Battle Scars

chapter 4 - meeting the Fosters

I really can't believe how much I didn't know about the Foster family. Lena's partner, Steph, was married to some guy, Mike, and Brandon is their son. Steph divorced Mike when she found out she's gay but didn't tell anyone until she met Lena. Then a few years after Steph and Lena got together, Steph was at work and there were two children, and little boy and his twin sister. When she asked why they were there, another officer told her their foster parents dropped them off. Steph couldn't help it. After talking to the children, she learned their names are Mariana and Jesus, and they really just want a home. Eventually, Steph and Lena decided to take them as their foster children and five years later, they adopted the twins. Now they live as a big happy family with food, shelter, love, and everything me and Jude have been wanting- needing actually- for years.

Mine and Jude's first few days here were a blur. At first we were sleeping in the living room, but yesterday I moved in with Mariana and Jude with Jesus. School's the worst part of living here. This Friday, Jude has to take a test. That's normal right? You always have to take tests in school. But if he doesn't pass this test, he has to leave Anchor Beach. He only needs a 65 but with all the stress that's been on him since our mom died and went into the foster system, he hasn't really been caught up in school. Also, in English, I have to write about guilt. Of all topics, Timothy chose guilt. Does he really hate me that much? Of course the first thing that comes to mind is Liam. How do I write about him though?

I lay on my stomach on my bed with my pen in my hand and my notebook in front of me. My brown hair continues to fall in my face and no matter how hard I try, I don't find much more to write other than 'Liam'. What am I supposed to write; me and my jerk of an old foster brother were a couple before I got me and Jude kicked out of a great foster home and sent to an abusive one? Yeah right! What if someone reads it? My stomach turned at the thought.

"Are you going to be up much longer? I can't sleep with the light on." Mariana said from across the room. The time read 10:32. I turned out the lamp beside my bed and stuck my notebook second from the bottom in a stack of books on my night stand.

It didn't take me long to fall asleep but when I did I had the same nightmare I had on and off since what happened with Liam. I was running for my life in a dessert that never ends. Sand blew in my face but I couldn't stop because if I did Liam would get me. My skin burned from the sun and me feet ached but I actually couldn't stop running. Every time l, my dream ends the same way; I look back and trip over my own two feet, Liam grabs me and then I wake up. I don't need to continue my dream to know what happens next, that's the worst part.

Crying, I grab my notebook and pen. Without even thinking of the words, I write and write until I have nothing else to write. I write everything. The whole story is down on paper and at this point, I don't care who sees it.

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I wake up a few hours later and see that Mariana is on her computer, still wrapped in a blanket and her usually perfectly straightened hair is unbrushed. I take out my notebook and flip through the three pages that I wrote on- front and back. I think about ripping the pages out and making up something to write about. Instead, I shut the book and put it second from the bottom, in the stack of books, binders, and folders on my night stand.

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It's around 7:00PM and the whole family's getting ready to watch a movie with an addition of Brandon's girlfriend, Talya and Mariana's best friend, Lexi. Just a few hours before, when I went up to my room, I noticed that my notebook was moved and automatically blamed Mariana. After all, she was the only one who knew where it was at. Steph and Lena come out of the kitchen with three huge bowls of popcorn and see Jude with his homework in his lap.

"What are you working on?" Lena asks him and sits next to him on the floor.

"I have to write a story and I need a name for the bad guy." He explains.

"We just busted this guy named Freddy." Steph suggests.

"How about Sanchez?" Lena says with a smile.

"What like your boss? No, Jude you can't use that." Steph laughs.

"How about Liam?" Talya says looking at me as she shoves a piece of popcorn in her mouth.

"Hear one you like?" Lena asks him and he nods his head and looks at me. Lena goes to sit in a chair next to Steph and the movie begins...............