Dan's POV
Kyle's laughing with Woody and Will. And I'm sat in the corner of the room by myself. Again. They aren't leaving me out, I want to be on my own. I feel lonely, even though I am surrounded by friends. I feel useless, even though I just produced some good music. I don't know how I feel anymore. I get up, and slip quietly out the door. It's only 11am, they won't miss me until about half past one, I have time. Zipping up my jacket and scuffing my shoes on the pavement, I walk up to my car. I get in and lock the doors. Maybe they were right, I haven't really thought this through.... Oh well. What's the worst that can happen? It's just like looking after a dog, feed it, water it and pay it some attention and it will be ok. I can so that. Lets go.
*At the Adoption Home*
"Hello!" a lady with far too much makeup is winking at me from across the counter. Smile, Dan. Just don't hesitate. "I'm Julie. Are you here to visit, foster or adopt?"
"Adopt. Could I perhaps see and talk to a few kids?" Now or never, Dan, now or never.
"Sure, gimme a mo." She stands up and totters off in her heels. Wow, this place is a dump. The paint is peeling off the walls, it stinks of god knows what and I can hear the jeering of teenagers. I hear the snap of this Julie woman telling them to 'sort themselves out', and that there's 'a nice man who might like the look of one of those scumbags', although she 'thoroughly doubts it'. I roll my eyes. Julie pops her head around the door, smiling sickly sweet.
"Any gender preferences?"
"Yeah, a girl... I spend all my time with the guys so I guess a bit of female company would be OK." Julie raises her eyebrows and totters off. I sit on the chair, waiting for the one. The girl I want to call family.
*45 minutes later*
"Well, there is one more upstairs; she gave up on finding adoptive parents... do you want to come up? Laura won't want to come down." I nod. All of the other girls weren't at all pleasant. Either obviously putting it on or just not interested at all. I have one last shot, and I want this more than ever. I nod and follow Julie up the creaky stairs and through narrow, grimy hallways. She comes to a stop and knocks on a door. A voice yells out:
"Go AWAY! I'm not hungry!"
Julie sighs and forces the door open. I see a young girl curled up on the bed, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her brown hair splayed over the pillows, iPod in hand.
"Laura, none of your nonsense now..."
"YOU CAN'T MAKE ME EAT! I'M NOT HUNGRY!!" She squeals.
"Laura! There's someone here who is interested in adopting you, so be nice, OK?" Julie ushers me in and I sit down on the bed next to her. I put a smile on my face and poke her playfully.
"Hey, Laura. I'm Dan. Wanna have a quick chat?" A petite, cute face with goegeous eyes and tearstained skin emerged from the blanket of hair, and I knew I wanted her. I had found Laura.
YOU ARE READING
Adopting Laura
ספרות חובביםBastille adopts Laura, an orphan, but she carries with her serious problems: an eating disorder, depression, emotionally unstable and has had a past that as left her scarred and unable to trust and won't open up about them. She creates a special bon...
