me?" I asked.
-"excuse me?" She asked confused.
-"what did I do to make you hate me?"
It took her a little longer to answer me.
-"you touched my boyfriend," she said softly.
-"how many times do I have to say that I didn't, and seriously that's the thing you hate me for, touching that pig you call Dominick"
She snorted a laugh and I was surprised.
-"he's kind of a pig, I'll admit"
-"then why do you date him?"
-"I'm popular, he's popular" she explained.
-"And you don't have feelings for him?" I asked. This is the most we've talked and it hasn't been fighting or shouting.
-"I can't tell you this, you'll tell it to Crown and that boy you're hanging out with"
-"you're hiding something," I said and she shook her head.
-"let's go back to the awkward silence" she suggested and I agreed.
-"fine"
We sat there again in silence and she groaned.
-"Alright! I'm afraid he's cheating on me" she suddenly said.
-"Coming from him, I won't be surprised if he's cheating"
-"not helping, Jessica"
-"if you're insecure about your relationship, just dump him. Be the bigger person, he'll be the dumb one for cheating on a girl like you" I said and her eyes widened.
-"Why are you being nice to me? Didn't you jump me yesterday?"
-"I was never bad to you, we just met at the wrong time"
Lillie looked at the ground and suddenly detention ended.
We both got up and before I left the classroom, she stopped me.
-"thank you, I needed to talk, didn't expect it to be from you, but thanks," she said and let me go.
Did we just have a nice conversation?
Florine
The police took me to a room where my grandma sat.
-"Florine!" She said in a surprised tone.
I couldn't even look at her, I was afraid, mad, and betrayed.
-"Can you please look at me?" She asked and I didn't even look at her.
-"tell me everything, and the truth this time," I said and she hesitated at first.
-"Astrid shocked me when she told me she was pregnant, at 18. I was so mad when she decided to keep the baby, and that made her move away with her boyfriend and left me all alone. When she gave birth, she couldn't let me see you. So you know what I did, I took you and left Norway"
Tears fell from my eyes, but I tried to contain them.
-"Astrid was an excellent, mother. I couldn't stand to see her so happy after leaving me"
I slammed my fists on the table and I got up angrily.
-"so you, raised me, took care of me when my mom lost her daughter and never got to see her!"
I've never been this angry.
-"Florine," she said.
-"drop the innocent act, screw you" I was about to leave and she kept talking.
-"who's going to take care of you. You're a fragile girl, the world will destroy you" she did everything in her power to make me forgive her.
-"you already did," I said and this time I looked at her, and it sure as hell was the last time