Changed For The Better

Chucked Out

"No no no no no. And for the ten billionth time...NO!" I slammed my hands onto the desk in the office before storming out, Mai Lee following close behind me.

"You were only supposed to be living here temporarily. It's time you started going out and meeting new families"

"And what if I don't want to? What if I like things just the way they are?"

"We all need to move on"

"Oh yeah? Then why don't you BOG OFF TO AUSTRALIA?!" I yelled down at her as I reached the top of the stairs.

"Look I've chosen a couple that I think would be suitable for you own needs"

"You?! You've chosen? So my lifelong happiness now depends on a mad woman who eats lentil sandwhiches and wears old man sandals?!"

I reached my bedroom and slammed my door in her face. She instantly tried to open it so I shoved my weight against it. Making it so that she couldn't get in.

"Luke told me that when he mentioned fostering to you, you said you'd think about"

"Luke mentioned leaving to me! Leaving, not fostering! Why would I want to be fostered?"

"You can settle into a family again and have a normal life"

"Normal?! Nothing's normal here! Besides, I've been fostered before! And that was a disaster! Remember?!"

"I know but, you can't always be scared of it!"

"I'm not scared I just don't want to!"

"At least think about it. Luke and I think it would be a great idea"

"I think it would be a terrible one! You know nothing!"

"You're forgetting I'm very experienced with fostering and the care system and it always has great benefits!"

"It didn't have great benefits last time I did it now leave me alone!" I released the door and she came crashing into my bedroom while I went to take my seat on the window ledge.

"Look, I know it's a big change, but you need to start thinking of your future. It won't be long before you have to move out anyway. You might as well move out into a home, rather than a halfway house"

I know what Mai Lee was saying did make sense, and she was right too. But the real reason I don't want to move out is because I still hold onto a hope that Ryan will come back.

Besides, finding the right family to foster you can't be easy, and I know I'm a bit, difficult sometimes. And what if I do go to live with someone, but they don't let me see Ryan or they don't let me have a boyfriend? Because some people are like that. I hate it.

"But when has fostering actually worked out for anybody?"

"Well it worked out for Tracy Beaker"

"Yeah, but that was years ago and she was really lucky"

She came in and sat down on the window ledge next to me which made me feel a bit uncomfortable. But it also made me realise how deadly serious she was being.

"You never know, you might match with the perfect family. It does still happen today you know. I mean, look at Harry? He's happily fostered isn't he?"

"Yeah, after his first foster Dad had anger issues and practically abused the poor kid"

"Not all fostering placements end badly"

"Really? Because mine didn't really go to plan either, did it?"

"No, but just because the last one didn't, doesn't mean this one won't? Surely it's worth a try"

"I don't want to. I'm not going through all that again"