"Kids, we have a visitor! Why don't you all go out side while I talk to him!"
I hated it here. I hated how optimistic she sounded as if people actually got adopted from here. Nevertheless I went out to the court yard while ms. Hanson talked to this mystery man. I wonder if he knows. I wonder if he knows that it's bad luck to adopt from this establishment. Well it's not really. Just something the other kids made up. I got distracted when I noticed my friend, Elijah, waving at me from their swing. I jogged over.
"Hey," I said as I got close, in my tell tail tone that said I was felling dejected.
"What's wrong?" They asked in their older sister tone.
"Nothing."
Silence.
"I just wish ms. Hanson would stop pretending any of us are gunna find a better place then this," I heaved a sigh.
"Sure I mean let's just go tell the little kids now that they'll never have a real home, because that sounds like it'll make it better!" They stared at me.
"You know that's not what I mean," I looked away knowing I had lost this tiny argument.
Just then ms. Hanson slid the back door open looking at all of us with the huge grin she had when the person trying to adopt a kid Isn't a total psycho.
"Elijah, Aubrey, and Riley! Come on in please!" She called and slowly I saw Elijah and Aubrey walk over to the house. Where's that third kid? I wondered. They're must look pretty stupid for just standing there.
"Riley?" I heard ms. Hanson call and I remember something.
That's me dip shit.
I walked as slow as I could as if that would make it so people wouldn't notice I was moving over to the house.
"Hurry up, kid!"
God, I hated that women.
I quickened my step just in time to catch a sour glance from ms. Hanson.
I'll hear about that later, I thought as I sat on the waiting couch. That was where you sat while you waited for the other kids that were selected to be interviewed by the adopter and evaluated on their fit. I had sat on it millions of times, everybody has, all to hear that none of you got adopted. This time was no different. Aubrey would go, since she was the youngest of the three, next Elijah, and finally me. Then we would be told that non of us were a very good fit for the adopters. Just as it always is, just as it always has been, and just as it always will be.
"Riley?" I heard ms. Hanson call. "He's ready for you!"
Oh, shit.
It didn't matter that I knew this little petty interview wouldn't mean anything but I was still nervous. Before every one I would get a single just of hope that maybe, just maybe, I would be adopted, have a family, and be truly loved. But every time I would watch as ms. Hanson pulled open the back door, and watch as she kept that same overly optimistic smile on her face, and tell us that the visitor wasn't a good fit. I still got that streak of optimism, though, as I got up from that depressing couch and walk over to the next room.
"Riley, this is our visitor!" Ms. Hanson sounded animated.
I looked up.
God.
