Against the Wall

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THIS IS MY NEW STORY!!!!

Excuse the Mistakes

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I sat by myself in my cell, staring at the ceiling and humming a random tune. The worn tennis ball thumped against the ceiling and then returned to my hand, and then it repeated the cycle. My cell mate and her gang were enjoying their yard time, but I preferred being by myself.

When my cell door was audibly unlocked and opened, I didn't even flinch.

"Dawson."

Without moving, I replied, "Yes, sir."

"You have a visitor."

At that, my eyes widened, I sat straight up and stared at the guard in disbelief. In the month I'd been in juvie, I'd never had a visitor, but that wasn't surprising. I didn't have anyone who could visit me. "Ex-excuse me?" I stuttered, thinking I hadn't heard him right.

The guard smiled a genuine smile and replied, "You have a visitor, Sawyer." He motioned for me to get up and come with him. But I hesitated.

"Today's not Saturday," I said, realizing that it wasn't visitation day.

"The warden made a special exception," the guard replied, "C'mon." I got up slowly and followed the guard out of the room. As we walked towards the visitation room, I brushed my fingers through my hair and tried straightening my wrinkled orange jumpsuit.

The guard led me into the visitation room, filled with tables that were usually occupied by fellow girls visiting with family. I'd never been in here before.

The only person in the room other than the guard and I was an elderly woman sitting at one of the tables. As soon as she set eyes on me, the woman stood up and rushed over to me. Without a warning, she pulled me into her arms and squeezed me tightly. After a moment, the woman released me and took a step back, and I noticed her tearing up.

"Please let the warden know that I'll be taking her home," she said to the guard. He nodded and disappeared before another guard appeared to take his place.

I couldn't stop myself. "Who are you?" I asked the woman, and her face fell.

"Oh dear," she said, "I thought this would be the case." The woman led me to the table and I hesitantly sat down across from her. "Sawyer," she said, "I'm your grandmother."

"My what?" I asked incredulously. I didn't have a grandmother since two years ago when my dad's mom died. Unless... "You're my mom's mother," I stated slowly. My mom had died when I was really little, and I'd never met any relatives from her side of the family.

"Yes," the woman confirmed. "You look just like her, you know? You've got her eyes."

"Thanks," I hesitated before adding, "Grandma."

"My name's Aggie if you don't feel comfortable calling me Grandma," she said, and I shook my head.

"Grandma Aggie," I said slowly, testing it out. "I like it." Grandma Aggie looked relieved, and I waited a moment before saying, "How did you know I was here?"

"Quite honestly, I didn't even know you existed," Grandma Aggie said seriously. "A couple days ago, a detective came to speak to me, telling me that your father had fled the country after a warrant for his arrest was put in effect. Effective immediately, I'm your legal guardian."

"So you're going to take me to your home?" I asked and Grandma Aggie nodded. I'd never expected for someone to come take me home.

The reason I was in juvie was because I was a caught runaway, and after spending 24 hours in holding at the police station, I'd been sent here until my guardian could come and take me home. Unfortunately, my dad was a huge player in the drug industry and I knew he wouldn't risk coming to get me if it meant getting recognized. I'd expected to stay here for the next nine months until I turned eighteen.