Jaded: Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Okay. What happened?" Allison asks sitting down.

"Nothing." I say, looking at my food.

"Don't give me that. I didn’t watch you two make eyes at each other for 3 periods to get nothing."

I look at Finn and he smiles.

"Make eyes. You'd think she was a grandma." He mutters.

"My hearing is still good you know. Lizzie, I know what happened. Just say it."

"Fine. We're dating. Nosy."

"Yes!" Allison exclaims, pumping her fist.

"What are you so excited about?" Chloe asks, joining us.

"They're dating. I told you they wouldn't last 5 weeks."

Finn and I look at each other.

"There was a bet?" He asks.

"No. A bet implies there was a pool of money depending on the outcome. It was just an discussion."

"Because that's okay." I sigh. "Guys, could you keep it quiet though? We don't need everyone finding out."

"Finding out what?" Allison asks. "Everyone already considers you two together. You just had to get the memo."

"Everyone here might known. But we'll keep it from getting to the public." Chloe says. "Finn's one of us."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing." He says.

"You know you're happy to be the first guy ever to say he goes to Alden for Girls." Allison replies.

"If you say so. It's almost time for class."

He picks up our stuff and helps me up.

"What happened to your bags, Lizzie?" Chloe asks.

"I decided not to read my textbooks at school."

"But you should still have one bag. What about the books you need for class?"

"I've got them." Finn says.

I sigh.

"Eliza, are you worried about this afternoon?"

"I'm fine. Just a little tired."

Finn looks at me.

"I'll tell you if it's anything worse, okay?"

"Okay." He whispers back.

"Are you guys sharing books?" Chloe asks.

"It makes sense. We sit next to each other in all our classes. Plus, Eliza's already read them."

"They're sharing books, Allison."

"I knew it would be like this. They're all cutesy and in the newlywed phase. They'll forget all about us."

"Never." I say, smiling at them.

"I have." Finn states.

And we all laugh.
----- ----- -----

My new doctor was surprised Dr. Lillian let me travel. I told him the condition doesn't limit my flight. But he doesn't think the distance from medical attention is good for me. He'll be making biweekly visits to make sure my migraines don't get worse. It's a little scary.

----- ----- -----

"So what's new?" Belle asks as we sit down to dinner.

"Lizzie and Finn are dating!" Jenn says.

"Everyone knows Jenn. I don't have any news since Saturday." I say looking around the table.

"Jenn, how are you doing?" Caleb asks.

"I'm great. Mr. Lawrence asked me to give a sample presentation in class. Which is really cool because he must think I'm really smart."

"You are really smart." Belle says.

Jenn blushes.

"How is ______ Lawrence?" Delilah asks, glancing at Belle.

"He's good." I answer. "He's a motivating teacher."

"Hmm, we should have a coed event for Alden Academies soon."

"Delilah, stop looking at me. You're not subtle. And just because you haven't seen the teachers lately doesn't mean I haven't."

"So you admit there's something on?"

Jenn and I look at each other.

"Mr. Lawrence?" I mouth.

"Wait, between Mr. Lawrence and Belle?" Jenn asks aloud.

"Yes. Delilah's convinced there was a mutual connection when he started teaching." Arthur says.

"No." She says. "He was interested in high school too. It was always Belle that, Belle this."

"Weird." I say.

Belle looks at me.

"No. I understand him being interested in you. It's just hard to picture since he's my teacher."

"He respected her." Caleb says. "And that's that."

"Thank you, Caleb." Belle says, still looking at me.

"Let's move on." Arthur says. "Lizzie, would you be willing to join a meeting with the foundation this week? We could set it up for Friday after you get out of school."

"Um, sure. What's it for?" I ask.

"Well we all have our different charities and events. You can set one up as the Peyton ward."

"We'll all be there for you." Caleb says.

"I'll do it. We don't have school Friday though. We can set up a morning meeting so everyone still gets out on time."

"Everyone would get out on time anyway." Belle says. "But it's good that you think of the staff."

I feel like I'm being groomed for something.
----- ----- -----

"Elizabeth Gent born to Zara and Luke Gent has no results." The older woman says.

"In the entirety of Massachusetts?" I ask.

"No, dear. There's are no Elizabeth Gents born in Massachusetts. Do you have any other information, like mother's maiden name or anything?"

"My mom's maiden name was Zara Mills."

"She has the same maiden name as the Simms mother." The woman observes, typing.

"Yes. But no relation."

"Here's a Beth Mills born to Zara Mills in 1998 in Hyannis. How's that dear?"

"No. I was born in 1997 in Plymouth."

"Didn't realize there were so many Zaras in that time." She says.

That's an odd thing to say.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"You're the Peyton ward, correct?"

"Yes." I say.

"It's nice to see an orphan with so much influence. Use it well."

"Thanks, ma'am. I'll try." I wave and walk out of the research library.

"How did it go?" Finn asks as I get in the car.

"One second." I say, leaning back and closing my eyes.

Finn takes my hand. I open my eyes and smile weakly.

"Nothing. No Elizabeth Gents in Massachusetts, ever. I wasn't born here."

"Yes, you were Eliza. But you remember Massachusetts as a home state."

"But that's the problem. I don't remember anything about it. I've called it home for so long. But it's not. I have no documentation to support an idea a blocked brain provided."

"Don't call your brain blocked. It's just not telling you everything. You might not be in the system or you might not be under the right name."

"There was a Beth Mills born to Zara Mills. But it was the wrong year and town."

"Your mom's name was Zara?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't know that. Tell me about her."

"I know you're just distracting me."

"I want to know." He says, squeezing my hand. "If it helps you relax to so be it."

""

I tell him aboout how she would pick me up from school and take me exploring. She'd tell me about history and science. She made sure I was always learning and growing with her. I tell him the few stories I remember of my dad.

"Where are we going?" I ask, suddenly.

"I was hoping you wouldn't notice until we were on the boat."

"You want me to be more observant and then say things like that. Are we going back to that small island?"

"Yeah. You seemed to like it before."

"I did. Thank you." I clam back up.

Finn parks. We buy the tickets and rush to the next ferry. I write and Finn listens to music.

"Eliza." Finn pokes me. "We're departing."

We follow the few people off the boat. Finn lifts me down again and smiles at me.

"I'm having deja vu."

"But you have been here before."

"It's more than that. It feels like I'm doing an old habit."

"Well you said you'd explore with your parents on the weekend, right?" I nod. "Maybe you'd come here."

"Maybe."

We walk to the shop again. And I stop in front of the painting from last time.

"Oh my goodness." An 80 year old man says, coming up. "You've come back."

He hugs me and I freeze.

"And the little boy." He says, letting go and hugging Finn.

Finn looks at me and I shrug back.

"It's been years. You two are so much bigger now. You went from children." He points to the painting. "To young adults. I guess, I'm not so young either."

"I'm sorry. I'm not sure we've met." Finn says.

"Of course we have. You're named after some sort of animal. And this young lady has the prettiest smile. It makes all your pain go away." He whispers to Finn.

"My name is Elizabeth Gent." I say, holding out my hand.

"There's the smile!" He shouts.

A young woman comes up.

"Grandpa. Let's go on a walk."

"Perfect blend of her father and mother." He says following his granddaughter. "With their tragedy, it's nice to see."

I start to follow them. A woman comes into my path.

"I'm sorry about my father. He gets very confused. He's still looking for the little girl in his painting."

"He painted this?"

"Yes. You have her hair color and he must have ran with it. I apologize. Enjoy ______." She says, following her family out.

I gasp and close my eyes.

"Another migraine?" Finn asks.

"No. It was just a sharp pain. It's gone."

"Time to go."

"But the older man…"

"I don't think his daughter wants us talking to him. We'll try next week."

I look at Finn.

"No. You need to take your time. The mystery won't unravel any faster if you're in bed in pain."

"Fine. Next week."

We walk back to the dock. We sit and watch the ocean.

"So what were you writing on our way over?" Finn asks.

I hand him my notebook. And he reads silently.

Fatherless boys
And motherless girls
They all unite
Living the tale

Don’t know what it means
Or remember too well
Being a member
Forming a family

People pity them
Sigh when they hear
What their history is
What their life has been

Fatherless boys
And motherless girls
To them I relate
And with them as well

I hate the word orphan

"What happened?" Finn asks, handing me my notebook back.

"In addition to telling me I wasn't born here, the research lady told me to do a good job as the Peyton ward. I'm an orphan with a lot of power. I know I'm an orphan. I wake up every morning knowing I don't have what other people do. But that's not all I am. I don't want to be known as the SOS with power. I want to be Elizabeth Gent, the girl who did what she could. One word doesn't define me."

Finn sighs and hugs me.

"You're so much more than your circumstances. I wish people could see past it. You have the potential to be the girl who changed the world. I'm sorry you have to hear that from everyone."