Fosters In A New Way

Chapter 5

Lacey Pov

Stef and Lena tell us to go out if the kitchen, and I quietly follow the kids into their living room, sitting on the couch next to Jude. Or is it Jesus? I can't really remember, not when the only thing I can think about is how awkward this silence is. After a while of debating to myself if I should say anything, Jesus speaks up. He's the twin, right?

"So, uh, how old are you Lacey?" He asked quietly.

I look at him, not exactly sure why he would want to know so bad. "Sixteen." I answer, carefully looking away from him.

Jude gives me a small kind smile, "Where are you from?"

"Around." I answer simply shrugging.

Then Mariana decides that it's her turn to ask me a question, "What school did you go to?" She asks.

"Oceanside High School." I tell her and I can't hide my smirk at her reaction. She is definitely shocked when she found out which school I went to. The school was in a bad neighborhood and the kids were horrible.

"Isn't that a bad school? The neighborhood is like really bad. Mom has to go there all the time."

"So?" I ask impatiently.

"That..." Mariana trails off before she decides to go on."It really isn't a good environment or a good influence."

I nod in agreement, not responding to her. Did she really think I had a choice to be there or not.

"Not everybody has the opportunity like you do, you should know that foster kids aren't always lucky to find a good home. I'm pretty sure you should know that since you were a foster kid yourself." I snap, and Jude seems surprised.

Mariana shuts up, not even looking at me anymore, and I can hear footsteps coming into the living room.

Stef Pov

When Lena and I walk into the living room to speak to the kids, both of us could feel the tension between them. You could cut through it with a knife.

I clear my throat, looking at them, wondering what Lacey said to make so much tension. decided to end the silence. "Dinner will be ready in an hour, so Mariana I want you to bring Lacey to your room so she can unpack. Clean it up while you're at it." They all nod quickly, and Lacey picks up her bags, following Mariana upstairs.

Lena looks over at me and I sigh. "Let's just start cooking dinner, okay?"

*An hour later*

Lena Pov

"Guys, dinner is ready!" I yell causing Stef to look at me, amused. I sigh. "What?" I ask her, confused.

Stef just let's out a chuckle as she shakes her head. "So when I yell it's bad but when you do there's no problem." She says.

"Yup." I tell her, making the pop sound when I said the P. "I hardly yell."

She just shakes her head at me, laughing and I just smirked while I finish placing the food on the table.

Lacey Pov

As everyone started placing food in their plates, I cringed on the inside. I don't mind the mac n cheese or the salad but the turkey almost made me lose my appetite. That poor animal was killed brutally.

I think they all noticed that I don't take any because they were looking at me weirdly. "What?" I spit out, tired of them staring at me.

"You don't like turkey?" Jude asks, the question that is probably on all of their minds. Of course it is a crime that I didn't eat the dumb turkey.

I sighed heavily before answering his question. "No, not really. I'm a vegetarian so I don't eat meat."

"Why are you a vegetarian?" Jesus asks, and I just look at him while everybody else looks at me curiously, waiting for my answer.

"I just don't like the thought of eating an innocent animal that was brutally killed just that we could eat it," I explain, shrugging. "It just seems cruel to me."

When they all looked sheepishly at their plates, for some odd reason I felt guilty for saying it like that so I quickly add, "But I know that everyone has different opinions so I don't really have a problem."

I feel better when they relax after I tell them that. This would have been a very awkward dinner if I didn't say something. Not as awkward as sharing a room with Mariana, but still. Sharing a room with her is a situation that will be interesting, no matter how much I am dreading it.

Author's Note

I would like to thank PercyFosterMellark so much for editing this chapter. I would also like to thank all of you readers for reading. Please leave a comment with your feedback and what you would like to see in the upcoming chapters.

~jay_nan