A Twist Of Fate

A Twist Of Fate

A Chapter by revolution_starter
"

Sheila collides with destiny

"

Sheila walked through the halls of Hunter High School. She was late again; her foster mother had given her a ton of work before letting her go. But before she lashed out some inappropriate words to her and sent her away with only a piece of toast. Her stomach grumbled so hard she was sure in every class they could hear it as she walked pass. She finally got to Room 104 English. She opened the door and took a deep breath as 17 different eyes stared at her including the teacher and the class became quiet.

“Miss Lane, we appreciate you joining us even though you are 8 minutes late.” Said Mr. Ronald, the English teacher.

“Sorry I missed my bus and had to run all the way here.” She said looking down at her worn out sneakers. The class erupted in laughter and Mr. Ronald pounded the desk to get them quiet.

“Well in the future try to get up early, maybe that’ll help. Now get to your seat before I mark you tardy.” Sheila took her seat and removed her World Literature textbook out of her backpack.

“Hey dirt hole.” Said Mike Rivers the obnoxious rich kid who sat behind her and constantly made fun of her. “I see you went shopping in the dumpster and came back looking better than you usually do, no wait, you always look awful and you still do.”

“Try not to listen to him Sheila.” She said to herself as she tried to bury her head in her book. This is what she faced every day; she was used to it so she could endure. After the bell rung, she picked up her books and ran as fast as she could to avoid Mike before she bumped into Claire Holland, the designer queen who always the weeks most expensive gear and really rich parents.

“Watch where you’re going.” She said rudely while her friends giggled behind her. Sheila barely said sorry before running to her next class, which was Art. Good thing that was her favorite and well, the only subject she was good at. She took her usual seat near the window and pulled out her sketch book from her backpack. Mrs. Paige set up a glass duck on the front desk and asked them to draw and shade with layers. Sheila was glad Mike wasn’t in this class so she could concentrate on her work and she loved every second of it. She finished and handed her paper to Mrs. Paige who gave her an approving smile.

As she walked into the hallway she saw Mike goofing around with a bunch of his friends around the lockers. She sighed inwardly and hoped he wouldn’t notice her. Too late.

“Hey Lane, come over here.” He said with his friends bickering beside him. Sheila pretended not to hear him and continued walking faster but he caught up with her and pulled her back with her hand.

“Hey I thought I was calling you Shelby.” He said clutching her hand too tight. She closed her eyes and said “It’s Sheila.”

“Whatever. Shut up, I’m talking.”

“Ok, what do you want?” Sheila said trying to pull away from his very tight grip on her hand.

“I want” he said smirking “To have some fun, right now.” She shivered as he stroked her arm all the way to her shoulder. She wished someone could see them and stop him but they were so close to the janitors’ closet and almost everyone was at lunch. Besides Mike was untouchable, his dad was a school board trustee and would make sure no one touched his son. She on the other hand was a nobody.

“You know Lane, you are pretty.”  He whispered close to her ear sending bumps through her skin. She was a starting to get scared when she heard a voice from behind.

“What are you doing Mike?!” it said questioningly and firmly. Mike jumped off her and said “Dude nothing; I was just talking to this weird chick.” He scratched his head and walked backwards. 

“Get out Mike and I don’t want to see this again.”

“Right Derek.” And Mike ran off.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you know how lousy Mike is?” he said. It took Sheila 2 seconds to realize he was talking to her. She looked at him and said “Ummm, I wasn’t with him we were just talking.”

“You aren’t as good at lying as your friend.”

“He isn’t my friend.” She looked up finally and saw the face of the boy she was talking to. He looked about 16 and had ruffled but nice brown hair and the clearest blue eyes she ever saw.

“I’m Derek.”

“I’m Sheila. And he’s not my friend. At all.” She shuffled a bit forward.

Derek looked at her as if he could see right through her and his facial expression clearly said he thought she was lying.  

“Well what were you two doing?”

Sheila hesitated “We were talking.”

Derek scoffed “Yeah that’s what it looked like.” His sarcastic tone was making her uncomfortable. She hiked up her backpack and said “Look I have to get to class.”

“But its lunch period.”  He answered clearly amused.

“I have to go to the library.”

“Relax” his expression softened slightly “I’m not going to hurt you; I just know Mike is lousy and I really don’t want him hurting anyone.”

“But you hardly know me. You’re not even in this block; you look like you’re 16 so I really don’t know why you’re in the 9th grade block.” Sheila wanted to cover her mouth because of how rude that sounded. If this guy wasn’t going to take Mike’s rubbish, he was definitely not going to take hers.  But he surprised her by laughing out loud. “No I’m a 10th grader. I’m just here because my sister forgot her phone with me and I have to go give it to her. She’s Claire Holland, you know her right?” Oh, goodness. This was Derek Holland, Claire's brother, no wonder they had the same kind of eyes.  

“So be careful of Mike, he’s nothing but trouble.”

“Thanks but I already knew that.”

“Yeah but he still had you in his grip back there, just be careful. I’ve caught him lots of times trying to get his way with vulnerable girls like you.” He gave a knowing look.

“Thanks but I’m not vulnerable. Besides, do you go around saving people all the time?” Sheila asked raising up one eyebrow.

“Listen just take my advice. I have to go, my sister’s probably freaking out by now.” He started to back away.

“Ok thanks.” Sheila turned and walked away as quickly as she could before he could say another word to her. He seemed nice but she had a feeling that she had nothing in common with him. If anything, his expensive sneakers and nice looking clothes just made her feel more inferior than she ever felt before.  The rest of the day went in a blur. Mike stayed away from her and she was pretty sure Derek had scared him off.  She took the late bus to the torn down shack she had called her house, well temporarily, where her foster mother had locked the door and didn’t even bother to leave out a spare key for her. She had probably gone shoplifting and wouldn’t be back till late. It was ok; she could go to the park and make sketches for a while then eat the sandwich she had forgotten about during the incident at lunch.

 She scampered to the park since it wasn’t far from where she lived and sat behind her favorite oak tree and took out her sketch book.  Sheila drew the little pond in front of her while munching on her sandwich, carving out the little stones at the side and the ducks swimming beside the lilies as they floated by.  She looked up and wanted to add the people laughing on the benches but she decided that there wasn’t any space left. By the time she was done, it was late so she had to go back to her house. She walked as fast as she could because at this time the streets started to get dangerous around that area.

She got home at 7 and sighed with relief when she saw the front door wasn’t locked.  What happened immediately also surprised her. She heard a loud crash come from the kitchen and she rushed over there to see. It was her foster mother yelling at the top of her voice while a man punched her in the face.

“Where’s my money Karen?” the man yelled while giving her another one with his already bloodied fist.

“I don’t have it! I swear I’ll get it before next Monday-“

“I want it now!” he shouted. Sheila was scared, she wanted to back away and call the police with the phone in the living room when the man spotted her. “Who is she Karen!?” he said his full attention on her. Her foster mother turned around and her eyes widened as she saw Sheila at the doorway.  

“That’s no one! The state sent her today. I swear I don’t know her.” she trembled. The man walked forward and smirked at Sheila.

“You give me my money or I’m taking her with me.”  He smiled wickedly at Sheila who backed slowly into the living room as he came closer.  He yanked her arm a pulled her closer, she was really afraid now. Her foster mother shouted “Please, the state will kill me!” Sheila grabbed a lamp and smashed it on his head. He let go of her and wailed in pain. Sheila grabbed her backpack and ran out the door leaving him shouting some offensive words at her.

She ran as fast as she could, not knowing where she was going but running anyway. She stooped when she was at a considerable distance far away from the house. She stopped beside a bench and sat down to pant. She didn’t know where to go, she was so scared. It had started raining and her clothes were getting soaked but she stood up and continued walking hoping she would get some help soon. It was dark and most people in this neighborhood would be at home or going home. She hoped a miracle would come soon.

            “Daddy, Derek took a chunk of my ice cream!” Penelope yelled at the backseat of the Range Rover while her brother laughed while his baby sister looked at like he just committed the worst crime ever.

“Dad, come on Penelope nicks everyone’s ice cream it her turn now.” Claire said licking hers as it dripped on her fingers. 

“Frankly, I’m glad Derek agreed to join us and not stay at home pretending to sleep.” David said gripping the wheel while smiling through the review mirror.

“Thank goodness tomorrow’s Saturday so we can stay up a little late tonight.”  Claire said. Penelope wailed again and said she was calling the ‘ice cream police’ and Derek was committing ‘armed robbery’.

“I wonder where you learn all these words from.” David said curiously.

“Mrs. Greenson watches too much CSI.” Claire answered. David chuckled and looked out the window when he saw a girl trying to cross the road. She looked about 14 or 15 and was soaked in the rain.   

“Oh my, I wonder who that girl is and why she is crossing the road so late in this rain.” David said slightly concerned. Derek looked up and gasped “That’s Sheila.”

“You know her?” David asked.

“Yes, she’s in Claire’s class.”

“Well what is she doing here at this time?”

“I don’t know.” Derek wound down the window and shouted “Sheila what are you doing here?” she turned startled and but eased up a bit when she recognized him.

“What are you doing here Sheila?” David asked driving closer to her.

“I’m lost.”

“Where are you going?”

She hesitated a bit then said “I don’t really know.”

“Where’s your mom?” David asked.

“I don’t know.”  She said a bit painfully.

“Get in.” he said without hesitation. Claire looked she was going to protest and Penelope seemed a bit baffled but he was firm. “Derek move over for her and pull out the blanket at the back.” Derek did so without complaining and wrapped it round her, then put her half wet backpack in the boot.  She immediately collapsed on his shoulders and sighed like she was tired.

“Claire bring out a spare pajama for Sheila and open the spare room for her.” David said when they got home and Derek set her on the couch. Even Penelope understood the situation and stopped wailing and walked by herself.

“Oh my-“   Derek said peeling off her soaked sweater. David turned around from the water he was bringing out from the fridge and went into the living room to see what made Derek shout like that.

“What is it?”

Derek pulled off the sweater completely to reveal a long bloody gash on her arm.

“Claire, get the first aid kit.” He barked immediately at Claire who went to the bathroom where it was kept. Derek cradled her arm until Claire came with the first aid kit and then cleaned it up with the hydrogen peroxide while Sheila winced in pain. He put the wool and gauze over it.

“ What happened to your hand Sheila?” Derek asked her.

“I hurt it while I was running.” She said energy completely drained from her voice because she was exhausted.
   “Running from what?” David asked as he brought her a mug of hot cocoa. She took a gulp from it and said “The maniac who tried to kidnap me.”

Derek immediately faced his father “Dad we need to call the police.”

“Please don’t!”  Sheila said immediately alarmed. “They’ll take to another place and they’ll hurt me please don’t!”   She burst into tears. Derek cradled her as she cried into his shirt, he turned to his father and said “Dad maybe we should wait till tomorrow, she seems stressed right now.” He rubbed her shoulders and squeezed her close to him.  David sighed “Alright we can alert the police tomorrow. But for now take her up to the guest room to rest up. She looks like she's had a long night.”

Derek helped her up to her feet and took her upstairs. Claire immediately turned to face her father “Dad, we have a complete stranger in our home right now, how can you even feel comfortable right now.” 

“Claire she’s a helpless girl in need and she’s not a complete stranger, Derek knows her and she’s in your class.” Claire folded her hands “What if she’s a spy, sent here to spy on us.”

David scoffed “A young girl cold and defenseless left alone in the rain is sent to rob us, I don’t think so you’re smarter than that Claire.”

But she still wasn’t satisfied “But she’s so not our class dad.”

“How can you even say that?! She needs help and we are going to help her, your mother would not want you to talk like this ever. It’s just till we can contact the police and maybe Child Welfare. The poor thing doesn’t seem to have decent parents by the look of it.”

“But Dad-.”

“No buts Claire now take Penelope upstairs to bed.” He said referring to Penelope who sat down on the sofa completely calm the whole time.

“Dad but do you think she’ll steal anything?” Claire said gripping Penelope’s hand.

David’s lips actually twitched for a second before saying “Well, I guess we’ll find out in the morning.”

David went upstairs to his room after checking on the kids and his additional guest who seemed to be sleeping peacefully.  He collapsed on his bed and sighed inwardly. It was some night. He had a stranger in his home who seemed to harmless so far but found in some strange circumstances. That was no problem, tomorrow he would call the police and Child Protection Services who would come and take her to safety.  Besides, he didn’t need another child in his hands; he already had enough on his plate with three children and the loss of his wife to an accident.  He almost felt overwhelmed with emotion as he thought about her. Camilla was the love of his life, and his closest companion. Her warm smile and cheery laughter always backed him up and made him feel better no matter what the problem was. He remembered how there was always laughter in the house and warmth, but now it was all gone. He knew how much it affected his children; how he wished they would open up to him. He held her most recent photo up to his chest. It was on Penelope’s second birthday; three weeks before her passing. He clutched it and clung unto the memory of Camilla, his dear wife who fate had taken away too soon. If only she was still alive.  

 



© 2013 revolution_starter


My Review

Would you like to review this Chapter?
Login | Register




Share This
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Request Read Request
Add to Library My Library
Subscribe Subscribe


Stats

158 Views
Added on September 19, 2013
Last Updated on September 19, 2013