Reintegration program - Elmax

Chapter 58 : Room 9

Clarissa and Max were in Joyce's car. As Melanie was in the South, the mother thought that maybe some persons of the motel could have seen Jane nearby. They arrived on something like a parking lot, but full of dust. The three women went to the reception where a young lady with long blonde hair was loudly chewing and reading a magazine.

- What can I do for you? asked the blonde lady without stopping reading.

- Have you seen a young girl recently? Sixteen years old with a leather jacket? told Joyce.

- You mean her, answered the lady, showing outside with her chin.

Joyce, Max and Clarissa all quickly turned their heads. They saw Jane, in front of a chamber, with a cigarette in her mouth, wearing a black shirt with pineapple motif on it, and brown shorts. They ran outside, not asking about Melanie, and went to her. When the young girl noticed them, she gave a quick look inside the room, before closing the door. Joyce was the first to arrive near her and put her hands on Jane's cheeks.

- Oh my god, are you ok!? asked quickly the mother.

- Yeah, I'm fine, why you're here? frowned Jane.

- We were worried for you!

- What? I don't even know (shows Clarissa) her!

- She is my cousin, dumbass! told angrily Max.

- Whatever!

- Whatever!? That's all you have to say!? Jane, you have no idea how worried we were for you!

- Why!? You worry for every people like me!?

- If I was dating all of them, certainly! But I'm dating only you, and you can't just leave and abandon everyone!

- Why not!? That's what people like me do!

- Ok! intervened Joyce. You're both very edgy and I can understand that, but yelling at each other won't help, ok? So, take a deep breath.

- No! Why you don't just leave me fucking alone!? replied Jane. You didn't come here just to see if I was alive!?

- No, indeed, we have better thing to do! told sharply Max.

- We're here for my mom, a woman with short black hair, you've seen her? asked Clarissa, impressed to see the real Crazy Jane in front of her.

- No. Leave now.

- You don't want to come back with me? said Joyce.

- No, it's a waste of time.

Jane threw her cigarette before entering the chamber and slamming the door. Max didn't wait more. She was done with her behavior so she went back to the reception to ask for her aunt, followed by Joyce and Clarissa.

- We wanna know in which room is Melanie Green, told firmly the redhead.

The blonde lady sighed before looking at her computer.

- Room 9.

- Thank you.

They left the reception and began to look at all the chambers. Joyce wasn't over with Jane. When Max and Clarissa were with Melanie, she would go back to the young girl to force her to follow her. But, the more they were looking at the number, the more they were approaching Jane's room. Jane's room was 9, like Melanie's. They all stopped, thinking there was a problem. Max put her hand on the doorknob before slowly opening the door. Jane was standing, looking at the wall in front of her, taking support on the table behind her. She didn't turn her head, like if she knew they would enter. The redhead opened more the door and saw her aunt, naked, watching Jane with lust in her eyes.

- What the fuck!? told Max, not believing it.

The black-haired woman lost her smile and quickly covered her body with the blanket.

- Max! You're already here! said the woman with a shaking voice.

- Yeah, sorry, but it's fine, finish what you were doing! replied angrily the redhead. Jane! You're sixteen! What the fuck is wr—No, wait, I'm not yelling at the right person, (turns to Melanie) What the fuck is wrong with you!?

Joyce entered the room, not thinking it was possible to be such pervert. She grabbed Jane and forced her to leave, bringing her near her car. Clarissa stayed outside. Even if it was disgusting, she wasn't surprised, she always had weird looks on her friends before.

- She is sixteen! She is my age! Why did you do that!? What the fuck!? continued Max.

- It was just like that at first!

- At first!? How many time did you have sex with her!?

- We love each other! affirmed Melanie.

- No! She doesn't love you and you, you don't love her, you're just a psycho! I can't believe you, I can't believe it!

- There is something strong between us, she listens to me!

- Because you pay her! She doesn't care about you!

- Don't be such jealous! If she preferred me than you it's not my fault! replied the woman.

- I'm pretty sure she has another version of this fucked up story!

Max burst out the room, slamming the door behind her. She didn't go to Jane, not wanting to yell at her too. Jane was sat on the dirt, against the wheel of the car, lighting a cigarette.

- Did she force you? asked softly Joyce.

Jane shook her head to say no.

- You needed some comfort?

Again, a no.

- Then, why? Why did you do that?

- She pays, told Jane.

- That's all? If you needed money I could have helped you!

- No. You've other things to think.

- Jane, what Will told you wasn't right—

- Yes it was. I don't have a family and I'll never have, that's a fact.

- You have your sister, stated Joyce.

- She is in jail, whoa, so useful! said with irony Jane.

Joyce felt sorry for her. Even if the mother treated her the best she could, Jane would never feel part of the family.

- The bruises on your neck, it's her?

- No.

- Who is it?

- Don't matter.

- It does, Jane. Those adults who paid you to use you, they need to be punished.

- I don't care, they paid, I did what I had to do. It don't matter.

The woman didn't know what to say, Jane gave up, that was what she was fearing. She wasn't angry or uncomfortable or upset, she just didn't care anymore, she didn't care to know that what she had to do wasn't normal. She called Hopper to tell him what happened. The man arrived with his lieutenant and arrested the woman and Jane.

- You had to handcuff her? asked Joyce.

- It's the procedure, said Hopper.

The man went in the car and drove away with the girl behind him. Max and Clarissa approached Joyce.

- What's going to happen to her? asked Max.

- I don't know, answered Joyce.

And it was true, she really didn't know. The justice was so unfair most of the time, she hoped they wouldn't send her again in jail or let go Melanie like if nothing happened. But it wasn't sure.