The Truth About Friends

As I lay on my bed with Kris staring at my state, I hear another knock.

"We need to talk, Lavender," Mr Peterson says seriously and Kris gets up to open the door.

Mr Peterson walks in and sits on a chair away from me while the door stays open. He is quite kind to do that.

Kris leaves us but I know he is nearby.

"Look," Mr Peterson says seriously, "we have all been through alot. It is not my place to say what happened to Kris or my wife but I am sure you can figure it out since you are so smart. I just find it difficult to talk to anyone about what happened but you seem to have figured out more about us than we ever will about you."

"So?" I ask kindly, "my painting was accurate?"

"Not a hundred percent," he says kindly, "I have only told my wife but I think it is time we talk about this together."

I nod and he calls Kris as well as mum to join us.

"Okay," he says as everyone sits down on my bed, "we need to get our pain out in the open. We have all been holding it in for too long and I think it will help us become better again."

"Who is going first?" I ask nervously and everyone goes silent.

"I will," Mr Peterson says nervously, "at first, my mother and father were abusive to my siblings as well as myself in all the ways imaginable. Once we were free, all of us were put into the system and went into foster care quickly. When my siblings found out I was the one that told on my parents, they were furious and started making up lies about me to the foster family. They would do things and blame it on me but no one would believe me because I was always reserved. This made me end up in juvenile detention and then I was put with my siblings in a different foster home. Soon, I was being bullied by all my siblings to the point that they blamed me for real crimes like theft and assault and rape. It never stopped until I went to juvenile detention for a second time and came across the best judge in the world. He separated me from my siblings to see if this was truly the case or if they were upset with me for revealing my abusive parents because I was treated in a worse way than them. No foster home wanted me so the judge took me in and raised me so he could see who I really was at face value."

"So that is why you don't trust anyone?" I say more than I ask. He nods nonetheless.

"I guess I will go next," mother says kindly, "I think our stories are very similar, Lavender. Some of the differences are that I was for only one man and I was in his home as his wife but I was nothing but a prostitute to him. He was abusive and I lost many children cause of him. I did not choose to be his wife, I was forced by my father to pay a debt and he hated me a lot. My whole life he would be sexually abusive but abort all my babies. Life was never easy for me but the only good thing that came out of all of it was that I got Emily."

"Emily is not Mr Peterson's?" I ask out of curiosity. She shakes her head, "But he loves her like she is his own and we protect her from the very man that is supposed to be her father."

I look at Kris and see his hand dripping with sweat so I decide I should go next.

"So," I say nervously, "I was taken from my family when I was four by the principal but I do not remember where they were or who they are or anything. I was never allowed out because I am underage but I had a great friend that died just before I got saved and she kept me going, taught me things and showed me love. I was the most popular choice and, yes, I lost babies too. I just...never told anyone before. My friends betrayed me at trial because of fear and I lost everything I loved but I am glad to be free."

Kris looks at me, pleading, but I try to reassure him.

He sighs as everyone stares at me, "I guess I have to go next. So, I had a great family and many lovely siblings. I am the youngest or so I thought at the time. We always went on great vacations and this year was no different. I was acing school and my siblings were doing great. A new baby was on the way that I found out about later on. We went to a country that had alot of war going on because we were rich so we did charity work from a young age. I don't remember where I was born or much about why I was rich. All I know is that I lost everything that day. My whole family was killed. It is weird but I know it was planned because I heard them talking even though it was a different language and they said that the little boy named Kris can stay alive since, apparently, I am adopted. The military took me and used me to fight their war. I saw things I wish I could unsee and I do not know where all that money went but it is gone. People in the military were abusive and cruel but I do not wanna go into detail. Eventually, I got freed by this country's military."

I nod and smile at all of them, "Thanks, guys." They smile at me and everyone leaves except Kris.

"You okay?" I ask him kindly. He nods but I see a darkness in his eyes, "I just want to forgive and forget but at the same time, I want to know what I am an heir to."

I nod, "I wish I knew what I even had to look forward to but I do not know what my parents looked like or anything."

Knock Knock

Me and Kris turn towards each other as my parents open the door.

"I need to talk to Lavender," the police officer says kindly and I run downstairs.

"What is it about?" I ask seriously.

"Two things," the officer says nervously, "about Delilah and we need your DNA to test for some potential families."

I nod as I made my way outside.