Hunter

Chapter 1

"Are you ready to head to your new foster home, Hunter?" Mrs. Riley asks as we sit in her black with grey interior, 2019 Chevy Cavalier. "I am sorry it didn't work out with the Webber family."

Shrugging my thin shoulders at her, mumbling; "It is okay about the Webber's. Do I really have to go to another foster family? Can't I just be emancipated, and live on my own? I promise to finish my schooling, get a job to pay my rent and bills, and stay out of trouble."

Mrs. Riley loudly sighs with a shake of her head; "Hunter, we've been over this before. No, you can't be emancipated. The Carr family are lovely people, I promise. They have one biological child, two adopted children, and one other foster child. You only have two more years until you're eighteen."

Groaning while slamming the back of my head onto the headrest, asking; "Why? I have a hard time getting along with others at home."

Mrs. Riley sighs again; "You'll get along just fine with them, I'm sure."

Mrs. Riley doesn't reply, she just starts the engine, and moves the gear shifter into drive, and starts driving us to wherever the Carr's live. The entire thirty minute car ride is silent, and I use this time to ponder how my life will be for however long I'm to live with them. Fuck, I hope I can manage to stay with them until I graduate from high school. I hope they aren't assholes like my last foster family.

"Alright, Hunter, here we are," she says, placing the car in park, and turning off the engine. "Let's head inside, okay?"

"Fine," I grumble, grabbing the door handle as I grab the strap of my duffle bag, and open the door to step out, and shut the door behind me.

Meeting Mrs. Riley at the hood of her car, and walking with her to the front door of the house. Mrs. Riley presses the doorbell, and we wait for the door to be answered. The door is opened a moment by a tall man with a short woman standing just behind him slightly, and both are smiling brightly.

"Hello, Mrs. Riley and Hunter," the man greets with a bright smile as he steps back, opening the door wider. "Please come inside."

We step inside the house, and he shuts the door behind us. We follow them into the living room where there are four teenagers sitting around the room. There are three boys and one girl. Nervously standing in the entrance of the room just behind Mrs. Riley.

My social worker speaks with Mr. and Mrs. Carr; "Thank you for taking Hunter into your home. He is a good kid, and he won't be a problem. When I leave today, I'll be back in a month to check in on everyone, and see how things are going here. Does anyone have any questions for me at the moment?"

When no one speaks up, she introduces me to everyone in the room; "Hunter James, this is Miles and Jessica Carr, and their lovely children. Gabriel, he's eighteen, and in your grade. Celeste, she's fifteen, and in ninth grade. Blake is sixteen, and in tenth grade, and Reid Matthews, he's seventeen, and he's also in your grade."

"How old are you, Hunter?" Celeste asks with a soft smile from her spot on the three-person couch with Gabriel and Blake sitting on either side of her, and Reid is sitting in the recliner.

"I, uh, I'm sixteen," I murmur with pink tinted cheeks, and keep my head eyes trained on the carpet.

"You're a twelfth grader at sixteen?" Blake asks, and I think he's surprised.

Nodding my head, murmuring; "Yeah, I skipped the eighth grade, and started kindergarten at five. I'll be seventeen soon."

"When's your birthday?" Mrs. Carr asks, and I frown because I would have thought her and her husband would have read my file before my arrival because I'm sure Mrs. Reid would have given it to them.

"Um, my birthday is October thirty-first," I murmur, and I can feel my cheeks darken.

"Oh, you're a Halloween baby, that's so cool," Mrs. Carr coos. "That's only eleven days from now."

"Yes ma'am," I softly agree with a tiny nod.

"Well, we'll have to celebrate your birthday," Mr. Carr says with a small smile. "How would you like to celebrate?"

Looking nervously at Mrs. Riley, and she's no help by remaining silent, and just shrugging her thin shoulders at me. Looking back at Mr. and Mrs. Riley, murmuring; "I don't know, sir. I haven't celebrated my birthday in almost three years, sir. I would rather not celebrate, if that's alright with you, sir?"

Mr. and Mrs. Carr look at each other, and I'm not sure of the look they are sharing, but I'm reading their look as pit. I hate that look and emotion.

"That's fine, but we can discuss this later, okay?" Mr. Carr replies, and I nod in silent reply, knowing that I won't agree to celebrating my birthday.

"Alright, I'm going to take my leave now," Mrs. Riley states, making my anxiety rise from fear. "I'll be back in a month. Please contact me if any of you need anything, okay?"

"We will, and thank you, Mrs. Riley," Mr. and Mrs. Carr reply with smiles toward her.

Looking at my social worker pleadingly to not leave just yet, and I mumble; "Bye, Mrs. Riley."

"Bye Hunter, and I'll see you soon," she warmly replies with a sweet smile, and Mr. Carr walks her to the front door, leaving me alone with my new family members.

"Come on, Hunter, I'll show you to your new room," Mrs. Carr says with a warm smile, motioning for me to follow her.

Swallowing past the lump in my throat as I tighten my grip on my bag strap to follow her, murmuring; "Yes, ma'am."

"This is your room," she says, opening the closed door of the last room on the left of three rooms on that side. "We can decorate your room however you want once you've settled, okay? We can go to the store tomorrow to get any supplies and clothing you need."

Stepping into the plain blue room, I glance around quickly before looking at her; "That's okay, ma'am. I don't need a decorated room, or anything. I can buy what I need because I receive a monthly allowance to buy whatever I need."

Jessica frowns at me, and says; "Lunch will be ready in an hour. Come down then, please. Unpack and relax until then, okay? Welcome to the family, Hunter."

"Thank you, ma'am," I whisper, looking down at my feet nervously as she leaves the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Glancing aroudn the bare room again with a sigh as I place my bag on top of the made bed, unzipping it to unpack. Taking the small pile of shirts to the dresser, placing these in a drawer along with the small smile of pants. I do the same with my underwear and socks. I grab my hygiene products, cologne bottle, deodorant, hairbrush, toothpaste and toothbrush, and leave these on top of the dresser. I don't feel comfortable placing these items in the bathroom.

Grabbing the last item from the bag, looking at the framed picture of mom and I when I was fourteen, just before she died, and sniffle because I miss her. Carefully placing the picture from on the nightstand, I kiss two of my fingers on my left hand, and place the kiss on the glass over her face. Tossing the empty bag on the floor, I face plant onto the top of the bed with a groan. Snuggling into the two pillows, I drift off to sleep, feeling safe enough to sleep for a little while.