After the meal with the Smith's was finished, I wasn't sure what the etiquette was. Do you sit until the table is cleared, do you help clear the table, do you all just leave. I hate this, the new everything. Max got up, and asked me too follow him. Looking to Eleanor, she nodded and smiled as if she was encouraging me to follow Max, as she began picking up the plates and handing them off to Ron. So I did, I got up and sorting my top and pushing my chair in, I followed Max outside to a blue Volkswagen polo.
"Want to come out for a bit, meet some of my friends before school tomorrow?"
I nodded, I wasn't going to tell him my rule of not making friends because I will probably just be moved to another foster home when the Smith's realise that I am not the perfect daughter that they wanted. Luckily I had grabbed my jacket off the hook before I left the house to ward off the ever freezing Scottish nights. We climbed into the car, Max switched on the engine and put his belt on, I followed suit. Keeping quiet I don't know if the butterflies in my stomach were nervousness for meeting his friends or excitement because he thought I was important enough to meet his friends. As usual I started to fidget, biting my nails while shifting to face out the window, shifting to face forward again, I started too tap my foot and that must have been the final straw because Max glanced at me and started to speak.
"There isn't anything to be nervous about. I'm getting good at this big brother stuff. I won't let you meet anyone that I don't think won't look after you. The fidgeting makes me think your nervousness, but the scowl your giving me now makes me think your angry for some reason. Want to speak to me so I can understand what's going through that little blonde head of yours?"
I sighed, Max had got me spot on. I was nervous, I had made that decision. Max obviously had older friends than me and they were probably guys. Living a rather sheltered life with mum and then a very strict life in the foster home I haven't really been open to the opposite sex before. I was nervous incase they expected me to be flirtatious. Or if they wanted me to be part of the 'guys' I wanted to know where we were going so I new how to get home. But in my head I new that was silly, it was your first day here how on earth are you expecting to find your way back to that house.
"I'm not angry, just a little worried, how are they going to take to you bringing your foster sister to the night out?"
Max gave me an annoyed look.
"You're not my foster sister you're my little sister, you don't have to be blood to be family. Shauni, I realise you have been thrown into a lot just now but you have got to meet people at some point. Might make tomorrow at school be a bit easier as well. I'm the year above, I amen't going to be in your classes."
I just nodded, turning to face the window I indicated to him that this conversation was finished. If we kept talking about family, I'd either burst in to tears and tell him my life sob story or I'd get angry and probably loose the one person I was growing to have some form of trust with. I think Max realised that the conversation came to an end because he pressed down on the accelerator and turned up the music, he seemed older than his 17 year old self when he drove. He seemed about 20. I felt about about 10.
After a bit of travelling Max turned into a driveway of a bungalow, like he had been here thousands of times he drove straight into the spot between a black BMW and a small red fiat and parked. He reached into the back seat and pulled out a black rucksack, I heard bottles clunk together. I gulped, he had brought alcohol, how were we supposed to get back to the house if Max was drinking. I had never drunk before, I was 16 the legal age isn't for another two years for me. Shakily I got out the car after Max and closed the car door, walking up to the front door I hugged my arms around myself, I had a feeling tonight was going to change my view on a lot of things.
Max didn't knock instead he just opened the door, and I followed in. I heard music playing in the room to the left but I waited until Max went ahead before I followed, there was no way I was meeting people before Max warned them.
"Right guys, this is my baby sister Shauni!" He pointed behind him to me and that's when I shuffled past the door and came into view.
"Shauni these are the guys and girls" he pointed to a guy with long shaggy blonde hair first, this guy was hunched over on his phone but looked up when he heard his name "shaggy over there is Mike, Mike is also sixteen Shauni so you two might be class buddies at some point!" I gave a smile and nod of my head.
"The guy next to him is Caleb, my best buddy since I was little"
I couldn't tell you the rests names because the minute Caleb looked up I was entranced. He had piercing green eyes and ash black hair, it was cut short and spiked up. He wore all black from his tight v- neck Tshirt too his jeans that had a silver chain from the front pocket to the back pocket. He wore black biker boots, laced up passed his ankles. His skin tone was slightly tanned, enough to make me look like a ghost but not enough that I would say he had been on holiday. When my eyes reached his he grinned, knowing I had been totally checking him out literally from head to toe, I ducked my head, knowing my face was bright red.
With introductions over, there were three girls and four guys in total. After a while of following Max around like a shadow, he went over to speak to girls and Caleb I decided I had too man up. So I walked over to Mike, who I new was at least my own age.
"You mind if we speak?" He looked up and smiled.
"Yeah. Sure thing. Shauni right? So when did you move to the Smith residence then?"
"This afternoon, not long ago actually I think Max wanted me out meeting people as soon as I could." I shrugged.
"Little brother, you annoying our new friend?" Mike and I looked up too see Caleb standing towering over both of us, he was tall. Mike was about my height 5 foot 8 however Caleb was about 6 foot or above.
He looked at me and gave a 'get lost' look too Mike who grudgingly slunked away and started typing on his phone again. I was alone with Caleb. Mike had left, Max was flirting. I tried to steady my breath, but I new I looked like I was scared stiff and I'm sure Caleb noticed it too.
"Shauni, beautiful name, but can't say you look anything like my bro Max. Your not blood related are you? Haven't seen Max this excited since Arriane." I didn't recognise the name, but I kept quiet, I didn't want to start up a conversation with Caleb I wanted to get away.
"If I hadn't over heard you speaking to my baby brother I'd have considered you a mute. Where did you move from?" I thought I'd better answer him. Eventually he would get annoyed and I didn't want that too happen.
"I lived with my mum in America and then got put in a foster home here in Scotland, it was my choice where I wanted to go."
Caleb looked at me, that's when I realised he'd been checking me out while we spoke. I looked down, I was wearing my ratty old denim jeans, dirty converse and a navy tank top. Great first impression.
"Glad that we will see each other at school Shauni, can imagine you'll make things much more exciting around here." He lifted his hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, I waited for the flinch that I new was going to come, but instead I leaned into his touch like a moth too a flame. I couldn't help but be drawn to someone so strong looking, but like that silly moth I new that I was getting myself ready to be burned.
YOU ARE READING
Start Again
Teen FictionShauni spent most of her life under the comfort of her poorly mother, young and careless she took it all for granted until the dreaded day came where her mother let go. Shauni was sent to an orphanage where she was later fostered by the Smith's. Ca...
