The Backstreet Way Kids

Chapter 2

"Hey" he said cooly standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame. At least I think that's what he said, I didn't hear properly, I had my headphones in and was full on raving to my ipod, I took them out and looked up to see him properly staring at me.

"Oh, hey" I said surprised to see someone actually talking to me, no one ever noticed me usually. My friend Clara once told someone that I dressed the way i did for attention because no one notices me, she's wrong of course, I dress the way I do because well, I don't have a reason, I just like my clothes.

"You have a brilliant music taste" he said looking straight at me as he looked around my room at the posters I'd just put up. "Oh wow uh thank you I'm guessing you do too if you like the same music as me?" I said unsure of what to say, I rarely get compliments. "I guess" he laughed, coming into my room and sitting on my bed, casually inviting himself in. "I'm Jordan" 

"Poppy"

'So you're the new girl then?'

"yup"

"Is it your first time in care?"

"Yeah"

"Ooooh you alright?" he asked sympathy in his voice

"Yeahhhh I uh I saw it coming to be honest" I said quietly, suddenly realising what had just happened to me. "What happened?" He asked sounding slightly concerned.

"I got thrown out" I grinned "Ooooh why?" he teased suddenly looking really intrested.

"Bad behaviour? All sorts" I laughed, because to be honest I wasn't exactly sure why I was thrown out, just my parents hated me and I hated them. "I wish I had a good reason to be In this dump. But my Parents died It sounds so undramatic" he said rolling his eyes. "I'm sorry" I said unsure of what to say, I was awful with sympathy always had been.

"Its ok, I hated them I was 11 then" he laughed 

"I hate mine too, so how old are you now?" I asked, trying to make conversation even though I was awful at it. "15"

"Same"

There was an awkward silence. Jordan had thick dark brown hair with a fringe that fell over his surprisingly bright blue eyes. He was skinny and wore black skinny jeans and a loose t shirt.

Awh.

"Wow anyway, being in care? it’s alright really, you’ll get used to it, there’s stupid rules and sharing and stuff but I don’t pay attention to them"

"What kind of rules?" I said suddenly skeptical. I didn't mind this new weird strange care home, but I did mind rules, I never followed rules."Bed times, times when you eat, listen to music you know" he said. "Well as long as I can wear what I want, go out what I want, use the internet when I want and listen to music when I want I’ll be fine" I said. "Well uh, wearing should be fine I guess although you might get a bittttt told of every now and again, you have an ipod, they wont take it away from you but they might get stressy if you listen to music a lot"

"Most of the day?"

"I’m sure you can argue for it" he said nodding "Going out and the internet mightttttt be a problem"

"I have internet on my ipod" I shrugged. "Well going out then might be an issue, you just lie about were you're going" he said knowledgably, not surprised, he'd probably been doing it for years now.

"Being fair, I don’t exactly have an endless supply of friends, I hardly like my ones from school" I said, which was a fait point, the way I was carrying on was as if I had a huge supply of friends and I went out everyday. "We can go out" he said suddenly "I mean uh I’m in a similar position I guess, I hate my school friends and there’s hardly anyone decent here, I mean it’s gonna be cool having someone my age here, with a decent music taste" he smiled.

"So Poppy?"

"Rapter" I said quickly.

"So Poppy Rapter... want some help?" he asked motioning to my room and the posters I was putting up. "it would be nice" I smiled, because it would, having at least one friend in this dump would lead to good things I guess. "So, Jordan, who else is in here?" I said whilst putting up posters with him.

"Meristy, queen drama queen, or queen mainstream as I like to call her, she might be our age but that doesn’t make her fun to hang out with. Then there's Liam, he’s our age too but he’s just as bad, oh then there's Nick, he's 12 he’s alright I guess.

There’s Violet and Plasma they’re well they’re Violet and plasma, you'll see when you meet them.

Oh and Jarlene and Kalen and Ben and Josh but that’s pretty much it right now, there’s Isabella, she’s 17 but she keeps herself to herself and she’s even worse than Meristy and Liam put together sometimes, and plus me and you that makes 12 of us" he said fully explaining as we continued with my room.

I'd made a friend. In a strange turn of events I'd gone to school, been In a fight, been thrown out of home and was now friends with a certain Jordan Strenam. I went to an all girls school, and I hardly knew any boys. My friend's always overshadowed me so it was rare anyone wanted to know me of all people. It was about two hours later and I think me and Jordan knew everything that was anything about each other. I liked him already. 

"Hey Poppy what's this?" he teased pointing to a vodka bottle in my suitcase.

"Might get thirsty?" I said as if it were obvious. He laughed "Dont let the others see it" he said quickly. "I wont, for me and you only yeah?"

"Yeah" he agreed

"Is being In care thattttttt bad?" I sat on my bed, suddenly realising I was in care now, I would have to stick to those awful rules he'd just told me.

"Nahhhh it's brilliant most of the time. Sure the rules suck but I don't listen to them most of the time" he said. "Hey come meet the others, it will either cheer you up... or make you want to head for the door" he said laughing as he grabbed my hand and lead me downstairs to the old fashioned living area which smelt of hospitals and a garden centre, a smell so vile, which was enough to make me feel slightly homesick.