Of Shields & Trees [BxB]

03 | Rips & Tears | Hard-Core

WARNING: Some depressing family stuff ahead. Also, a brief mention of homophobia, so feel free to skip to the soft-core version, if you think you can't handle it.

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"I did a plank! All 15 seconds of it!" I bragged to Miss Simona during one of my usual therapy sessions. "Georgi can do a full minute but still... I'm catching up! I finished the whole workout plan with him!"

"That's great!" The psychologist said with fake enthusiasm. "I'm glad you're fitting in. Have you written your letter to Santa already?"

I scanned her face with hard, stony eyes. "What am I? Eleven? My parents didn't celebrate Christmas," I added more as an afterthought but when Miss Simona didn't comment on it, I felt obliged to continue. "They usually spent Christmas in front of the TV, watching some stupid Christmas movies. We never had a Christmas tree or shared presents. I saw this is what normal people did on TV but we never did."

"Well, you can celebrate it now. We've found you a foster family for the holidays," she said with a sad smile.

"You what?"

"You've heard me." Her smile turned genuine. "We always try to accommodate as many children as possible during the holidays. It's a single mother with two older boys. They usually do not tend to keep children after the holiday season is over though so do not get attached."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Stoyan will also come with you so it won't be a totally unfamiliar environment."

"Ok..." I hated to admit it but it did make me feel better that I won't be the only 'orphan boy' this family would be hosting. "So when are we leaving?"

"They'll come to pick you up tomorrow morning. After breakfast."

"Ok. Wouldn't it be more logical for Stoyan to spend the holidays with Maxim though?" I thought back to how Maxim didn't stop bragging all week how his mother would take him for Christmas. And since the two of them were dating... Did Miss Simona knew they were dating? I never talked with her about it.

"Maxim is staying here."

"What?" I nearly shouted appalled. "Isn't his mother going to take him?"

"No." The psychologist sadly shook her head.

"Oh... He will be devastated!"

"Unfortunately, it happens quite often. Parents give promises they can't keep and we're left to deal with the consequences," she sighed. "I haven't told him yet so this stays between us, ok?"

"It figures. He wouldn't have been so ecstatic this morning if he knew." My heart broke for him. "And this family can't take him as well?"

"I'm afraid not."

"That sucks! What about Luke and Georgi? Did you find them foster families?"

"For Luke — yes. For Georgi..." She paused in thought. "I'm sorry! Which Georgi are we talking about?"

I got kinda annoyed, considering I've been talking about him for the first 20 minutes of our session. But... I didn't know his last name. As for me, he was the only Georgi that I knew. The only one that stood out.

"I don't know his last name. Green eyes, keeps his hair slightly longer than the rest, likes to workout in the school yard." We did sleep in the same building we studied in as well so calling it a school yard was understandable. The 'bedrooms' were on the top two floors of the social home, while the classrooms took the other two.