later on, school was finally over. it was friday, so it was the weekend.
we also both noticed our little hand-holding thing that happened, and neither of us said a word about it.
"so, you want me to walk you home?" he said. i nodded. "yeah, that sounds good." i said. we started walking the route i take on my way home. "so, where do you live?" he said. "oaksen lane, it's not that far from here." i said. "no way, you're the one i heard moving down my block! i live on that block." he said. "so we're neighbors?" i smiled. he nodded. "our houses aren't that far from each other. i live four houses down." he said. "so i have a new friend in the neighborhood and at school, coolio." i said.
he smiled. "yeah, when i first moved here i had nobody. i was 10, and i was pretty shy a couple years back." he said.
"aw, how'd you make the friends you have now?" i asked. "they were those kids that would go to the new kids door to invite them to come outside and play. i went outside and they talked me into hanging out with them and everything, they were super chill so i stuck with them through the rest of middle school and i was good." he said.
"that's good." i said. "so, you have any siblings?" he asked. "an older brother. he's in college, though. he's 20. what about you?" i said. "twin sister. annoys the hell out of me 24/7 but i love her." he said. "i wish i had a sister. i'm surrounded by boys basically everywhere, i have not one girl cousin or sister, and i have two uncles and an aunt." i said. "oh geez that sucks, boys are honestly annoying." he said. "how would you know?" i chuckled. "oh hell, i am one." he laughed, and so did i.
we then arrived in front of my house. "i'll text you later, let me know if anything spooky happens in your house." he said. i raised my eyebrow.
"like that's gonna happen." i said, smirking a little. we just stared at each other for a few seconds, then he started to lean in. i started too, then i heard yelling. "nicole, get your ass in the house now!"
i jumped. "my foster mom, oh god, i'll text you later!" i said, running into the house.
i shut the door and saw my foster mom, her face red with anger. "who's that boy?" she snapped. "my friend." i said. "your friend? you were about to kiss him!" she yelled.
"well, i'm gonna be fifteen in three months. i'm old enough to kiss boys." i said, trying to control my anger. "you're not allowed." she said, sternly and angrily.
"you're not my real mother!" i yelled, my anger unleashing.
"you're right, i'm not your scumbag mother. but while you're under my roof, you're not to have a boyfriend." she said. "don't call my mother that!" i screamed. "and why would you even care? you don't even care about me, let alone who i date!" i yelled.
suddenly, she slapped me. "upstairs, now!" she screamed. i didn't say anything, i just went upstairs. i ran to my room and threw my bag on the floor. i sat on my bed and sighed heavily, taking out my phone to look in the camera at the burning mark on my cheek. as long as i looked at it, the more burning tears came to my eyes.
then, a notification came up on my phone. a blocked number..
"your foster mothers pretty abusive, huh? that's what you get for replacing me."
i looked at the text and froze. this can't be, right? it has to be a prank from some kid. they probably saw through the window of their house when she slapped me. i then got another text. i froze until i saw who it was.
it was collin.
"i heard you and your foster mom screaming and a slap, everything OK?"
i sighed heavily i looked over at my bedroom door. then, i looked over at my window.
i snuck out.
i ran down to the house collin told me he lived in, and rang the doorbell. he opened the door and saw me crying at his doorstep. "nick, what happened?" he said, bringing me in.
•
•
•
"and after we yelled at eachother for a good five minutes she hit me." i said, referring to the big red mark on my cheek.
we were sitting in his bedroom now, i was sitting at his windowsill explaining everything while he sat at his bed, listening.
"you need to get out of that home. it's not good for you." he said. "they wouldn't put me anywhere else. i fought to stay on that side of town, i fought to be anywhere but here. and with every excuse." i said.
"and as soon as i ran upstairs, i got a text. it was a blocked number. they said i deserved to be hit because i replaced them. it gave me the chills, but i guess it was just a kid across the street who saw what happened. the window was open." i said. "and you still don't believe in jay?" he said.
"i don't even care if he's haunting me now. i don't care if he's real. i just want to go home." i said, holding back more tears.
he came over to the windowsill and sat next to me. "is your mom working to get her job back?" he asked. "she has a new job, but it's not paying her enough to care for three people. that's why my dad left, and that's why i was put into the foster system." i said. "then she could be working to get you back. you'll be home again soon, i promise." he said. i sniffled, then he put an arm around me and hugged me. i hugged back.
we stayed hugging for a little while, then i saw my foster mom walking outside yelling my name. "oh my god.." i said. "what?" collin said, looking out the window. i sighed. "she's insane! i can't go back." i said. "then stay here." he said.
i turned to him. "are you crazy? what about your mom?" i said. "she won't care, as long as we don't sleep in the same room." he said.
i looked down. "she'll find a way to get me back." i said. "no she won't." he said. i looked back up at him.
"i guess i'll stay." i said. he smiled, which made me smile, and he took me downstairs. his mom and his sister were in the kitchen making food, and his sister looked up. "hey collin, you got a girlfriend?" she said, smirking.
he got really red, then introduced me. "no, this is my friend nicole. she lives with an abusive foster mom, is it okay if she stayed with us for a little while?" he said. "yes! we need another girl in this house, you and dad drive me and mom crazy." her sister said. "yes, she may stay with us." her mom said, smiling at me. "i'm anna, collins mom, but you can call me ann." she said, nicely. "and i'm collins sister, kayla." his sister said. "hey." i smiled. "you can borrow some of my clothes for now, until we buy you new stuff." she said. "thanks, it's mean a lot." i said, smiling.
then, there was a knock on the door. i froze. "is that my foster mom?" i said. collin ran to the window and looked. my foster mom stood there, aimlessly looking around. "yes! mom, answer the door and say you have no clue where nicole is!" collin whisper/yelled. he grabbed my hand and ran upstairs with me.
i heard his mom open the door and my foster moms angry voice. "i saw my daughter walk down the block, running away. have you seen her? brown hair, green eyes-"
"no, i have not. but good luck looking for her." anna said, and closed the door.
i was shaking, nervously, and collin had his arms around me but neither of us had noticed, once again.
he finally noticed and let go, looking at me. "so, are we gonna keep doing this sort of stuff and just never talk about it?" he said. "what do you mean?" i said, pretending like i had no idea.
"the hand holding, leaning in and almost kissing me, me holding you, all that stuff." he said. i didn't say anything but i just inhaled deeply.
"should we just.. date?" he said, nervous.
i looked up at him. "we'd just met this morning, i'm living with you, and just.. i don't know. i'm not ready for a boyfriend i guess. i have a lot on my plate right now." i said, and looked down, nervously.
"that's okay, but just so you know, if it wasn't obvious already, i do like you." he said.
i looked at him again. "and if it makes you feel any better, i like you too." i said.
"but for now?" he said. i shrugged, and he hugged me. i hugged back.
