Hidden (Matt Espinosa)

twenty-four

Six months later

"Drew get up, your gonna be late."

My eyes flutter open and I groan. I look over to the bed next to mine where Mary is sitting on her phone.

"How do you get up every every morning so easily?"

"Because I have no choice."

I roll my eyes and get up quickly going the closet I share with two other girls and grab clothes for the day.

I moved in here about six months ago. As I've already stated, I share a room with two other girls. Mary, who's 14 and Katherine who's 5. Down the hall is the boys room. There is Jackson who is 8 and Tyler who is 17.

After I finish getting ready I walk downstairs and join the rest for breakfast. Our foster mom, Lisa is sitting at the table helping Katie with her pancakes. "Good morning Drew, up late again?"

"I had an English paper to write and it took forever."

"I see, maybe you can start not waiting til last minute."

"Yeah, got it, soon enough school will be over and I'll be on my merry way."

"How are you gonna possibly support yourself the second you turn 18?"

"I have been saving up ever since I had the chance to get a job, I've been waiting for the time I'm legal and could leave my home for good."

I walk to the door and shut it behind me, walking to the bus stop.

"Hey, Drew, wait up."

I turn around and see Tyler running to catch up.

"What Tyler? I really am not in the mood for a speech."

"Then you won't get one. I just want to apologize, my mom can get kinda, harsh."

Tyler and Katie are the only one of us who aren't foster kids, their her real children.

"Yeah, I know. But really, I just want to get on the bus and go see Jake."

"Yeah, I get it."

"Really you do? You get what it feels like to be ripped away from the people who kept your shit in tact for so long? No you don't."

"Okay, yeah maybe I don't get it. But my moms been fostering kids since before I was born. I've lived with probably 20 different kids ranging from all ages. I've seen them at the weakest moments and I've been there for them. I just don't want to you loath my mom too much, she really does care. You may not see it but she's just looking out for you."

I roll my eyes, "I don't care about her trying to look out for me, Tyler. I just want to get out of here as soon as I can and see my sister. I haven't seen her in four months."

He nods. 

***

I walk into school and sulk to my locker. I really can't believe I haven't seen her in four months. And Matt, oh God, Matt. I haven't seen him since the day I left. He texted me a lot and I tried to keep something alive but I couldn't. It was too hard watching him struggle so much and wanting so bad to keep us going, I wouldn't hurt him like that. So now I'm here, an hour from my real home in a house of too many kids, miserable as can be.

I close my locker and see Jake walking down the hallway, smiling. He comes up to my and presses hsi lips to mine quickly, "Hello beautiful."

I smile, "Hello Jake, how was your night?"

"Pretty good, hows the fam?"

I roll my eyes, "Peachy."

"That's the spirit."