Never alone

Chapter 1: Almost eighteen

Cora has been gone for a month now, I have never felt so empty. Before I never thought it was even possible to feel so empty. The home I am in now is me and Cora's thirty-seventh foster home, although she's gone now the room we shared still has bits and pieces of her lying around.

Our foster parents already packed up all of her clothes and most of her belongings, I managed to snag one of her stuffed animals she had gotten from the previous home and a few of her other belongings before they get their hands on it and hid it under my bed. The stuffed animal still has her lingering scent embedded in its fluff.

As I went to sit on her empty bed the tears I have been keeping inside started brimming on the edge of my eyes, as I blink the tears come pouring out. The salty tears that are now running down my face start to sting my eyes and in the distance, I hear faint footsteps creeping up the stairs. The tears stop and I quickly wipe my face so that no one can notice the pain coming out of my eyes.

"V it's time for dinner and it's your turn to set the table." I hear from behind the closed door."Okay Leah I'll be down in a minute." I stand up from her bed and walk to the bathroom washing my hands and face, I check the mirror to make sure my eyes aren't red before I dry up my hands and face and walk down to the kitchen.

"Veronica, David will be home soon and you know he would be upset if the table isn't set yet." The anger in Portia's voice frightens me and I immediately notice the stench of cheap box wine on her breath." I thought you are sober Portia." As soon as the words leave my mouth I realized I fucked up.

Immediately I start to apologize. " I am-" before I could finish my sentence Portia snaps. "No Veronica don't even try to apologize I am done with you, go pack your shit right now when David gets home you are going straight back to the orphanage." I apologize and went to grab my suitcase from the hall closet. As I walk up the stairs I can hear Leah sobbing in the kitchen, knowing now she's going to lose another person she called a sibling. In the room, I start packing with a heavy heart because I know Mrs. Sylvia would be disappointed.

After a while, Leah comes into the room eyes swollen and red from crying. "My mom said you can go to the attic and take Cora's things if you want it and I am really sorry that you have to leave Veronica I tried convincing my mom to let you stay but she won't listen," I call Leah to sit with me on the bed and I embrace her in my arms telling her that she will be okay, soon new foster kids will move in and that she won't be alone.

A few minutes pass with Leah in my arms before we hear Dave's voice loudly crashing the silence. I get up and ask Leah to grab Cora's things from the attic as I continue packing. I finnish up and go downstairs only to see Cora's things already packed and in front of the door.

Dave walks to me from the kitchen and without saying a single thing he grabs the suitcases and walks to the car. I say my last goodbyes to Leah, apologizes again to Portia, and make my way to the car. On the drive to the orphanage, the silence is so loud it's deafening. Two hours passed and we stand in front of the gates of the orphanage. Dave looks at me with a single teardrop coming from his eyes. "I know I was hard on you kid but it's only because I saw the potential in you, I saw the person you are and the person you could become."

The gates open, we drive in and go to the back entrance where Ms. Sylvia is already waiting for me. I grab the suitcases from the trunk of the car and greet Ms. Sylvia with a semi-smile. " Take care of yourself kid." David jumps back into the car and waves as he drives off. Ms. Sylvia looks at me and I can see the disappointment on her face. "You know where your room is Veronica take your things there and after you settle in meet me in my office."

I do as she says and when I walk into my room that I share with three other girls I see my bed and my cupboard still the same way I left it 3 months ago when I went to stay with the Emerson family. Taking in the smell of Brittney's perfume I put my suitcases on the bed and walk to Ms. Sylvia's office. The door to her office is wide open and she sits behind her desk, for a second I stood in the door frame not breaking eye contact with her. "You may come in V. Please close the door behind you."