The Next to be Taken

Chapter Thirty-Two

Standing in front of the school, high school. I stared up at the building, the sun shining over it.
"I don't think I can do this.." I mumbled more to myself but Riley ended up hearing it anyways.

"It's okay, everyone gets nervous their first day." Riley tugged on the strap of his bag on his shoulder.

"Who says I'm nervous?" I turned back to him.

"Can you not feel how tight you're gripping your bag? Your knuckles are turning white." Riley pointed out, pointing at my right hand that was clutched onto the bag's strap.

I looked down, actually realizing what I was doing. I loosened my grasp, finding nail marks in the palm of my hand. "Okay, fine then. But still, how am I suppose to find the classes? I never got to meet the teachers, how will I find their rooms?"

"The numbers, It has the room numbers, you just got to find them by the doors. You... You're good with numbers right?" He hesitantly asked.

"Yes, Riley. I can count." I told him, a little annoyance snuck into my voice.

"Well I'm sorry, I just want to be sure. You can't read so how am I suppose to know."

I looked back, seeing all the kids surround Dash who was helping them get ready. Putting their bags on, straightening out clothes and so on. He was talking to them all about something but he was talking too low and the distance made it where I couldn't pick out the words. I looked back to Riley.

"Dash is so much like a Mother." I rolled my eyes, a small smile came onto my lips.
Seeing him like that looked like a Mother getting their children ready for their first day of school.

"Really?" Riley laughed, looking back at him. "He's like a father to me.."

"How long have you been here?"

He ran his fingers through his hair. "Uh, for a while. These guys are kinda all I have."

I had to turn back around when I heard motion coming up from behind me. Dash knelled to the ground. "Both of you got everything? Understand your schedules?"

Like what he did to the others, he spotted something off with my sweater and tried to straighten it out. His hands took up my entire view, making me a little uncomfortable.

I pushed his hands away, moving away from him. "Ugh, quit it."

"Sorry." He looked off to the side, taking his hands back.

The bell rang from the school. It's time? I don't know about this..

"Dash, do we have to go?" Jonas moped. "Couldn't you just home school us?"

"Yes you all have to, I can only teach you all so much. Going here will be better for you all, trust me. They could cover more things than I could, and this is so you all can get a better start on life. This is something you all need." He gave him a little encouraging nudge with his hand. Giving him a little push in the direction of his school. The schools were all back to back, close together.

"Riley, do you understand your schedule?" Dash looked down to him.

Riley held a thumb up, walking up the stairs and going into the school.
I still stood in front of the building. I couldn't bring myself to even move my legs to take a step. The building looked so.. small. Compared to what I have been getting use to seeing.

"Mavis?"

I looked down to my feet, looking at my green converse shoes. I don't think I can do it. I don't want to go in there. I don't want to deal with people. All of my "people experiences" always goes south. They don't like me, people don't like me. They have always just known me as a thief, homeless freak, street rat. I have no future to begin with, what's going to make the difference of going here. Isn't it too late for me now?

"Are you alright?" Dash moved more in front of me, staying at his knees.
"Don't be worried."

I looked up to him, then played it off by rolling my eyes. "Pfft, I'm not worried." I responded with like he said the stupidest thing in the world.

"Then why do you hesitate?"

Damn.. What do I say to that? I don't really have to say anything do I? I decided to ignore his words, and stare up at the building that sat in front of me.

Dash sighed. "I understand. I just want you to know that you will do fine. This is something you need. It's not just you that's going through this, it's all of your siblings."

Wow, that still sounds weird to hear. Defiantly if it's to me.

"I had to have a talk with them all, they are all nervous to be starting this. They haven't gotten to actually go to school ever since they came to live with me. I tried what I could to home school them where I could. But of course going to an actual school would outdo anything I could have ever done. But if you are worri- uh, concerned, about being picked on, just know that won't happen again. Just tell me if something happens and I will help where I can."

I exhaled. "Will do." When a question popped into my mind, I turned to look up to him. Even with him being on his knees to get closer to my level, he still of course towered over me where I had to crane my head back little ways to actually look up at him.
"How about when we get out, are you going to be there or.... what...?"

"Yes, either one of Kent or I will be here or both of us. We can't have you going through the portal completely by yourself like that yet. You either need to go in with Kent or me, or with someone there to catch you in case you get tossed out the other end."

I glanced around me when I saw the kids pass me to get to their schools. Bringing me out of the conversation and into what was happening around me.

I felt Dash pat my back gently, pulling my attention back to him.

"I'll be here when you all get out. Best of luck."
He stood back up to his height and walking away, making me slightly dizzy. I watched as he, and Kent left for the light pole that activates the portal.
Looking back up to the school, I actually preferred to go back with Dash and Kent than go here. I just wanted to go back to bed and not deal with people.

Pushing myself, I finally started to walk towards the school. I yanked out my schedule, scanning over the words at an attempt for them to make sense. Finding room numbers and figuring out which class was first. I fumbled with the wrinkled paper that kept wanted to fold back to how it was.

I hated school when I went before. One of the perks about living on the streets by myself, I didn't have to go to school. There was no future for me at that point and I was sure there still wasn't one for me now.
When I was on my own I chose what I wanted to do, I was my own boss. Now being here, I must have gotten demoted from being boss.
Not having much of a say in the matter and being pushed to go or do something. But then again, isn't that most of these kids. Like, I'm sure some of them are kicking themselves for having to come here.

Groaning to myself, blowing a strain of my hair out of my face.
Hopefully it won't be like how it was when I use to go. Hopefully they matured at least a little.