The Impeccable Infinity

Chapter 19

Some things can take you by surprise. Like my life, it's full of surprises. A year ago I would have never thought I would be in a foster home with a whole new family and new friends. But you know, sometimes it's good to embrace change. Other times, it can tear you between yourself and the things you love. 

That's why when I was called down to a third family meeting, I was caught off guard. I've basically been staying in my room all week, so the fact that another meeting's enforced confused me. There's nothing they could blame me for, which is why I worry for what the meeting's about.

When I got downstairs, everyone was sitting on the couch. Everyone except Colby. Mute smiled and patted the cushion next to me. I smiled back and politely took his offer, sliding onto the soft fabric and crossing my legs to look as polite as possible. If this meeting is about something I did, I want to at least look like I'm still courteous.

"What's the meeting about?" I whispered to Mute.

He shrugged and pointed at the twins on the other couch, who were arguing about who's older. They looked like they were about to go into full battle, with red faces and veins showing.

I laughed to Mute and he smiled back. I never was a twin, so I'll probably never fully understand the way those two fight.

"Okay, is everyone here?" Ruth asked, stepping into the living room and pointing at each of us individually to do a head count.

"Okay, you're all here," she said, sitting down in a chair across from all of us.

"Ruth, Colby's not here," I said timidly. I can't risk being obnoxious, or else Ruth will flip out and scream.

"Well Haley, he's the reason we're having this meeting in the first place," she said, glaring over at me with a blank stare.

What did Colby do? Yea, I know he's rude and diffidently isn't afraid to speak his mind, but what kind of crime would a sheltered twelve year old foster boy really be able commit? I mean, I never even see him leave the house besides the first week when I got here and he went to school, but that was it.

"You see kids," Ruth started, now turning to the rest of us, "Colby has stolen a few things in the past, and his last crime he committed today proved that he's guilty, as he is with two other previous crimes."

We all stared in shock, trying to imagine the small boy running store to store and shoving things into his pockets. As much as I hate Colby, I still can't see him doing anything like stealing.

"Today, he stole a cellphone, one which was worth a few hundred dollars. In the past he's stolen things such as candies and sodas. Since some of you have been a bit reckless lately," she said, looking in my direction, "we're going to set some more rules until you can all behave properly. First, curfew is shorted even more, and is now nine o'clock. Second, I don't want any of you in the opposite genders room. That means, girls in girls rooms, boys in boys rooms."

That's not fair to me. Riley and I are the only girls and we share a room together, which means we're only allowed in our own room. It also means I can't go in Mute's room anymore and he can't go in mine, which is something I'm going to miss a lot.

I wanted to protest and tell Ruth how unfair the new rule is, but her eyes were still narrowed at me, waiting for me to start a fight. I'm not in the mood to hear her tell me how she's not going to change the rule, so instead I smiled and nodded.

"I know these may be crimes that are thought to be taken lightly, but they aren't. Stealing is still a crime, and is hugely punishable. It's not right and should never be the solution to anything. Before I lecture Colby, did any of you know this was happening or have any of you stolen anything yourselves?" Ruth asked, now looking in the direction of Mute. He shook his head and looked at her puzzled, wondering why she would ever think he stole anything.