UN-RELATED (UN-RELATED SERIES) (5 page)

Today’s the day. I’m losing my best friend, and even though I told myself to be strong for Kellan, I woke up and immediately started sobbing. I heard a soft knock on my door and knew it was him. I wiped my eyes, trying to appear brave, but he saw through me the second he walked into my room and sat down next to me.

“I swear I’ll be back to see you soon. I’m not leaving
you
, Abby. Please understand that I have to go. You do, don’t you?”

“Yes, I understand. I’m just going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too. You have all of the numbers to get a hold of me, right?” he asked.

“Yes.” 

“I’ll give you the house number as soon as it’s connected. You promise to call me if they give you any grief, okay?”

“I will, I promise. They won’t bother me, Kellan. I told you, I was here before you were, I’ll be fine.”

“I um, I got you something. Open it after I leave, okay?”

“What is it?”

“It’s a book. It’s about…well, it’s something I think you should read. Don’t be mad at me, just promise me you’ll read it…all of it, okay?”

“I will. You know I love to read.”

“Yeah, but it’s not a mystery. It’s more…non-fiction.”

“Okay…?”

“Just promise me that you’ll read it, okay?” he said again.  

“Okay. Thank you.”

He set the wrapped book on my bed and said, “So, are you going to go to the airport with me?”

“How will I get back?” I asked, wishing I could go.

“Brianna’s parents said they’d bring you back. They also said that if you have any problems that you can call them. I left their number for you, too. I mean it, if you get scared or anything, you call them. Promise me!”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll be fine, Kellan. Go and enjoy your new life.”

I did it, I was brave. I promised myself I wasn’t going to make a scene when Kellan left and I forced myself to stay dry-eyed as he hugged me goodbye and boarded his plane. I refused to leave until I could no longer see the plane but then I could no longer contain my tears. I sobbed all the way home, in the back of the Benson’s car. Brianna’s parents were very kind, and they both tried to console me, but it was no use. I was a basket case. I was still sobbing as I stepped out of their fancy car, but I refused to let them come inside, worried that Nancy or Joe might make an appearance and make things worse.

“Please don’t tell him I was such a baby!” I pleaded with Brianna’s mother next to the car.

“You’re not being a baby. He’s important to you. He loves you very much. I know you’re going to miss him. He’s going to miss you, too. But, they’ll be back to visit in a few months. You have our number, right?” Mrs. Benson asked.

“Y…yes,” I stammered.

“Okay. You call if you need anything, okay?”

I nodded and walked into the house, ran down the hall and threw myself onto my bed. I stayed there for three days. 

Nancy and Joe never once checked on me and they not only refused to say goodbye to Kellan, they simply acted like he never existed. I hated them for that. For years they played him up as my ‘big brother,’ and now, they wouldn’t even acknowledge his existence.

It had been four days, and I still hadn’t heard from Kellan. He promised to call me the first night, but he didn’t. And, after three more nights, I was beginning to worry that something was wrong or that he’d forgotten about me. I couldn’t call him because he didn’t have a home phone yet and he hadn’t started school, so I couldn’t call him there. I was worried.

I paced my room, day in and day out, waiting for his call and finally I couldn’t stand it anymore and I started to go to Brianna’s house to see if they had heard from them. I only made it halfway, because suddenly their big black car pulled up next to me and Mrs. Benson rolled down the window, waving me over.

“You’re just the young lady I wanted to see. Kellan’s very worried about you. Why won’t you answer the phone?”

“He hasn’t called. I was just coming over to your house to see if you’ve heard from him.”

“Honey, he’s called non-stop. It just keeps ringing.”

“I don’t understand. The phone’s working, I’ve answered it every time it rang, thinking it would be him, but it’s always someone asking for a Trevor something or other.”

“Well, he asked us to give this to you,” she said, handing me a cell phone.

“I can’t take that,” I said, not wanting to accept a gift from them, even if it meant I could talk to Kellan.

“It’s not from us honey, it’s from Kellan. He paid for it…he got it for you. He thinks your foster parents changed their telephone number,” she said sadly.

I sighed, it all made sense then. “Oh, thank you,” I said, graciously accepting the phone.

“We programmed his number, Brianna’s cell phone number and our numbers into the phone, so you can always get a hold of one of us…just in case,” she smiled.

“Thank you.”

I turned back and started to walk back to the house and Mrs. Benson said, “Would you like a ride?”

“No, thank you. I think I’ll walk.”

“Okay. Give him a call…just press number one and send…”

“Thanks…again.”

“Abby! Oh, thank God! Are you okay?” Kellan asked, frantic.

“I’m okay. I guess they changed the phone number…and forgot to tell me.”

“Yeah, well, don’t let them find your cell phone, okay?”

“I won’t,” I promised.

We talked for a while. It was so good to hear his voice, but it made me miss him even more. “Do you like it there?”

“Yeah, it’s great. We’re um, we’re getting things together. The house is great and it’s right around the corner from school. How are you doing? Have you made any friends?”

“Yeah, a bunch. They voted me prom queen,” I giggled, so happy to hear his voice.

“You need friends, Abby. What about that guy…Tim or Tanner…?”

“Tyler. Yeah, we’re friends, I guess. He’s nice.”

“You’re just friends though, right?” he asked.

“Yeah, what else?”

“Um, Abby, did you read the book I left for you?”

“Oh, the book. I was so worried about…I mean, I forgot. I’ll read it. I promise.”

“You were worried about what? Is Nancy or Joe…?”
             

“No, they’re never home. I was worried about you.”

“Well, now you can call or text me anytime you want. If you want me to call you back, just text me, and I promise I’ll call you back as soon as I can. I better go, Brianna’s done burning dinner,” he laughed.

“Hey, I heard that!” she yelled from the background.

“Okay. I um…I just… okay, I’ll talk to you…later.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“Oh no, what were you going to say?”

“I just miss you, that’s all.” I wanted to tell him I loved him, but was too embarrassed. Of course he knew that I loved him, but as the years had gone by, my feelings for him had changed. I didn’t quite understand my feelings for him, but I knew they were stronger than just friendship. And, it wasn’t the love one felt for a sibling, either.

“I miss you, too. I’ll talk to you soon.”

He hung up and started his new, exciting life while I looked around at my old dingy room and sighed, missing him more than I did before I talked to him. I wasn’t jealous of his happiness; I just wanted to share it with him.

I looked over at my dresser and saw the wrapped package. I stood up and grabbed the book and un-wrapped it and sat down on my bed to read through it. I had no idea what book it was, but I had made a promise to Kellan to read it and I realized there was no time like the present. 

I looked at the cover and read the title out loud,
Facts of Life for the Teenage Girl
.  “Guess he’s right, it certainly doesn’t sound like a mystery novel.” I said to myself. I opened the book and skimmed through it quickly. I found myself stopping on certain pictures and even though I was alone, I found myself blushing in my solitary room. I wondered why Kellan wanted me to read this, and I wanted to close it and put it away, but I had promised him I would read it, so I turned it back to the first page and started reading…

Once I started reading the book, I found that I couldn’t stop. I read and studied each page. I read about how both girls and boys develop over time. I read about periods and I finally understood why women had them…it made sense. But, when I got to the parts about love and sex, and the pictures of what men and women did together when they were in love, I shut the book. I remembered that Brianna said she loved Kellan, and as I looked at the pictures of the couple in the book, I saw
them
, and knew without a doubt that they were probably doing…that. I dropped the book on my bed and stood up. I felt sick, and I didn’t know why. All I knew was that I didn’t want Brianna anywhere near Kellan, but there was nothing I could do about it, and suddenly I found myself throwing the book onto the floor and throwing myself down on the bed, and I cried…

After about 20 minutes of non-stop tears,
Nancy came into my room…without knocking.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I sniffled.

“Are you crying?” she asked, sounding concerned, which was unlike her.

“No. I’m fine,” I snapped, turning away from her. “What do you want?” I asked.

“Your social worker dropped by to see you, a surprise visit. Put on the new clothes ‘what’s his name’ bought you and for the love of God, stop crying!” she whispered in an angry snarl.

“His name is KELLAN!” I shouted, standing up to face her.

“I don’t have time to argue with you, just get ready,” she said and then focused on my book on the floor. “What the hell’s this? Where did you get it?” she whispered, accusingly.

“From the guy whose name you can’t remember!” I said, grabbing it out of her hands.

“Have you two…? Did he…touch you?” she asked, sounding more angry than usual.
             

“Touch me? What are you talking about?

She was flipping through the book and held it open and said, “This! I’m talking about this! Did you and Kellan have sex?”

“NO! How could you even ask that?”

“It’s all here in black and white. Why did he buy this for you if you two weren’t behaving…inappropriately?” She was still whispering so my social worker couldn’t hear us, but her eyes were filled with fury.

“He bought it for me because YOU never talk to me about this stuff. You never told me that I was going to start having periods…you never tell me anything!”

“You’re too young to hear about all of that. It’s dirty and sinful!”

“Well, I’m not too young to be having periods, and thanks to you, Kellan had to try and explain it all to me…so he bought me this book because he knew you’d never tell me anything!” I shouted, for once not caring if my social worker heard me or not. I didn’t have Kellan anymore, and I realized I suddenly didn’t care if they shipped me off to somewhere else,  because without Kellan, I didn’t care what happened to me.

“You listen to me, if you make another sound, or if you make a scene, I’ll make sure you go to one of those…”

“I don’t care. Send me off…PLEASE!” I shouted, tired of her threats.

She stood up tall and straightened her dress. “I see. Well, then I guess we’re an impasse here. I don’t really care if you’re here or not, but frankly I’ve grown accustomed to the money the state gives us for you, so you’re staying.”

“Not if I make a scene,” I threatened.

“You may not care what happens to you, but I know you care about what happens to Kellan.” She glared down at me and spat, “If you make a scene, if you tell her anything other than you’re a happy, healthy, well-cared-for kid, I’ll make sure to tell them that Kellan and you were more than friends. Got it?”

“What does that mean?” I asked, not understanding her threat.
             

She grabbed the book from me again and opened it up to the page explaining sex and she pointed, “This! I’ll tell them that Kellan did this to you…and they’ll put him in jail.”

“But, it’s not true. Kellan never touched me!”

“Who do you think they’re going to believe, me, or
him
?”

“Kellan’s free of you. You can’t hurt him anymore.”

“He’s an adult now, and you’re still a minor. So, if I tell them that you and he were together, then they’ll have to check it out. And you can trust me on this…I will file charges…and he
will
go to jail!”

“You’re awful! Why are you so mean? What did Kellan ever do to make you hate him?”

“Just do what you’re told…that’s all you need to know!” she snapped and started to walk out of my room with my book.

“That’s my book!” I said, angry that she was taking away something Kellan had given to me.