Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown Read Free Book Online Page A

after that, Mrs. Johnson got pregnant with Halley. There was no doubt they loved Kennedy, but I could tell she felt the difference between her and her sister. Deep down, she felt she didn’t belong to them, not really. Something I understood.
    I shook my head. “No.”
    “No?” Kennedy crossed her arms, looking confused.
    “No,” Ryan piped up. “She’s right. I know what it feels like to be an outsider in this town, even though I was born and raised here.” Sadness crept over Ryan’s features. The fact that Ryan had come out in high school, dealing with all the discrimination and nasty comments on a daily basis, made me adore him more. At least his mom was supportive; his dad was still hoping Ryan was going through a phase. “Fighting them will only make it worse. You can’t win against these people, especially against someone like Kallie Parson. I know.”
    I couldn’t blame my circumstances on Kallie, but I had no doubt she was one of the people who made a statement against me and even less doubt she had her minions do the same.
    I was used to girls like her. Growing up, I never had a lot of friends, and after my mother’s death, I had even fewer. People tended to keep their distance, like they sensed something wasn’t right with me. I also had this undeniable instinct to keep people at arm’s length. Kennedy and Ryan were the first ones to really break through my walls. Even though there was still a lot I kept from them, they knew more about me than anyone.
    When I first moved here, they had immediately taken me in, acting like we had been friends all our lives. That was something I never experienced before. We were all kindred spirits in a way. The fact that none of us felt like we really belonged drew us together.
    Before they left, they promised they’d call or text me every day, and we’d spend the weekends together. I used to be fine on my own, but now I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of losing them. They were my family. They were where I belonged.
    ***
    When Mark and I drove up to the facility, I was surprised how modern it was, with its wall of windows and solar panels on the roof. It looked nothing like the jail I thought it would. 
    We parked the car and headed through the large glass doors of the main building. Mrs. Sanchez greeted us and showed us to her office. She was a little thing, about five foot two, but from the stern expression on her face, she was definitely feisty and not someone to screw with. She had short, golden blonde hair cropped close to her head. It fit perfectly with her pantsuit, glasses, and her strong, no-nonsense attitude.
    “Welcome Mr. Hill, Ember. Please have a seat.” She motioned towards the chairs. I almost laughed at how quickly Mark did as he was told. She had that kind of authority, which adults, kids, and probably animals, obeyed. I liked her right away. I didn’t get the vibe she was a bitch; she just didn’t put up with any crap. Tough but fair. 
    “Thank you for staying late and seeing us on such short notice,” Mark said.
    “No problem, I practically live here, and I know you must feel anxious and have a lot of questions before tomorrow.” She settled into a chair behind her desk. “So, Principal Mitchell has basically given me the rundown. In my honest opinion, I think it is a bunch of bull-honky; but he is settled on it, so there you go.” 
    Besides my friends making me laugh earlier, this was the first genuine smile that came to my lips since this whole debacle began. Thank goodness someone else could see through the bullshit. 
    Mark seemed relieved as well. “That was a nice way of putting it. I wasn’t so nice.” 
    “Yes, well, I thought it would be improper to say what I really feel.” A slight smile formed on her lips, but it quickly dropped and her face went back to her stern look. “We can’t change their minds, so we must deal with the situation at hand.” She opened a file and handed Mark and me some literature about