A Fresh Start

Chapter 5 • 𝐴 𝐶𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒

❅◐𝗔𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗣𝗢𝗩◑❅

You don't belong here and I wish that you'll leave someday

Your parents are dead and now you're trying to steal mine

I woke up with a jerk, my body shivering from the coldness of the tiles beneath me. My body was numb, my skin and lips were chapping from severe dryness and my head was pounding.

I reached for my phone and with shaly fingers, I dialled Sarah's number. I didn't want to stay here anymore. I wanted to leave. I'd rather stay at the foster house until I turned 18.

"Hello? Aurora, is everything alright?" the sound of her voice put me at ease.

"No." I croaked, my voice thick with emotion.

"What happened? Do you want me to come over?" her tone became worried.

"Y-yes. I- I- d-don't want-" I began to cry again.

"Aurora, I'm coming this instant! I don't care if it's 5 in the morning. Please don't cry." I heard shuffling at her end of the line. I sniffled lightly before wiping the tears away and composing myself.

"Aurora, good mo-" Claire stopped talking and I quickly cut the call. She immediately ran over and knelt besides me.

"Your temperature is very low Aurora. What happened?" she slipped her hand underneath me and carried me to the bed. She turned the heater as well as the electric blanket on.

"Nothing." I shook my head slowly and she frowned.

"I know you're lying. Tell me, I promise I won't get mad," Claire stroked my hair as I swallowed.

"Just jitters. I miss the foster home," I lied through my teeth, feeling a tad bit guilty for that. I was too nice and I didn't Camille getting into trouble because I couldn't take facts as they were.

"Oh, do you not feel welcome or there's something you want that we're not giving you?" she questioned as I looked up at the ceiling, Camille's words still echoing in my mind.

"No I'm fine. I love it here, everything is... Wonderful." I faked a smile.

"Okay. I'm going to make some warm soup for you, prepare a hot bath and stay here with you until you recover. Please don't do it again, I got so worried Aurora." She kissed my forehead before going out of the room.

I exhaled loudly, my throat aching from hunger since I never got to eat the food I had taken yesterday. I wanted to vent my sadness but I didn't know how and to who. In less than 5 minutes, Sarah barged into the room with panic written all over her face.

"Aurora, I thought you were dying. My goodness, Claire told me that you miss the foster home. I thought you wanted to leave that place for good," she sat on my bedside before taking my freezing hands into her warmer ones. My long silence signaled her that it was a lie.

"What happened? I promise I won't tell Claire." She lowered her voice as I sat up.

"Camille. She told me that I don't belong here and said stuff like since my parents have died I'm trying to steal hers. S-she-"

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm here now," she wrapped her arms around me as my emotional floodgates opened. She held me close as I just cried until I couldn't anymore.

"Listen here, Camille is insecure. That's why she doesn't like you. You're very beautiful, smart and well-behaved. You are every parent's ideal child and she's jealous of everything about you," Sarah looked me in the eye as she spoke.