Chapter 1
I was squirming in my seat as the car pulled into the street of my new crazy home. I hate to be rude but right now I really hate pigtails, I really hate dresses and I really hate this car I was in. I've thrown up in this car to many times that I need or want to remember. My ‘Mom’ was taking me to Lye House, the home for crazy kids. I may have pulled a couple jokes and done weird things but come on, that doesn't make me crazy. Louise was overreacting and that got me linked in with the crazies. Eddie just got back from dumping my stuff in my room at the house. I had my file on my lap and I just couldn't take my eyes off of it. It’s six inches thick and the biggest file ever. Apparently it started when I first started foster care. It has every report, citation, and change of families ever. I started foster care when I ran away at 13 and I’m 16 now. Louise stopped in front of the house and sighed.
“Okay, you know the drill. You stand at the door till I’m gone before ringing the bell. Give Ms. Talbot, the nurse who runs the house, your file and enjoy your time as a crazy kid. Now go.” I grab my bag from the floor and get out of the car. I stop at the door and look back at her fading taillights. I sigh and ring the doorbell. After a minute a lady opens the door and looks up at me. She has brown grayish hair that’s held up with a ponytail and wears a navy blue dress. She’s 5’3 so I got an extra 4 inches on her.
“Hello dear, are you lost?”
“I’m looking for Ms. Talbot? My foster mom, Louise Abue, dropped me off.”
“Oh, of course. Do you have your file?” I hand her the file nodding my head. Her eyes widen as she took a look the file but smiled and waved me in. She set my down on a couch and told me she would come back after she got the other kids to their rooms. Once she left I pulled out my pigtails and shook out my hair. I pulled out my half bangs and pulled the rest into a tight ponytail. I couldn't do anything with my dress so I’d have to wait before changing. I heard stomping feet heading to rooms upstairs before Ms. Talbot appeared with another nurse. She wore a gray dress and had her graying hair pulled back into a tight bun. She had a rat like face with a pointy nose and I thought of the wicked witch of the west. Ms. Talbot introduced her as Dr. Gill.
“Nice to meet you. Now what is your name?”
“My first one or current one?” I was part of multiple run away families and got my name changed a lot not including all the foster families that insisted on me taking on their name.
“Current.” Dr. Gill asked. Ms. Talbot leafed through the file.
“Cassandra Abue.” Ms. Talbot nodded the syllables along with me.
“How old are you?”
“15.”
“Ever been an orphan?
“No.”
“Foster care of Child services?
“Both.” Dr. Gill nodded and stepped back. Ms. Talbot guided me to a staircase and led me to a room.
“This will be your room till further notice. Your foster dad, Eddie Abue, dropped off your stuff earlier so you should be comfortable. Dinner is at 6 O’clock and I’ll introduce you to the kids.”
“Thank you Ms.Talbot, Dr. Gill.” They nodded and left me to myself. I sigh and quickly change into jeans and a 49er’s sweatshirt. I trade my sandals for sneakers and brush out my hair and put it in a sloppy ponytail. I looked around the room and saw my stuff laid out and my clothes in boxes. I looked at my watch and grunted. Fifteen minutes till dinner. I spent that time putting away my clothes and making my bed. I got two dressers and two desks but only one bed indicating that I could’ve shared the room with someone else. I sigh and drop down on to my bed. The room was small but comfy and colored a dull yellow. The paint on the desks was falling off and the carpet near the wall was tearing. I compared it to my other room and decided this one was better. The day started out all right, I mean I haven’t pranked them for a few days until they told me what they were doing. Apparently Louise was collecting everything she could find about me and put it into a file and was going to send me away. I wanted to do one more prank before leaving so this is what I did. I got a few cloths that looked like burger buns and fake extras for the burger. Then I put that and plastic french fries that I decorated to look real and painted Styrofoam to look like a drink and placed it on the table for them. They stared at it like it might explode before taking a bite. They spit and coughed and hacked trying to get the taste out of their mouths. When they tried to drink the drink but they got nothing. Eventually they got the taste out of their mouths and sent me to my room. I laughed the whole time before Louise came in and forced me into a dress. Eddie had already left to drop off my stuff. I laugh again as I think about their faces when they took that bite. I glance down at my watch and sigh deeply. Time for dinner. Almost like another foster home where I have to prove I’m worth keeping. After sneaking a peak into my file I found out they can’t send me away so I wasn't to nervous but that was what I was feeling. I knew I could be myself and none would judge me.
Fri Jul 12, 2013 5:04 am