True Friends: Kidnapped - Lulu Nighthaven & Breeana Willow Vala (ebooks online reader .TXT) 📗

might be nosey, but she wasn't that mean!


CHAPTER SEVEN

Alabama, June 17th


“Raven! He’s after me, Raven, he’s after me!” Mike said as he burst through the door to their joint room. He had a black eye and a busted lip.
“Who was it, and where are they? I’ll murdalize ‘em!” She said, but not waiting for an answer. She was already barreling down the hall, heading straight for the three boys running in her direction.
“Where’s that little punk at!” The boy who seemed to be the leader asked. Stopping in front of Raven.
“What little punk? I only know one person that’s little, and he’s practically my brother. You haven’t seen him have you?” She asked, making sure her sarcasm wasn’t missed by any of them.
“No, now where’s the stupid little runt. Is time for his weekly pummeling.” He said, laughing with his pals.
"Aw, well, thats to bad. By the way, the little 'runt' your looking for, he might not have a black eye, would he?"
"Yeah he does, why?"
"If thats correct, then you might as well turn around now and walk back the way you came."
"No way, you know where he is, you better tell us, or else."
"Or else what? You'll bloody my lip?" She said with sarcasm.
"Yep, so where is he?"
"Your either stupid, or your missing the point on purpose. Yes, I know where he is. No, I won't let you have him. And, if you hit me, I'll hit back. Ask your friend, Gary was his name I think. He'll inform you on my temper."
"We only want the little brat, but, if you want to take his beating for him, go right ahead."
"Deal. You get twelve solid punches on me, then, you leave Mike alone. For good. Ok?"
Each boy looked stunned but eventually nodded their yes'.
Five minute later, she leaned against the hall wall as the boys walked away. Once they were gone Mike came running out of the room just as Raven slipped to the floor.
"You didn't have to do that! Why didn't you fight them?" He asked, helping her up.
" 'Cause if I had, they would just come back for you."
Mike made an odd snorting sound, showing his opinion on her logic by turning her toward the nurses office.
"Mikey, I don't need a nurse. My pride is more wounded than any flesh wound I might have just acquired."
"To bad, you're gonna see a nurse. Then..." He trailed off, knowing what he said next might be the last words that ever left his lips. "Then, we'll go see Mrs. Clyde." He said quietly.
She was silent for a moment. Then, without warning, she jerked away from Mikey and turned in the opisite direction.
"Where you goin'?" He asked, running to keep up.
"Back to our joint room. Mrs. Clyde was nice enough to give us a joint room when we became friends, but I really doubt she'll appreciate this," She gestured to her face. "As a thank you."
"Well, we gotta do somethin' don't we?"
"We will, we'll patch me up with that first-aid kit you have. Then, we'll go to lunch."
"Are you sure, Raven?"
"Positive kid. Besides, if we went to Mrs. Clyde, I'd never get the little pride I have left back!" She said, tossing her arm over his shoulder as they entered the room.
"Well, I guess...." He said, then he walked over to his backpack and took out a little red box with a white plus sign on it.


"Raven, you have a visitor."
Raven looked up from the picture she was drawing. Standing in the door way was a pretty woman with dark brown hair, wearing a navy blue buisness suit that complamented her matching hir and eyes. She was smiling warmly at Raven and Mike. To her left there was a boy a couple years older than Raven. He had dark hair and eyes, and was wearing an orange 'Camp Woodchuck' Tshirt with jeans and sneakers. Mrs. Clyde was standing at the pretty womans right side.
"Yeah?" Raven said, thinking, this is going to be fun.
"Raven, this is Ms. Strife and her son, Joey. They want to be your new family." Mrs. Clyde said.
"No thanks." Raven said, looking only at the red head. "Sorry lady, but I don't go any where that Mikey isn't."
"Who's Mikey?" She asked before Mrs. Clyde could scold Raven.
"Thats me!" Mike said, smiling up at the woman and her son.
"Hello, Mikey. Would like to play with my son for a few minutes?" She asked.
"Sure." Mike said.
"Joey, why don't you go tell Mikey all about baseball while I talk to Raven."
"Sure mom." The boy said, giving Raven a curious look and a small smile before walking with Mikey over to his side of the room.
"Raven, would you like to take a walk with me? Maybe we can negotiate?" The pretty woman asked, offering Raven the hand that wasn't holding her breifcase.
Raven hesitated for a minute, surprised. Then she nodded and put her notebook and pencil down. She followed the lady out of the room.
"Why don't you lead the way?" The woman said.
"Ok." Raven said, and she lead them out to the side yard, walking over to the bench in the yard, she sat down. The woman mirrored the movement and set her case down. She turned to Raven and examined her before speaking.
"So, you won't come unless we bring your friend, Mikey, with us?"
"Nope."
"Why not?" The woman asked, true curiosity burned deeply in her beautiful voice.
"If I leave, without Mikey, who's gonna keep the bullies away from him? Who'll play with him? Who's he gonna bunk with?" She said, giving her the basic reasons.
"I'm quite sure the adults will keep him safe, and be sure he has plenty of friends. And find someone for him to share a room with." The lady answered in a persuasive voice.
"Look, lady, Mikey is my friend, the only friend I have in this heck-hole. And I'm his only friend too. I don't wanna be rude ma'am. I have manners and know how to use them. But I also know when there useless. So, here's how it works. You want me, you have to take Mikey too. And quite frankly Ms. Strife, I'm told I can out argue the best lawyers in the world. So negotiation, persuasion, and arguing are pointless."
"Well, what if I said I would love to have both you and Mikey as my children? I'm sure Joey won't mind." The lady said, and watched patiently as a dozen different emotions played across Raven's face before she settled on surprised and cautious, but happy.
"Seriously? You would?" She asked, guardedly.
"Yep, as long as you two don't mind living with a boring old lawyer." She said, smiling when she saw Raven's surprise. "If you’re ok with that, then go on up to your room and you and Mikey pack. I need to drop off some boring lawyer papers at the court house then sign some papers here. Mind entertaining Joey while I'm gone?"
"Sure! Wow, this is awesome, just wait till I tell Mikey!" Raven siad, jumping up and running toward the house. "Thank you!" She yelled over her shoulder.
On the way up she realized something, that she was grinning like an idiot from ear to ear. She hadn't been this happy in years. She relized something else as she ran up the stairs.
She relized that she was allowing herself to hope. She never did that, it always resulted in pain. But it was to late, she was already hoping, already seeing an entire new life. One where she had two brothers and beautiful mother. One where everything was perfect.
Not even remembering her own rule. That perfect didn't exist. No one and nothing was perfect. Anything that was always resulted in hurt, pain, and scars, physical scars or scars to the heart, didn't matter which.
But she was already gone, dreaming up that life as she ran down the hall and into her room where her 'brothers' were playing with action figures.


CHAPTER EIGHT


"Come on... Come on... NO!!!"
Tracy screamed in frustration and threw her controller across the room, just missing the TV.
"For crying out loud Trace, it's just a game! It's not the TVs fault I'm so much better at it than you."
Yasmin squealed and ducked as Tracy threw a cushion at her.
Tracy stood up and headed for the kitchen.
"I'm thirsty. Want anything?"
"A coke would be great, thanks", Yasmin called back as she bent down to pick up the control that Tracy had threw at the TV.
Yasmin was at Tracy's house. It was the weekend, and Tracy's mum was working, so she had invited Yasmin round. They had been playing Tracy's little brother's car racing game.
"I swear I'm not getting better at that game", Yasmin remarked as Tracy came back in with two cans of coke. "I think you're just getting worse."
"Just you wait Yas", Tracy said. "I will beat you someday!"
Yasmin grinned, opened her drink, and sat back.
"So...." Tracy started, "What's new