Love for Reimbursement

Chapter One: The Beginning of the End

A tired redhead by the age of seventeen walked back into her room from a stress filled day at school. She was just an ordinary girl. Growing up, going to school, and was soon entering adulthood. Only…. For her this would be VERY bad.

"Shit…." She cursed as she flipped face down on her bed. "Tomorrow is my eighteenth birthday and I'm almost done with school too…" In normal circumstances, this would be a dream come true for a teenager. Growing up and moving out of their parents' house… the only thing is, for Lydia, she doesn't have parents. Nor siblings or any other form of relative that would give a damn about her. Yep. That's right. Lydia is, in fact, an orphan at New Foster's Orphanage in New York. And like anyone in the system, for those who weren't ready to move out when they came of age, pretty much didn't have much choice. Either move out or be either sent to a foster home or be homeless. And that was especially true for the orphanage that she was in. For her, this orphanage was a bit… toxic. Not only were the caregivers abusive, but they had ingrained their horrible traits to the children who were more impressionable. Luckily, Lydia never fell into that type of thinking. But that only led to her getting abused and mistreated by others.

It wasn't just there. It was at school as well. She constantly got bullied and harassed by others who were the more "popular" of the school. Her teachers were at least decent towards her. But thanks to that, she was often referred to as a "Teacher's Pet." Regardless, she currently was struggling to figure out how not to end up on the streets. 

"Okay…. Let's think. I've saved money over the years… but none of it could get me a decent apartment, little alone a house. And let's face it, those douchebags won't call the agency for me to temporarily stay at a foster home until I get on my feet. I COULD go to the school and… maybe I could apply for that scholarship… then I'll be able to receive some housing and insurance. Have to make sure to have the principal call the agency about it and have it approved. Maybe then I'll be able to get away from this place in peace… but then again, those "caretakers" could screw it all up by denying it for me."

"..."

"UGGGGGHHHHH!!!!! WHY ME?!" She screamed in her pillow. She then heard pounding from next door on the wall.

"SHUT THE HELL UP! SOME OF US IS TRYING TO SLEEP AROUND HERE! YOU SLACKER OF A BITCH!!!" Came the all too familiar voice of one of the older children of the orphanage.

She huffed and screamed back, "WELL AT LEAST I'M NOT A CRACKHEAD WHORE THAT'S FAILING THEIR SECOND YEAR OF BEING A JUNIOR IN HIGHSCHOOL!"

There was some loud footsteps that sounded down the hallway and Lydia's doorknob jiggled violently. 'Thank God I locked it after I came in. Although I could probably take them down no prob. And with the blackmail that I have on them, they won't go to those idiots that call themselves "adults".'

"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR YOU BITCH AND FIGHT ME LIKE THE BITCH YOU ARE!" The voice of a Hispanic girl screeched at her. Her Latina accent was thick with venom. 

"In your dreams Vanessa! Just go back to bed and at least act with SOME humility for once!" Lydia called back nonchalantly as if there was no care in the world. Some more screeching ensued with banging and scratches at the door till she finally gave up and stomped back to her room.

Vanessa was one the most troublesome orphans in the place and besides the adults themselves, she was the one who constantly gave her problems and the most scars during their cat fights.