Adopted by The Sidemen

Chapter 9

"Whoa."

I poked my tongue out at Jerome, who had spoken.

"I'm messy, I know." Preston flopped onto my bed but left him be because I was too busy packing my stuff. I grabbed my laptop and chargers and put them into my laptop bag, which was under my bed. Actually, there was a lot of stuff under my bed.

I pulled my art folder out too, I used it when I was bored and it was full of drawings, sketches and fan art alike. I had a special pencil case filled with all my drawing supplies watercolour pencils so I took that too.

I looked around at the boys and continued to pack my stuff, discovering some pretty random stuff strewn around my room. I grabbed my now full bag and dumped it beside the door before jumping onto my wheelie chair and swung around towards my desk, turning my computer on.

My desktop lit up and some of my older digital sketches came onto screen, I had been working on improving them the night before and even though they were a few years old it was turning out pretty well.

"Come on, we'd better get going now if you want to get anything done tomorrow." I stretched and cracked my back, taking my time because I seriously didn't have anything to do. Lachlan made a face of disgust and I continued to crack my bones until he flailed his arms at me and said,

"No!!! Stop that's disgusting!" I poked my tongue out at him and ran out of my room and down the stairs. I walked into the kitchen, which is where most people were at the time helping to prepare dinner for later that day. The smell of roast chicken filled the air and I grinned.

We didn't usually have meat because it was expensive and the care home relied on donations because the government didn't supply quite enough money to get all of us feed with 3 meals a day, which is what they said they were supplying. Liars.

Occasionally someone would donate a heap of meat that was just past its best before date and we would have an enormous dinner, which was awesome but it was rare. We would also have leftovers for several lunches after that if they donated the enormous amount of food that they usually did. Marissa was standing over the stove with a huge pot boiling some potatoes to be roasted in the oven later.

The boys were standing uncertainly in the doorway but Rob walked forward with me to say goodbye to Marissa. I knew I would have to come back a few times over the next week depending on how much of my art stuff I needed and if any new kids came to the care home while I was away. Max, one of the kids I hung out with a lot, walked into the room holding little Katie and almost dropped her when he saw I was leaving.

"You're not leaving are you?" He said urgently and I smiled at his concern.

"I'm not leaving sweetheart, I'm only staying with these guys for a week until my concussion is gone. I wouldn't leave you." I said, crouching down to his height. Even though I was short he was even shorter. Marissa thought he might have a growth problem.

Speaking of Marissa she had handed the potatoes to someone else and was standing behind me, waiting for me to finish speaking to Max.

"Hey Lily, have fun and don't forget us."

"You're making it sound like I'm leaving forever." I said jokingly and she flashed a smile.

"Well you've been here for almost 4 years and never left, so I don't know."

"Bye Marissa." I said sadly. She was honestly like my mum, and I hadn't been away from her in 4 years. It was like losing my parents all over again, even if it was only for a week. Rob saw that I was feeling down because he asked me gently,

"Why are you so upset at leaving? It's only for a week?" I shook my head gently, but I was going to tell them eventually, so why not right then.

"I was always a home kid and I was really close to my parents, as everyone is at 7. That's why I took it so hard when they died. The couple that took me from London were also really close to me as well, and I took it even harder when they left me. It was harder because they had a choice and they still left me." I said, sniffling a bit.

"Marissa is someone I've come to trust, because I know she won't leave. And if I'm not adopted I know exactly where I'm going. I'm staying at the home. It's the only place I feel where I can be myself and not be teased or forced out.

I become attached to people far too easily and people can leave with no warning. I told myself I wouldn't let myself become attached to someone again, but Marissa saw right through it. She's someone really special to me and I haven't been away from her in 4 years."

And I didn't want that to change.