18 - Welcome to Rutherford

'And this will be your room.'

Jubilee followed Principal Franklin into what was to be her new room, and instantly got goosebumps. She took a step back and hid behind her brother, who pushed her forward again. She glared up at him, and he glared in return.

'Don't be rude,' he mouthed.

'This room creeps me out.' she whispered.

'It's a perfectly normal room, what's creepy about it?' Chad whispered back.

Principal Franklin cleared her throat, and both Jubilee and Chad straightened up instantly, partly due to the prison-warden-like vibe the woman was giving.

'As you can see,' she continued, eying the two for a moment longer, 'we like to give every student their privacy. Everybody gets their own room.'

Laura squeezed her daughter's hand. 'Isn't this wonderful, Birdie?' she asked excitedly.

'Yeah, Mom,' replied Jubilee, trying to sound impressed. 'Just great.'

'And you can put all your medals right on that wall, the light is really lovely.'

Jubilee shot a pained look at her brother, who simply shrugged.

'And on that wall,' continued Laura, pointing at the wall the bed was next to, 'you can put that nice big photo of you and the girls at Sectionals.'

'Make her stop,' mouthed Jubilee at Chad. He nodded and stepped between her and his mother, but as he tried to find something to say, Laura's phone rang, and she immediately left the room to take the call.

'Whoever that was, bless his heart,' sighed Jubilee.

'And through this door,' said the principal a bit louder, to get her attention again, 'is your bathroom.'

This seemed to snap the girl out of misery, for she gave a large, incredulous grin.

'I get my own bathroom?' she asked excitedly. 'Really?'

'If I'd known that your own bathroom makes you so happy, I would have started your tour here, miss Hall. I take it you haven't read the room descriptions?'

Jubilee tried not to look guilty.

'Can't say I have, Ma'am.'

'Well, I certainly hope you'll show more interest towards this school,' said the woman dryly. 'Our students take it very seriously, and I expect no less of you.'

'Don't worry, Ma'am,' said Chad. 'Just give her time to take it all in, then she will fit in just fine.'

'Yeah,' she said, and tried to make it sound convincing.

The principal looked from one to the other skeptically, then gave an unconvinced 'hmph'.

'Alright, then. Miss Hall, the folder on your desk contains the student handbook, your schedule, maps of the grounds, and a list of means of transportation you can use to reach Washington, DC - if your parents sign your permission slip, that is. That one is in the folder as well. If they sign it, you are to drop it at the front desk. Your uniform is in the closet. Should it not fit properly, talk to the front desk. Should you ever need anything,-'

'Talk to the front desk?' she asked innocently.

Principal Franklin shot her a sharp look, and Jubilee felt her body grow tense involuntarily.

'Yes.' Said the woman. 'Talk to the front desk. But you don't want to use that attitude with me, young lady.'

For lack of anything better to say or do, Jubilee gave a short nod.

'Good. Welcome to Rutherford.'

The woman shook her hand, then Chad's, turned on her heels and left the room, and Jubilee gave a relieved sigh.

'I thought we'd never get rid of her,' she said on a hushed tone, in case the principal was still within hearing distance.

'Indeed. But you promised you'd behave,' said Chad accusingly.

She shrugged.

'Jubilee, this isn't Big Rock any more, people are different here.'

'Clearly,' she grumbled.

Chad opened Jubilee's folder, found the permission slip the principal was talking about, and signed it with a perfect imitation of his father's handwriting.

'I'm signing this so you can have the freedom to get out of here and catch a break, but I don't want you spending all your free time outside school walls. You're supposed to behave and fit in.'

'Like that will ever happen,' she snorted.

'You behaving? Indeed, that's highly unlikely.'

She glared.

'I meant fitting in,' she said. 'And what the hell's wrong with this room?'

Chad looked around the room, scanning every piece of furniture.

'There's nothing wrong with your room, kid. Everything's fine.'

'You don't get it. There's something so wrong, I can feel it in the pit of my stomach.'

'That might be the airline food,' her brother suggested. 'Remember when we went to Disneyland, and you got so sick, you threw up all over Daisy's feet?'

She giggled.

'I never liked Daisy too much anyway.' Her face changed from a smile to a frown, and she let herself drop on her bed. 'And I wish the parents hadn't come.'

'What, to Disneyland?'

'No, here. It's not like they wanted to come.'

'I think they did.'

Chad walked over to the closet, opened it, and looked inside.

'You're still their kid,' he continued. 'Not knowing how to deal with you is one thing, but their love for you is another thing entirely.'

He closed the door, ran his hand over the top of the closet, then looked between the back of the closet and the wall.

'What are you doing?' she asked.

'Checking for things that might be making this room creepy for you,' he said, crouching to look under the bed. 'Now, I know for a fact that Mom is genuinely sad that you've left home.'

'Yeah, I've heard her on the plane. And it's nice of her that she's trying to cheer me up by talking about my skating, only she seems to have forgotten that I quit. If she sends me a Tania Bass dress again to cheer me up, I'll have a total meltdown.' She watched Chad lift the mattress with her still sitting on top of it, then set it back down, nodding to himself. 'Dad, however, didn't seem too heartbroken.'

'Dad has no idea how to be a father,' replied Chad, studying the armchair in the corner. He then moved on to inspect the desk. 'He was taken by surprise by this whole parenthood thing, and never got the hang of it.'

'And still, you came out normal.' She stood, followed him into the bathroom, and watched him check the toilet. 'Or not. Please stop being creepy now.'

He looked around the bathroom one last time, then grinned down at her.

'Ok, I'm done.'

'Thank heavens,' she sighed.

'I thought you were an atheist.'

'I am. It just sounds better than thank the ozone layer.'

'True.'

'Found anything you like?'

'Nah, your room is boring.'

'I hope you're right. Do you think the parentals are going to be on the phone for much longer?'

'Why do you ask?'

'I heard them say something weird on the plane.'

'Oh?'

'They said that "he" said I'd leave soon. Who were they talking about?'

Chad's mouth narrowed for just a moment.

'Probably uncle Ted. You know how he says things.'

For a moment, Chad was worried his sister wouldn't buy his explanation, but she shrugged.

'Yeah, sounds like them to believe what schizo uncle Ted says.'

'Now don't be unfair,' protested Chad, 'he was right a couple of times.'

'Whatever,' she waved him off. 'Maybe he can call them now and tell them to get out of here faster. I want to get rid of them. They're just...' she gave a frustrated sigh. 'They're just making this awkward and difficult. And Dad didn't even see the school, he spent the entire tour talking on the phone. And now Mom.'

'You're going to miss them, kid.'

'I'm going to miss everything that's connected to home. Even them. But I still want them gone now.'

'I'll be going with them, you know,' he said.

Jubilee grabbed her brother's arm and pulled him back in her new room.

'I could use having you around for another while, creepy as you are. I'll probably end up crazy by the time I finish unpacking my stuff.'

'Then take advantage of me while you still can,' he said, walking towards the two suitcases they had left by the door. 'Let's each take one, we'll probably be done by the time the parents are back-'

'Guys, we need to leave now,' said their father as he walked through the door. 'Your mother and I need to be in Helena as soon as possible, there's a fire at the power plant.'

'Fire?' asked Chad, suddenly alert.

'How?' asked Jubilee anxiously. 'What's the damage?'

'They're still trying to put it out,' he said, visibly nervous. 'But we need to go now.'

Unexpectedly, he pulled his daughter into a hug.

'Honey, have fun, and be safe. Don't do drugs, don't drink, and try not to get pregnant. If you need anything, we're a phone call away. I love you.'

Just as unexpectedly, the hug was over, and he was dialing another number on his phone.

'Yeah, Dad, I'll be ok. Don't worry. I love you too.'

He nodded, waved good-bye and left the room in a rush.

'I hope the damage won't be too big,' she said, following him. 'And that there won't be any casualties.'

'Yeah, and I hope they manage to contain the media too,' mused Chad. 'For that, we really need to go. Now, remember what we talked about.'

'I'll be fine, big brother. Don't worry about me. If there's anything wrong, I'll call.'

'Good,' he said, taking her hand and leading her out of the room and down the hall. 'Let's find Mom.'

Laura was standing at the end of the hall, next to the staircase, talking rapidly on the phone. Upon seeing her children approach her, she said something into the phone and ended the call, then ran to her daughter.

'Birdie,' she said, hugging her so tightly, Jubilee felt the air leave her lungs. 'I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you. I'll fly here on a weekend and take you shopping, how's that?'

'Yeah, Mom, that's great. Look, go take care of the situation in Helena. I'll be ok.'

Laura's embrace tightened, and Jubilee found herself wondering how a woman so thin could pack this much power.

'I love you, baby.'

'Love you too, Mom,' she managed breathlessly.

Laura kissed her cheek and rushed down the stairs, phone in her hand again.

'I'd better go too,' said Chad. 'Take care, kid.'

'You too. Stay in touch.'

'Will do,' he said. And with a smile, he was gone too. Jubilee stood at the top of the stairs, listening to his footsteps, then a door on the ground floor creaked open and slammed shut, and then she was alone.