you should know what you're falling for

ten

"You're looking awful chipper this morning." says Alex as soon as he sees my face. I wipe the smile off, a bit mad at myself.

"Am not, Crazy," I retort, tickling him profusely and ruffling his hair.

Downstairs at the breakfast table, Alex cleans an entire platter of pancakes and Christi leans her elbows down on the table to talk to us. 

"So," she begins peppily, "How was the party, girls? Did you have fun?"

"Loads!" shrieks Kendall, but I know she's lying. She woke up this morning totally ashamed herself, and I can't blame her - she should be - but it's her own fault. 

"Chloe?" asks my foster-mother.

"Uh, it was good I guess..." I mumble.

The smile fades from her face, I guess she was looking for a more enthusiastic response. I'm still confused about my emotions and everything, so I don't think she'll be getting one anytime soon.

Moments later, she's plastered her smile back on again. She's pretty good, for a foster-parent. I can tell she cares; I'm good at reading people.

Once we've all gobbled down our breakfast, we're sent back upstairs to get dressed and ready for the day.

I eye Kendall as she swipes through her racks of expensive clothes carelessly and cross over to my suitcase, which contains three shirts and two pairs of pants, hand-me-downs, I might add. I don't mind at all, I prefer to dress simply and to let people judge me based on my character, but I can tell that it bugs Kendall and makes Christi guilty. There's a knock at the door, and my foster-mom pokes her head in, glancing at my simple T-shirt. I swear to God - if she's asks me to change I'll-

"Chloe, honey-"

I grimace at the pet name.

"-Maybe you'd like to borrow something of Kendall's, there's a dress code at Bridgewater."
I wrinkle my nose. I'd go to a school with a prissy dress code over my dead body, but considering last nights events, and the fact that my social worker is pretty much done with my shenanigans, I sigh, 

"I guess so. But good luck."

So, I allow Kendall to pick out a purple, flowy top for me to wear, alongside some jean shorts that are a heck of a lot shorter on me than on her.

When I get a look at myself in the mirror, my eyes widen. I actually look pretty; kind of hot, to be honest. I've never been one of those girls, and I never really will be, but it's a little cool to think maybe no one will stare today.