Arranged love - jaylor AU

elena part 1

-Elenas pov- 

My case worker picks me and the awful trash bag my clothes are in up from the group home. Aperently they are moving me again, not that that's something new. I've been moved every few months for my entire life, it's not a shock. 

«These people are going to foster you with the intent of adopting you» my caseworker says. Yeah, I'm taking that with a grain of salt. My parental rights have been severed since I was a baby, but no one has actually adopted me. At this point I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be bounced between different places until I age out of the system. 

Kids my age don't get their forever home, getting my hopes up will only lead to disappointment. Not to mention that I have no idea what kind of people they are, for all I know they are... bad people... that does... bad things. Every home I've been in has thrown me out because they say I'm too much of a hassle and a burden on their family. Having medical stuff that no one really figures out makes it even harder to have a placement last. I do everything I can to not be moved around, I try to help and do what they tell me to do, but it never works. Everyone gets tired of me and then I'm left all alone. 

When we arrive at the CPS office we go to a room where there are a lady and a man waiting. They don't look that old, and they are both pretty. «Elena, this is Taylor and Joe hilton» my caseworker introduces us, and I fiddle with my fingers for a minute not knowing what to do. 

The lady, Taylor, smiles at me «hi, welcome to the family. It's so nice to finally meet the girl we have heard so much about» when she comes closer, I see that her eyes are sparkly blue, but I don't look in them for long. «Hi Mrs. and Mr. hilton» I say politely. 

«Sweetie, you're family now. You can call us Joe and Taylor» the man, Joe says. He too has a pretty smile and seem nice. 

The adults talk for a little bit, sign some papers before I'm left to go home with these two strangers. Joe takes my embarrassing trash bag with the few items I own. «Come on Elena, lets head home» 

Home? It's their home, not mine. I've made the mistake once to refer to a placement as home, they threw me out the day after because they felt I was getting too comfortable. I don't want to say something wrong again and get thrown out, I'm sick of moving around. 

Taylor holds out her hand for me to grab and my eyes widen. Does she really want to hold my hand? What if she grips too hard and give me bruises again? It could be a trap. Reluctantly I take her hand before we walk out of the building. Her hand is warm and she doesnt grip me hard at all. 

We arrive at a really high building; I've never been in one of these before. Actually, I've hardly been on Manhattan at all other than going to the CPS office every time someone kicks me out of their house. «This is where you will live now Elena» Taylors warm hand is comforting as we walk into the big building. The downstairs have people that wear suits, and I can see things in their ear that look uncomfortable. Maybe they are security people? I don't know. 

«This is the reception area. The men and women you see around us are security that works here. They make sure that its safe and no one that doesnt live her or are invited can get into the building» Joe explains. on the elevator ride up he presses the highest button after using a key in the hole beside it. «The elevator leads straight into our house, so we have a key so no one can get in there. But there is also a door to keep it extra safe» 

I'm scared of heights, and the more we get up the more my hand trembles. «Are you okay Elena?» Taylor asks and I nod quickly, they don't need to know about that. If they knew they would just send me back because this is where they live. And it's a silly fear because they have probably lived here for years and never died in the elevator because it fell down. «It's pretty high up, but it's safe» she adds, and I cringe without showing it. Now I seem like a baby that can't handle height, I'm ruining this on the first day.