The Looked After Child

july

The heat is sweltering and im actutley aware that I have sweat bewteen my thighs. I shifted uncomfortably. College was finally over for the summer my work progressively becoming more shoddy as the term went on. I hadn't a clue how I passed any of the units, the tutor gave vague instructions and the coursework might as well have been written in another language. I never mentioned that to my foster parents.
I crossed my arms self conciously over my stomach, Natalie had a half disgusted look when I came downstairs with shorts and a vest on. Tops were always tight to my breasts and too loose around my waist and just right on my hips, my mum said I had a proper woman's body. To die for and yet I felt nothing but disqust at myself and embarrassment that when I sat down my thighs splayed out and doubled in size. Annie sunbathed on the grass in a armerican print bikini top and demin shorts. She was the epitome of the 'it' girl, tall and slender her hair splayed around her like chocolate waves and her freckled face and tanned skin hinted at distant indian and irish blood in our veins. I had tried to make more of an effort this year with my relationship with Annie since I was moving out when I reached eighteen, I worried about her being left alone with our foster carers their frustration taken out on her, especially fran. Collecting my confidence that had grown my sessions at the gym I decided to sunbathe next to my sister clicking a summer playlist on Spotify and closing my eyes facing the sun.

Sharp cold wetness jolted me from my sleep with a gasp as I recoiled from my position on the grass. One glance and I found my culprit cackling manically. This meant war.
" oh you better run bitch" I told Annie and I walked to the kitchen and grabbed the biggest cups I could find. Still cackling Annie waved her cup around before prancing to the toddler pool for phils granddaughter and filling it with water, stood waiting for me to return with my own green cup. It happened all at once as she threw her cup outwards , I dived down scooping more water and spinning to Annie now running away and banking back round to the pool. Water splashed my vest water trickling bewteen my cleavage and soaking into my bra. Arching away from it I aimed for Annie soaking the crown of her head water dripping down her parting. Gasping she drinned teeth full and Hazel eyes piercing
" oh you're going down down" . I shrugged " well see" I said chucking another cup at her face . Laughing I clapped and pointed at her as she frantically wiped at her eyes.
" you bitch" . We both dove down to the water at the same time shoving at eachother to fill our cups before backing away. Annie stepped left but I anticipated her bluff moving right as she changed direction and ran down the garden.  I was right in her heels when her foot slipped I'm the now water trodden grass, her right leg swinging high in the air and her left arm coming down to save her fall. She shrieked as she went down her cup of water flying up in ther air and raining down in top of her. I stood and watched before calmly walking over.
" you alright?" I asked looking her over.
" ye" I cut her off as my cup dumped over her head her shoulders hunching in and her gasp echoing and a shrill cry like a bird pierced the air.
" what the fuck" cackling I pointed at her still on the floor. " haha"
" enough now girls , stop with the language" Phil called from the patio area phone in hand. Annoyance flooded me and wanted to tell him to shove his language up his arse.
" did you record us" I asked noticing the phone.
" yup got the whole thing thay fall was a good one" he chuckled. My annoyance dissipated.

" you alright" niomi pulled the door open and ushered her inside as I grinned and swooped in to pick her little girl, francesca up. Matthew and I had been coming to his sisters house a couple times a week since college ended . It gave us somewhere to go when I saw Matthew so we weren't hanging around the streets and his neice was completely adorable. Wild curls the colour of fire and freckled splattered over the chubby cheeks.  Niomi sat at the kitchen table a cigarette pressed to her lips as her and matthew chatted about his work and college when she glanced over at me playing with francesca.
" you are so good with her" she beamed. I laughed tickling the fiery haired girl
" she makes me want one of my own" I admitted to them. Matthew arched a brow and shook his head . Niomi eyebrows arched " not yet you're so young you have so much to do" .
" try convincing her of that" he chuckled gulping down the last of his energy drink. I blushed embarrassed, most people thought my desire for a family young was stupid. Niomi frowned pulling a drag in her cigarette  before blowing it out in a long trail of steam. " well I suppose if it what you really want as long as you have the money to take care of the baby it isn't anyone else's business" . I paused tickling my niece in shock.   I side eyed Matthew who shrugged and quickly changed the topic of conversation to niomi new boyfriend.
That evening Matthew and I bought takeout for everyone after I'd quietly mentioned to him that his sister cupboards were bare towards payday, I lent her twenty pound to get by with a smile and 'small don't worry about it'.  I played house , making francesca a bubble bath and splashing the water while she laughed and shrieked in delight.  I dressed her in pink princess pyjamas putting her to bed while niomi and matthew watched TV and teased each other downstairs. I briefly wondered when my turn to do all of this was as I turned the light off and shut the door to her room.