Chapter 1
This was probably my 4th foster home in the past 2 months. Not that I'm a horrible kid or anything, but people don't really like a sixteen year old girl preaching about God and all that. Never the less, I continue. My parents died in a car accident 5 years ago. Ever since then I've been bouncing around the system. My grandparents passed the year before they did. My parents had no siblings, so it's not like I had any family to take me in. It's not always bad, you see a few kind people here and there. But nobody seems to want to keep me anyhow, not that I hold it against them. I only have a few years until I'm an adult, I can make it till then.
Through all the foster homes I remained relatively in the same area. Always in New York, my social worker doesn't normally travel for her cases, so she keeps all the kids assigned to her in that area. She's not that bad, I can tell she really wishes we could all find permanent homes, but she doesn't really put extra effort to make that happen either. Who am I to judge though? It's not my place to criticize.
The people I'm staying with currently are druggies, Andy and Sarah. Their not horrible, their fairly nice to me as long as I stay out of their way. Every now and then I throw their stash into the fire place and they think they lose it. I'm praying for them, but you know how that goes. Their not exactly willing to change. They're perfectly happy with their life at the moment. Can't change people who don't see a problem with their actions.
I go to youth group at the church every Sunday. And I'm starting school tomorrow. Even though I normally remain in New York, I do switch schools often because of the area difference. I've already been to the school I'm going to, twice. Good thing is I won't have trouble navigating the place. I also have a job at a library, I work after school every other day. Besides my job I like to volunteer a lot. Sarah and Andy usually don't love that. They would rather I help them clean up their house, then go help other people. So instead of telling them where I'm going, I just walk out of the house without saying a word.
I walk there, one: because I don't have a car, and two: walking is healthy anyways. Today I'm volunteering at a kids homeless center, a regular place I like to help out at. I know all the kids since I go so often. I walk up the steps at see a few people I know.
I wave. " Hey Lucy" Lucy waves back shyly. Lucy joined the center two years ago, she's quiet, but I don't mind. Her parents kicked her out just because they were sick of having to be responsible for her.
I plop down on a seat next to Trevor and Gia. Their two of my best friends. Trevor is homeless, and Gia volunteers with me. Trevor's story is complicated, his mom had been struggling with rent and paying for Trevor's expenses. Unlike some other kids here, his mom was a good person and they had a great relationship. Though it broke his mothers heart, Trev ran away from home 4 years back. He figured that without him life would be easier for his mom, not needing to pay for a kid too. Both a selfish and selfless act, but I got him into religion 2 years ago, and he got back in contact with his mom. She's doing better with money, and because of that fact, Trevor refuses to go back home.
Gia is my best friend since age 5. She knows all my secrets. She probably knows me more than I know myself. Even when we're not going to school together, we keep in touch, even if it has to be through good old fashion letters. Which is fine with me, sometimes sayings things out loud isn't enough, putting it on paper makes it much more real. She has a good life, two parents and a younger brother. She's well off money wise, and her parents don't like me very much. Their all about status and money, which is okay. I'm happy that they have things and don't have to worry about money, I believe that their hearts will be humbled some day.
I help out at the center until nightfall. Washing dishes and folding laundry mostly. I walk out the door waving to my friends and some of the other kids, and turn the corner, starting my walk home. Walking with my head down, I run into a wall. I look up, and instead of seeing a wall, I see a guy around my age, blue eyes, and black floppy hair. Wow, he looks like a angel compared to my plain sea green eyes and dull brown hair.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking."
"Yeah, I can see that." the guy scoffs, I give him a smile and reply
"I'll make sure to look from now on. Have a good night." and I walk around him, and turn to wave, but he was already gone. Well that wasn't strange at all, I think to myself and mentally roll my eyes. Oh well.
I open my door to my bathroom and brush my teeth. I lay on my bed, and hope that tomorrow goes smoothly. A lot of people don't like me at the school I'm going back to. But what can I do about it? I'll just have to deal. I go to sleep, praying for the best.
