The Dancer With Cancer

1; Stories

Chapter 1; Stories *unedited*

"So what are you thankful for Kiley?" I looked up from my plate that consisted of old turkey as well as rancid bread that was around 4 months over the expiration date. "I'm thankful for a bed." I stuttered still looking at my plate. Carol, my foster mom looked up at me and looked at her drunken husband. He snickered and slammed his fork on the table. We, as in my foster brothers and sisters all flinched at the sudden action. "You're so ungrateful, Kiley." Tom said while pointing his fork at me. I licked my lips and muttered a soft "sorry" I honestly didn't need any abusive hitting. My body couldn't take it today because of the little studio across the bay where I dance took a huge toll on my body today.

"Did you take your medicine today?" Carol asked nicely. I looked up at my plate and gave her a soft smile "I ran out three days ago." Tom chuckled "You should be grateful for your medication. It's what's keeping your little ass alive." He said while standing up and walking to the kitchen, in the process he managed to smack the back of my head.

     "Why don't you get your lazy ass up, and get your own medication?" Tom said as the  familiar sound of the refrigerator opening and the crack of a can opening followed by a sound of relief that came from Toms lips. "I can't. I'm not old enough." I remained staring hard at my plate, as if the plate and I were having a staring contest. I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw Tom with a smug look on his face. I now know what's gonna come next.

      3...2...1... I counted down in my head as Tom was behind me, at 1 the familiar scream came from Arabella, my youngest foster sister. His venomous fingers laced  into my hair and a simple yank tipped my chair and with a big thump I was on the ground. "Let go of her!" Arabella got up from her chair and ran to Tom.  He chuckled and pushed her away from him. "You kids just don't understand now do you?" He asked looking at all of us. No one nodded, or said anything. "You guys just want everything handed to you. You'll need to start working because you kids have everything in the world. It was a blessing you all got sent to me. You all know you secretly love me but you wanna act like complete idiots and act like you don't. Stop acting like you are not happy because you are. "

       What Tom was saying was straight lies. Not one of the kids here was truly happy. We each had our own story. Starting with me. I was the first foster child that Tom and Carol got. I was 8 and scared. My parents whom I don't know the name of because I forgot, were a pretty abusive and poor family. My dad, abused my mom. They didn't love me and decided it was best to give me away. As a little girl I don't remember the bad times, I just remember the good. I remember getting ice cream with my dad and Mom. I remember having a little sister whom I don't know where she is or who's she's with. I remember playing with dolls.

       "Ky Ky! Come down for dinner sweet pea." My Mom screamed while I was upstairs with AnnaMarie. "AnnaMarie we need to go down stairs hurry up." I pulled on my little sister. She giggled and nodded her head no as I took her dolly from her. "You know, daddy and mommy will be mad at us right?" She continued to giggle in my face as if I was a clown. "Anna what is wrong with you!" I stomped my foot. She once again giggled and I noticed her eyes were fixed behind me the whole time. My heart became to thump in my chest and I slowly turned around. "AHHH GOTCHA!" My daddy said as he scooped me up and began to blow kisses into my stomach as I continued to giggle and giggle.....

    That was one of my favorite memories of my family. I remember us as a big happy family but I guess we weren't, I only know what I remember and I only know what other people told me sadly. I was diagnosed with leukemia cancer at the age of 6. I was in and out of the hospital for a long time which I do remember because of the treatments that hurt like hell. When I was 6 I also lost all of my hair. I had to fight for a long time, the medicine made my memory kinda hazy so I really don't remember why I was sent into foster care. When I was seven I met carol and Tom and they seemed like sweet people for about 2 months, everything after that was just like how it was now. I am now 17 and still living with Carol and Tom. I still do have leukemia cancer but my hair did regrow but the cancer is getting worse but I'm trying to pull through.

     The next child to come into Carols and toms house was Rosa, who is my closest best friend. She's 17 like me. She came into the house when we were both 10. She was a blessing sent to me because she instantly became my best friend. We clicked as if we were sisters. The third , fourth children were twins they came into the house when I was 12 and they were 10. They were lucky ones because they got put into the same foster family together. Jake  and Jordan were the two bad boys of the family. They obeyed Tom, but they were still very bad. That's what tom wants us to be. He wants us to be bad to the world and bad  to society, which that's what the triplets do. They bully and terrorize people. They're only 15 and still can't seem to grow up. The fifth and sixth child to enter the house were Amanda and Max. They're 10 and the smartest and quietest kids you'll ever meet. They only socialize with me, Rosa and Arabella. They aren't twins but people act like they are because they seem like it. They were put into the house at the same age and same day, so they instantly became close. The seventh child, and the last was Arabella. She's only 6 and the cutest little button you'll meet. She reminds me a lot of myself. She acts like my little sister and out of everyone in the house I'm closer to her and Rosa.

       "Why can't you pick up your medication?" Carol said to me as I was still laying on the ground with Tom hovering over me. "I'm only 17, I have to be an adult." Carol lite a cigarette as I breathed in slowly. Cigarettes mess with my breathing and for some reason it always makes me faint. I slowly got up and felt the throbbing in my head start. "Did I tell you to get up?" Tom said taking the cigarette from Carol. I shook my head no and he continued to stare at me. "Can I go to my room please?" I whispered in a small tone hoping they would let me go. "No I want you to go and clean up this mess that all these kids have made. It's about time that you start to do something around here." I nodded obeying Toms rules.

I collected the plate from Carol first as she just sat there. "Don't touch my plate I'm not finished." Tom said just as my hand was out reached to grab his plate. I nodded and continued my way down the table. I stopped at Rosa's plate and grabbed it, she shot me an sympathetic smile and stood up and went to go grab Jakes plate "No, nope. You're not helping little Miss princess. She's gonna do it all by her self, all of you go to your room." Tom instructed to all the kids. They got up in a fast second and basically ran to their rooms.

"I'll get your medication tomorrow." Carol said standing up and grabbing Toms plate. She didn't even look at his intense stare. I nodded "Thank you." I went to the tiny kitchen that was perfectly cleaned. I always clean the kitchen, hell I clean everything. Sick or not, medication or not, the job has to be done. Although we live in a decent house, beggars can't be choosers. I put all the dishes in the sink, rolled up my sleeves and began to do my daily cleaning routine.

     After I was done with cleaning the house for the day I looked at the stove that had the time on it. 1:47 A.m well would you look at that, it's a new daily record. Cleaning the whole house usually took me at a minimum of 5 hours. But today it took me only 4 hours! I do a little happy dance in the kitchen although it was a short dance because Tom pounded on the wall signaling me to shut up. I took a quick glance at each room, making sure everything was in the right spot because Carol hates messy rooms and messy everything (I honestly don't see how she's married to Tom) I clean to kids room every night even though they're sleeping, I have to do it in the dark and silently. I tiptoed to my room and instantly plopped on my twin size bed. In my room, there's nothing fantastic about it. It's small, very small. I have a twin size bed, a dresser, lamp and a simple drawling of me dancing (which was very hard to do because my friend at the studio drew me as I had to stand in a Arabesque. He made sure to not make the face recognizable just in case Tom or Carol decided to come on my room.)

    I reached under my bed and pulled out my plain black diary. I flipped to the next blank space and wrote the date.

Dear diary,                                    November24th 2016
             
            Well today's dinner consisted of old turkey. Better then nothing. I just can't wait for next year. I'll be 18 and able to be on my own. Well hopefully, I do have to find a job when I'm 18 since Tom and Carol won't let me find a job now, I'd probably move out as soon as they kick me out (:

              Daily sentence : Take a step back look    
Look at yourself, you're human.

              Daily reminder : Take it day by day
                   And be grateful for every breath.

To be continued...