10 years later: sophomore
CHERYL POV:
Yeah remember when I made that deal with Toni about how the kids won't be involved with the serpents until their 18? Yeah that didn't last long. They are now in their sophomores in high school and both serpents. JJ is getting detentions left and right. "What the hell is going on? You used to be this happy carefree kid." Toni says as we get home from another meeting with the principal. "Maybe if mom didn't almost die when I was 5 maybe I would be ok!" He walks up to his room and slams it behind himself. I look over at Toni both of us lost for words. "I'll talk to him." Toni walks upstairs slowly.
TONI POV:
"Jason." I walk in, he is sitting on the floor in the corner again. He looks like he's in a panic. "Hey, What's going on?" I close the door and walk over to him. "Jason." I sit in front of him. He doesn't make eye contact. I hold his face. "Breathe with me." We both take a deep breath. Once he's calm down I break the silence. "What's going on with you?" I ask softly. He shales his head. "Ever since you were shot, and seeing you in the hospital I can't imagine what might happen to you. That's why I joined the serpents just incase something happened to you or mom." I move closer to him. "That happened 10 years ago nothing will happen to me, the ghoulies are no longer a gang. Is there anything else? Because lately your behavior has gotten worse." He nods. I really feel bad for him, one thing happened and it changed everything for him. Especially as he got older. "Promise not to tell anyone." He looks up. "Let me guess a girl is bothering you?" I ask trying to lighten the mood. He shakes his head. "No complete opposite actually." A boy. "A boy?" I ask. He shakes his head again. "No, you know how in high school your supposed to date people?" I nod. "Well I don't want to, and I can't figure it out I don't have any interest in girls or boys, I'm so confused and frustrated." I take his hand. "It's ok. And normal if that's what your worried about it." He looks down. "Thank you." He looks back at me. "For what?" I ask softly. "For not giving up on me even through my troubles." He says in a way that concerned me. "I'm always here to listen. But I have to go do something right now, I'll be back in a few." He nods. I get up and walk out. "Cheryl." I walk into her office and close the door. "What's up." I sit down at her desk. "Something is up with Jason, his grades have dropped badly like I would surprised if he had a C in any class, after what happened to me, and what happened to Rose he has been pretty messed up." Nothing has been the same since Rose died, especially Jason because he blames himself for it. That's when we knew he had to see someone for everything that's also when he made him let him join the serpents. We try not to mention it in front of him. "Cheryl, I'm just worried about him." She sits next to me and takes my hand. "Me too, I've been for while. It's just now it's really obvious that something is going wrong and I feel like we did something wrong. Like maybe if we had him see someone sooner than-." I stop her, by now she's started crying. "Cheryl there is nothing we could have done to stop this." I cup her face. "Except there was."
10 years earlier: kindergarten
CHERYL POV:
"Jason, if you don't sit down right now!" I yell, he stops running around and looks at me horrified. "Please." I say calmly. "I don't like yelling at you." He finally sits the chair. "Than why do you?" He ask. "Because I need to. I don't want to yell at you, but sometimes I have to choice. Now eat" I get up and walk to the sink. I hear one of the twins throw their plate. Luckily we have them use plastic plates. I turn around and surprising it's not JJ. "Mary." Toni looks at me. I take a deep breath. "Why did you think that was ok?" I ask calmly. She shrugs her shoulders. "Please don't do it again." I watch as JJ's face turns so he looks more pissed. "Why does she get special treatment!?" He yells. "Because she isn't getting into trouble all the time." Toni says.
"Cheryl calm down." She stops me from pacing. "I just feel bad for Mary because, I feel like she doesn't feel heard because we're busy with JJ." I tell her. She plays with my hair. "I'll talk to her when they go to bed." She tries to calm me. I start to walk away. "Hey." I turn around. "Everything will be ok." I nod and walk out of our room and to Marry's. "Hey, can we talk?" I ask. "Is it about JJ?" She looks at me. I close the door and sit on her bed. "Yeah actually." She looks mad. I wish none of this would happen, I wish Toni was never shot. "Mom why is he always acting like that?" The question I was going to answer some day. What do I tell her, JJ doesn't really even know why he's like that. "He- remember when mommy was in the hospital?" She nods. "Well that kinda, it kinda made him upset and be doesn't really know how to deal with it." I tell her the best I could. "Why does he cry when mommy leaves?" She ask softly. "Because he doesn't want her to be in the hospital again and he doesn't know how to correctly express that." I tell her. I don't blame him even before that every time Toni walked out of the house, my heart dropped. "But why do I not feel like that?" I shrug. "Because you can deal with it." Hopefully, she could just be shoving her feelings down. "It's time for bed do you want me to read or do you want me to get mommy?" I ask she points at me. "Ok." I grab her book and get in her bed to read. "So where were you guys?"
She finally is asleep enough that I can get up. I walk into our room for Toni not to be in there. I go to JJ's room which may I add was Jason's old room whenever we were here. Both Toni and JJ are asleep. I turn off the light and close the door. I remember how scared Toni was to become a mom especially with Rose and her problems. But I think Toni is a better mom than I am honestly. I go back to Mary's room and she's already up again. "I can't sleep." I go over to her. I get in her bed again and rub her back. "Why did mommy go to the hospital?" She look up at me. "She got hurt really bad. Your a little to young to know what happened but she's ok now. Come on you need to go to school tomorrow get some sleep." She snuggles into me more. "I love you mom." I smile. "I love you."
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Let me explain what the hell is going on! So I will be jumping back a forth between high school and elementary school and maybe Middle depending on my mood. And I'll usually say what year of school it is anyway.
