Kit’s POV
“Don’t let those delinquents push you around,” Cody said with a harsh glare as he punched my shoulder.
“Remember to write me back,” Anthony sighed. His eyes were glued to the floor. He hasn’t looked me in the eyes since we woke up an hour ago.
“Find a hot boyfriend,” Nathan cheered, somehow managing to be the only one here with a smile on his face.
“You guys sound like we’re in some old war movie,” I said with an eye roll. “It’s not like one of us are about to die and we’ll never see the rest of you again.”
“Yea but still. You were here first and now you’re leaving. I can’t speak for everyone but I know I wouldn’t have got through my program without you.” Cody scowled at the floor but it only makes me scoff.
“I didn’t do anything. You got through your program because you wanted to, not because I did anything special. Just follow your program every day and remember why you got clean. You’re going to be fine.”
Cody looked like he didn’t really believe me but didn’t say anything else.
“Ready to hit the road?”
My spirits deepen at that.
Patrick, the cop who was taking me to camp, stood by the door patiently as we wrapped up our goodbyes but I guess my time was up now.
“I guess so.” I sighed to myself as I reached down to pick up the suitcase the center provided. It didn’t have much in it, just a few clothes, a blanket, my toothbrush, and an extra pair of shoes, but it was still a bit heavy. “I’ll see you guys later. Write me or I’ll assume you died.”
“You better write back or we’ll assume you ditched that place,” Nathan teased as a sad smile formed on his face.
I don’t bother saying anything back as I followed Patrick through the lobby. When he opened the door the cold morning air filled my lungs, only making my heartbeat faster.
“This is the first time I’ve been out since I started my program,” I said as Patrick loaded my case into the trunk of the car. I leaned against it taking in as much of the new air as I could.
“You haven’t been outside in a year,” He asked, not brothering to keep the surprise out of his voice.
“Well I’ve been outside. There’s a gated backyard but it’s different than being outside. This particular center doesn’t allow any one to leave the grounds until you finished your program. I guess they don’t want the outside world to tempt you into bad habits.”
Patrick chuckled before shutting the trunk and gesturing to the backseat of his squad car.
“Do the windows roll down,” I asked after us being on the road for a few minutes.
He doesn’t answer but a smile flashes across his face as my window begins to push down.
“So it’s only about a 30 minute drive to camp from here. Once we get there I’ll drop you off at the front office. Mary, the owner,” his lips twitched down at that, “will get you sighed in, your cabin’s therapist will give you a tour, and then you’ll get to head to your cabin and meet your roommate.”
“ ‘Cabin therapist’? That makes him kind of sound like a mascot.”
“That’s a good way to think about it honestly,” he said with a chuckle. “Counselor is another good word for it though. You’ll graduate this year right?” I only give a nod as I watch the buildings slowly get smaller and further apart until eventually we were turning down a gravel road surrounded by trees.
“When graduation gets closer, he’ll help you figure out what you want to do, help with admission essays, find an apartment, or anything else you need help with.”
“I don’t think there are many job opportunities for 18 year old druggies,” I sighed, my nails digging into the pad of my thumb.
“Camp will help with that,” he promised as he flashed a smile through the rearview mirror. “We’ll convince the DA to clear your record but the first job you get might question what Camp New Life was.”
From the way my therapist at the center was talking, it sounded like most kids hated this place but honestly, it sounded better and betters every time I heard something new about it.
The gravel road eventually came to a tollbooth looking security gate but within seconds, we were through it and parked in front of a small building.
The next hour was a blur.
Mary shoved papers into my hand while my new therapist, Andrew, showed me around camp with a smile that never seemed to leave his face until we were standing outside of a cabin.
There was no porch but from the others I had seen, that weren’t surprising unlike the other cabins though, there were no outside decorations.
Andrew had explained a lot of people made welcome mats, bird houses, and other things like that in art class or in an after school craft session while wind chimes and glass ornaments were bought on days the camp allowed us to leave for a few hours.
Nearly every cabin at least had a welcome mat but even that was missing from my new resting place.
“You and your roommate are free to decorate it any way you want as long as you both agree and you don’t leave any permanent damage like holes or painting,” he said before knocking on the door loudly.
“You’ve met him already right,” I asked as I stared at the door, just waiting for it to open. “What’s he like?”
“Quiet,” was all he had time to say before the door cracked.
It was barely open but the little slit was enough to show what was on the other side.
A guy who looked younger than me stood there. He was tallish but his clothes practically pooled around him. His shoulder were tense, his blue eyes were wide but tired looking, and head faced down but his brown hair was all over the place.
I couldn’t help but feel a little bad knowing we probably just woke him up.
“Roland, this is Kit Richards, he’ll be your roommate for the rest of the year,” Patrick said, his voice dropping a few volumes from when he spoke to me as he gave me the tour.
“How you doing?” I tried to keep my voice low like Andrew’s but Roland only stared at me for a few seconds before opening the door wider and stepping away from the door.
My grip around my suitcase tightened as I stepped into the cabin.
The inside of the cabin was just as bare as the outside. Only one bed had sheets on it so I opted for the one right in front of it, leaving me on the first bed on the right side by the door.
“Did you sleep well last night Roland,” Andrew asked, nearly forgetting me entirely as Roland sat down in the center of his bed, bringing his knees to his chest.
I could tell by the way he asked the question that Andrew wasn’t expecting an answer. Roland only continue staring at the edge is his bed.
I couldn’t help but glance over at Andrew with a confused look, which the therapist didn’t acknowledge as he continued the one sided conversation while I began unpacking.
The whole time Roland didn’t utter a word and every time I glanced over at him, he was still staring off into space, not bothering to even lift his head.
Figures. I leave the best roommate I’ve ever had for a weirdo.
I sighed to myself as I shook my head a bit.
At least I would have a quiet roommate.
“Do you still have your class schedule?” Andrew asked his attentions finally back on me.
“Yea I have it. Mary said I was in all AP classes?”
“We took a look at your test scores after we accepted you and it looks like you’ll do well in those. Our classes are a little harder than the ones you took at the center but you shouldn’t have a problem with that.”
I only hummed, my eyes going back to the guy on the bed.
At the mention of my classes his stoic expression turned to a harsh glare for only a split second. I couldn’t help but give a small smile at that.
I guess he wasn’t very good at school.
“I can change back I regular if I need to though right?”
“If you get a C or lower we’ll change you to regular classes, so there’s no need to stress. Just try your best and do as well as you can.”
I only nod as I go back to unpacking.
We just stood there in silence for a while until Andrew looked down at his watch before letting his face fall.
“I have a lunch meeting I need to get ready for so I guess I’ll leave you guys to it for now.” He said before heading towards the door.
He was gone only seconds later, leaving me in a room with a random stranger.
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