Vices

Chapter 3

I received a glance from both Nathan and Laila as they saw me standing at the base of the steps. I walked towards them, suitcase filled with all of my belongings in tow.

"Hi." I squeaked, blushing furiously at how feminine my voice sounded in that moment. I didn't have the lowest of voices, but I wasn't any Kellin Quinn either. (A/N haha.)

"Would you like me to take your luggage to the car?" Nathan offered, reaching for the dusty handle. I shook my head swiftly from side to side.

"No thank you, sir. I've got it." I reassured him. He smiled with bright straight teeth and chuckled.

"Please, feel free to call me Nathan. Or, if you want, maybe even 'dad'."

I forced a small grin onto my face and continued walking, Nathan and Laila flanking behind. Laila pulls the keys from her sleek-looking purse and presses the unlocking button. An old burgundy pick-up truck's headlights and tail lights flash. I open the back door and climb in, pulling the suitcase up with me. Laila gets behind the steering wheel, while Nathan sits in the passenger seat. Laila swivels her head back towards me with an excited smile on her face.

"So, are you ready to go?"

~

After a good hour and a half of driving, we pull into a long paved driveway. Behind a row of trees stands a quaint, beautiful house. Ivy stretches along the west wall like a mosaic formed by Mother Nature herself. The roof looks old and weathered, the rough slate just begging to be replaced. The exterior walls are an off-white shade, the panels dripping from what seems to have been a recent power wash.

Upon reaching the end of the driveway, we empty from the truck with my belongings dragging behind me. We approach the front porch, Nathan fishing in the pockets of his jeans for keys. He quickly turns the key, and with a strong shove of his right shoulder, the door swings open. I set my luggage down at my side and took in the surroundings.

Inside, I am welcomed with a slight must in the air, alerting me that this house is probably older than it looked. The room we entered was warm and inviting, with it's brown walls and a glossy beige trim. A burgundy sectional adorned with beige pillows sat near the opposite wall, facing a large flat-screen. The television itself was suspended precariously over a bundle of wires, tangled viciously like weeds long forgotten by a garden tenant. Although the space was rather small, it seemed like just enough space for a couple such as Nathan and Laila.

Across from the living room is an open area leading to a kitchen. The color scheme closely resembles that of the living room, complete with the same brown walls and a small cherry wood table, surrounded by matching chairs with burgundy seats. The soft light of the quickly approaching sunset crept through the slats of the shades pulled down over the windows, throwing splashes of brightness over the stainless steel kitchen sink. Laila took my hand in hers, and gingerly pulled me towards the staircase which separates the kitchen and lounge area. Below the staircase was a curious little door, leading to what Nathan says is a storage closet. (THIS ISN'T HARRY POTTER OK CHILL.)

~

Up the stairs was single hallway, leading down to a single door. On either side of the walls were 2 doors each. The one on the left side closest to the stairs was a bathroom, while the door next to it was a closet.

"This is mine and Nathan's room," commented Laila, tapping the door lightly with her palm. "The door here is our computer office." I nodded mutely. She then continued down the hallway towards the last door at the very end of the hall. With a turn of the seemingly new doorknob, the door was opened. I entered the room cautiously, surprised by the artful simplicity of the decor; the walls were a light shade of grey, with a few black and white photos framed on the wall. A black dresser stood at the left wall and a twin sized bed was on the opposite wall.

"D-do you like it?" asked Laila in a small voice close behind me, wringing her hands nervously.

For the first time in months, a genuine smile spreads across my lips. 'Yes, it's great. Thank you." I stepped in further to inspect the picture frames.

"Nathan and I took those pictures. I thought they would add nicely to the room." she explained with a small chuckle.

"They do," I add politely, "I was never allowed decoration in the room I shared. It's. . .different- a good different." I rambled. She beamed her glorious smile towards me and nodded her chocolate curls towards my suitcase.

"I'll let you get settled, then. I am going to start making dinner, alright?" she shouts as she leaves the room, walking towards the stairs.

I open my suitcase and lay things out in a more orderly fashion, leaving me with two empty drawers at the bottom of the dresser. My wardrobe certainly isn't used to absence of another human being's belongings sharing it's space. I plop down lazily on the bed, wrapping myself in the fresh scent of clean sheets. This couple was much nicer than any foster parents I have seen in my 16 years of living. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.