Foster Troubles

Chapter Twelve

Tuesday morning, I woke up in glum. I took a quick shower, and changed into light washed skinny jeans, and a strapless flower printed crop top, with flower printed flats, and a flower printed snapback. I did my daily makeup, covering up the black circles under my eyes. I went into the kitchen, and made a cup of coffee. My mom was already ready. She had suitcases packed by the door.

"Mila, honey, I'm not going to be home for the next two weeks. I have another conference. I'm so sorry." My mom kissed me on my forehead, and gave me a hug.

"Why are you always gone, every time I have a break up?" I asked.

"Again? Well, you survived it all without me, so I know you're growing to be a young woman, right?" She smiled.

"Sure." I said, as I grabbed my school bag, and my cup of coffee. "Bye, mom."

"Bye, Mila. Love you, sweetie. You'll get through it." She gave me another kiss. I left and went outside. At the front porch of the building, Leo and Rosie were hugging, before Leo went to school. Rosie had been suspended. I walked past them, and started walking to school. Leo came up beside me.

"Don't start with that bullshit, Leo." I said. "Just go date her, you don't have to stab everything in me. Once was enough." I walked into the 24 hour store, and bought an orange juice. I put it in my school bag. I went out of the store, and he was waiting for me. I ignored him, and kept walking to school.

"I'm not trying to hurt you, Simone." He said.

"You did, didn't you? Even if you didn't mean to do it purposefully, you still did. So what's the difference?" I said. He grabbed my arm, and pulled me to face him.

"You knew this would've hurt you, why'd you tell me to date her?" He asked.

"You wanted to go out with her, so I let you. You've obviously have had a much better time with her, so why should I stop you?" I asked, and walked the rest of the way to school. I went to my locker, and got my things. I went to homeroom. After homeroom, I went to the library, instead of going to class. I did my homework that I was suppose to do over the weekend. I stayed in the library until lunch. At lunch, I went to the cafeteria, earlier. I got lunch, and went back to the library. I ate my lunch, and threw away my trash. I returned my try to the cafeteria, where Bethany spotted me, but told the girls to leave me alone this week. Leo entered the cafeteria, as I exited. I slipped past him. He ran after me.

"Where have you been, all day?" He asked.

"It doesn't matter. I'm not yours to worry about." I said, walking past him to the library. I sat down on the couch, next to the books, and went on my phone.

My mom had texted me, "Why are you cutting class? Principal called me."

I texted her back, "Let me be, it's only today, I swear."

She responded, seconds later, "Fine, Mila. Be careful, don't hurt yourself. The principal is letting it go this time, seeing how he's been hard on you this term. But next term, you better be getting all A's. You're slacking! Be aware, honey. Love you."

"I'll call you later, I'm about to get caught." I texted her, and put my phone away. Leo came, and sat next to me. I turned to face him. He had a bottle of orange juice.

"You got hurt last time, you think I would do that again, with another girl?" He said. "I'm not going out with her. I gave her hug, I didn't kiss her. That's the most she can out of me. You're the only person I want to go out with, Simone." He gave me the orange juice. I took it, since I had already drank the one I bought earlier.

"You still like her, I can't change that. She wants to go out with you. So why don't you?" I took a sip of the orange juice.

"And that's the thing I love you for. You put other people's happiness before yours, even if it hurts you the tiniest bit, but my happiness won't be with Rosie, even if a part of me likes her. You know I'm always going to put you before myself. Decide for yourself, do you want to make yourself happy or Rosie?" He looked at me. "You said it yourself, you're not a hater, but that doesn't mean other people aren't one."

"I'm sorry, Leo. You know you'll be better off with her." I winced, when it came out.

"You know it's not true, Simone, but I'll leave you at that." He glanced at me, then got up and left. I stayed in the library, until the end of the second to last period, I went to my history class. Bethany's face lightened up when I walked in. I sat down behind her.

"Finally, Mila. I waited all day, but Leo told us that you declined his whole speech. His happiness or Rosie's? Make your decision, it'll answer everything." Bethany said.

"Okay, damn. I don't need everyone all up against me." I said. "His, I guess?"

"And he's happy when he's with you, not when he's with Rosie." Bethany said.

"Fine. Geez." I said. Last period flew by, then I had to see all the teachers after school. The gave me extra work, and I went home.

Wednesday morning, I woke up. I washed up, and changed into black skinny jeans, and a white loose ¾ sleeved shirt, with a pink infinity scarf. I put my hair in a messy bun, and put on brown booties. I did my daily makeup, then made breakfast. I spread some cream cheese on a bagel. I heard a knock on the door. I put the bagel on a napkin, grabbed my school bag, and got two bottles of orange juice, from the pack that I had bought, before coming home yesterday. I put one in my bag, and took a sip of the other one. I opened the door, Leo and Rosie were waiting for me. We walked to school, in silence. I started eating my bagel. Then Leo looked at me. I ripped off a piece of the bagel, stuffed it in my mouth, and gave the rest to him. I drank half of the bottle of orange juice, and gave the rest to him. He chugged it all down, scrunched up the napkin, and put it in the empty bottle. He handed it back to me, and I threw it in a recycle bin, as we passed it. Rosie watched everything happen. The next day, she made him breakfast. I made myself a cup of coffee, and ignored her. The day after that, she made herself a cup of coffee, before leaving her apartment.