Fostered {h.s}

Chapter 1.

I waited on the bench in the lobby of the police station. Officer Johnson had escorted me here from a girls' shelter that I'd been staying at for almost three weeks. There was an opening at a foster home and, for some reason unknown to me, he thought I would be great to for it.

I'd stolen from stores before, stolen from my former foster parents, lied, cheated, and smoked cigarettes, done drugs, and had unprotected sex with boys who would never speak to me again. I couldn't think of a single rule in the book that I hadn't broken at least once. I'd been with so many foster families that I had trouble remembering them all. The excitement at getting a new place to stay and the possibility of a family who would keep me for more than three months had faded long ago. It was like a routine to me now a days.

"Your new foster parents will be arriving soon. I just spoke to them on the phone." Officer Johnson said.

I nodded.

"I think you'll fit in well where you're going. A place like this one will be good for you. It's different."

That statement scared me a little but what could I do about it? I sat and counted the square tiles on the floor until the double doors a few feet away from me swayed open. A young man and women, maybe in their forties, walked inside the lobby and approached me. They must be my new fosters, I thought. Well they were definitely in for a surprise with me. As much as I tried to do good, I didn't believe it was in me. I would always have a bad bone.

"Mr. and Mrs. Holbrook," Officer Johnson started, "this here is Samantha Ford." He turned and gestured to me. "Samantha, this is Christy and John Holbrook, your new foster parents."

"I'm sorry." I said to them.

The smile on Mrs. Holbrook's face faded into a look of confusion.

"I'm apologizing beforehand for my behavior."

Officer Johnson twisted in my direction and narrowed his eyes at me.

"I'm sure you're a good girl." Mrs. Holbrook said. "John and I are happy to have you."

I gave a fake smile.

"We should get going now." Mr. Holbrook said. "It's so nice to meet you Samantha."

"Call me Sami." I said as I stood up.

"Hopefully I won't see you again, Samantha. I expect you to stay out of trouble this time around." Officer Johnson said.

I nodded and grabbed my duffle bag, carrying it on my shoulder as I followed my new foster parents out of the police station and into their S.U.V. I sat in the back, listening to the twangy country music that made me crazy as we drove away from town.

Fifteen minutes later we pulled into the drive way of a huge three story house. We were in the middle of nowhere. No other houses or buildings were in sight for as far as I could see, only grassy rolling hills and trees. Great. I really wasn't the country type of girl.

"Follow us," Mrs. Holbrook said as her and her husband got out of the vehicle, "we'll introduce you to everyone first, and then go over some of the rules we have here."

I didn't like the sound of rules and as I followed them towards the front door, I wondered how many other people lived here. Were they foster kids like me or were they the Holbrooks' biological kids?