Empty Eyes: Ch. 6 - First Impressions Last The Longest

~ the next morning~

  Aaron got into his truck and started the engine. The winter's frost was just beginning to cover the grass. His breath puffed out in gray clouds as he turned up the heat when the engine came to life. A flicker of light caught his attention and he looked up to see a squad car infront of the neighbor's house. That's when he saw two officer's practically dragging the girl through the front door. He slid out of his truck and shut the door.

 "Hey!" Aaron yelled, jogging over, "Whats going on?" "Mind your own business son and go back inside." One of the officer's grunted. Lainey had tears running down her face and she jerked in different ways trying to shake the officer's grasp. "You're hurting her!" Aaron scolded, "Didn't you ever learn how to treat a girl?" "Didn't you ever learn to keep your nose where it belongs? Get out of here kid." The officer demanded. Lainey finally stopped fighting and bowed her head. She ducked her head before they practically pushed her into the back of the squad car. "We'll meet you there John?" The officer asked, looking back at Mr. Whitman. He sighed, "Yeah, I suppose." Aaron felt invisible. He looked at the girl in the backseat of the police car then he looked back at Mr. Whitman, "She seemed fine yesterday..." Mr. Whitman nodded, "She's everything but fine son... maybe you should get to know someone before you associate with them, yeah?" Aaron stood still and watched as the squad car backed out of the gravel driveway. He sighed and walked back to his truck.

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 The bell rang as school began. Aaron lounged in his seat, stretching out his legs and resting his head on his hand. The English teacher, Mrs. Formen, entered the room and sat at her desk. "Hey Aaron, got a story for us?" Frankie asked, his voice low. Aaron raised an eyebrow and looked back at Frankie, "What are you talking about?" "The new girl that moved in by you.. I heard she was shipped off to the farm this morning."  Frankie explained, slightly smiling. Aaron narrowed his eyes, "And how would you know that?" The "farm" is a term for the psych ward, the kids at school call it the "funny farm". "Well you know Jessica Vallow's mom works there and her dad's a cop so basically she hears about every student that goes there." Frankie explained further. "Aint' there a thing called patient confidentiality?" Aaron asked, turning completely around now. "See, now I think you know something because you haven't denied it yet..." Frankie smiled. "Hate to burst your bubble Frank but I don't know nothin about nothin.. I saw the pigs taking her away, thats all." Aaron turned back around. He heard Frankie and the other student's talking about what she probably did to get shipped off to the "farm". He shook his head and sighed.

 Lainey sat on what felt like hard rock. She glanced at the pathetic excuse for a pillow and noticed the cold bars hatching across the window. Her arm was freshly bandaged and her nails were all cut, as if she was going to claw herself to death. The room was cold and Lainey felt small, sitting on her flinstone bed. The sheets even had old stains on them, sick. The whole place made her skin crawl, one thing was certain- she didn't want to be here. Her only escape would be to pretend. Lainey was good at pretending.

 Aaron left class, oddly angered by what everyone was saying about 'Tess'. He, for some odd reason, felt protective of her. Maybe that was because he met her in person and she honestly didn't strike him as the type that belonged in the "farm". Sure, she dressed different but there was something about her that drew him in. He was determined to find out what that was.