Chapter 8

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Flashback ~ 1 Year Ago

Peter POV

I shuffled downstairs to meet Beatrice at 11:55. Lo and behold, there she was, munching on apple slices.

"Hey" she piped up as soon as she saw me.

That's when I had an idea. 

"Get your coat, we're going somewhere," I affirmed.

I was surprised when she just shrugged and got off the counter to grab her coat. 

As we got into my car at the stroke of midnight, I wasn't quite certain of what I was doing. I just wanted to share something with her.

We drove for a while in silence, she never questioned where we were going.

There was some sort of game on TV, so I was hoping everyone would still be awake. 

We stopped at a run-down house, far from the suburbs from where we started. I could see Beatrice getting anxious.

"It's fine," I assured her covering her hand with mine. "We'll be in and out, I promise."

She nodded.

Sure enough, there was light and the faint sound of television bursting from houses on this street. I'm guessing it was a soccer game.

I knocked on the door and Liu opened it, her wrinkled eyes lit up seeing my face as she nodded her head and allowed us in.

"Nice to see you, nice to see you," she said smiling and then turned to Beatrice.

"This is Beatrice, my friend," I said.

"Nice to meet you," she said pleasantly.

"Nice to meet you too," Beatrice replied.

Then Jessica came running from behind Liu, she was only thirteen but really smart for her age. 

"Peeeetr!!" she screamed excitedly, I guess she was catching on to the American accent I thought jokingly. 

I looked around the small two-bedroom house, with air mattresses, cartons, and microwavable meal boxes. They were still getting settled in.

"Tea?" Liu asked.

"No, its okay, please I just wanted Beatrice to meet you," I said politely. 

Beatrice was preoccupied with Jessica. Jessica tugged on Beatrice's hair as she bent down to her level. "Are you Peeetr's girlfriend?" she asked.

"Um..no, why do you ask?" Beatrice replied uncomfortably.

"Because he's my boyfriend!!" she whined.

Beatrice laughed "Don't worry, I won't steal him away." she said.

Jessica ran back to Liu as they walked into the kitchen to make tea. Liu was far too polite to not make tea. 

As Beatrice and I were left alone, I explained. "My dad is friends with the sheriff so whenever he has information about legally cleared immigrant families moving to town, Austin and I head over to introduce ourselves. You know, help out with the simple stuff. The nearest laundromat, how the currency works, basic phrases in English, a map of the town, and just generally help them settle in with anything they might need help with. It's like a secret between Austin and me, it's something we do together. No one knows about it, not even Ashely"

She listened attentively, hanging on to every word. 

I pick up the piece of paper kept neatly folded underneath a basket. I unfold it and show it to Beatrice. It had Austin and I's name and phone number written in silver sharpie. That's the only pen Jessica liked, so it was always kept on the table at their house.

"It's nice that they can reach out to you whenever they want. I mean, it would be hard considering you have terrible handwriting," she said light-heartedly.

I threw her a dirty look before promptly replying "metallic sharpies are thick, so it isn't that clear".

"Uhuh" she said, on the verge of bursting out laughing. I spotted the silver sharpie near the desk and handed it to her. 

"You can write your name and number too, so they have another person they can rely on," I say.

She takes the silver sharpie and scribbles her name and number beneath mine.

"Lastly, there's my favorite component, one I added as soon as I started doing this with Austin about a year ago," I said, walking to Liu's study table to pick up a small blue book.

"A pocket constitution," I said, smiling. "I think people should understand exactly what they're entitled to in the new place they've chosen to call home. Whenever I'm free, I come over and read it to Liu and Jessica and try to tell them their fundamental rights, as Americans". 

Beatrice was quiet, she was still processing. I heard her sigh as she looked me in the eyes. I hope she didn't feel like I dragged her here for no reason.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing. It's just, what you're doing is amazing. It's terrifying moving to a new school, let alone a new country. You're...empowering them." she said smiling.

"Why do you look upset?" I asked genuinely worried.

"I'm not upset....I...if only you and Austin know about this, then why did you bring me here?" she asks timidly.

"I don't know," I say honestly. "It just felt right".

I see the anxiety leave her eyes, and another emotion flashes across them. Before I have time to decipher what it is, Liu and Jessica walk out of the kitchen as Jessica announces "Teeee for Peeeetr and his not-girlfriend!!" giggling. 

Beatrice had been my best friend this summer. I wanted it to end on a happy note, so with a dull ache in my chest, I decided we would just be friends. I would box up any feelings that said otherwise and lock them away. For her sake and mine.

I won't cross the line, I won't let what I feel ruin what we have. 


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