9.28.98
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She could almost hear and feel the hurt radiating from the boy that stood away from the others, aloof and cool. The whole situation grated on her nerves, and she couldn't really -say- anything, because she was... Well, she was -supposed- to be an impartial adult in this mess. However, her inclination was to side with Mel, inappropriate though it might have been.

Mel was... Mel was a typical kid, for the profile you had to fit to get into this facility. He had a brain between his ears, not that you could really -tell-, from some of the things he did. To her, though, he genuinely seemed to be trying his best to work things out... His miniature rebellions of smoking the odd cigarette or joint, and sneaking the occasional nip (or liter, or whatever, -she- had no clue.) of alcohol of some sort all went with his other traits. It also didn't help that Mel was about 16, which meant that his glands did a lot more thinking than his cerebellum did, at times.

The thing that irritated her the most about the whole fiasco, though, was the incredible (and seeming, as she didn't have enough facts to decide whether or not Mel had been truthful during his little tirade) lack of respect and trust on Mel's father's part. She hated this, not knowing enough to make an informed decision... Not that she was supposed to be making that decision -anyhow-, but that was beside the point, as was the faint wash of guilt that she felt over her annoyance...

The circle fed itself, and bugged the blazes out of her, to boot.