Never Alone || Fourtris

Chapter 6

I wake up to someone talking on the phone.

"Im sorry m'am, but there seems to be no connection between you and the kids," a man says. It's probably Paul.

"You cannot keep the kids and thats final!," Paul yells.

I flinch a bit and sit up in the chairs. He turns around and sees me looking at him. I quickly look away swallowing hard. He sighs and walks over to me.

"Sorry, I was just telling your mom the news," Paul says. I nod 

"When are they picking me up?," I ask.

"In an hour, apparently your new foster parents couldn't take you, so i'm going to drop you off, then they are going to pick you up," Paul says.

"What about my suitcase," I say.

"You can leave it in my car, I'm going to come by later to discuss some things with your foster parents," he says. "Alright then, come on."

I grab my backpack from the floor and Paul grabs my suitcase. I approach the door and turn around looking at the door Caleb was taken into. I sigh and walk out the door and into the car.

It is a quiet ride to school. I look out the window, wondering how the new foster parents are going to be and how Caleb is doing, or how my life even got to this. I  am distracted with my thoughts, I didn't notice we arrive at school.

"Alright Beatrice, I guess i'll see you later. Good luck today," Paul says.

I open the door to the car and grab my black backpack. He smiles at me and I close the door behind me. I walk across the road and in the building. Everyone is buzzing around, minding their own business until they notice me. I avoid eye contact and try to find my classroom. The one with hand turkeys on the window and a blue faded door. I walk in as Mr. Corks is barley settling down.

"Beatrice, hi. You're back!," he says. "Why aren't you at recess?"

"I don't really feel like playing," I say.

"I'm sorry this happened to your family," he says.

"How do you know about that," I question.

"Your social worker Paul called me saying you were going to be gone the rest of the week. And explained to me what happened," he says.

I don't say anything after that. My backpack hangs lose on my shoulder, weighing me down. I walk to my desk and sit down. I lay my head down on my desk. I look up when someone says," Hey look, the Stiffs back." It was Peter.

I'm too tired to care about Peter and his witty comments.

"That's enough Peter," Mr. Corks hisses.

Everyone comes in little by little, eventually class starts.

"Okay, class so today we are going to learn how to do fractions," Mr. Corks says.

*********************************

School finally ended. After countless math problems and reading, I'm relieved its over. I walk outside and find the nearest bench. I didn't really pay attention in class. I kept thinking about my mother,on how she used to sing me lullabies when I was a baby, or when she would play with me when I was a toddler. I sometimes wonder why she didn't treat me the way she used to.

My thoughts are interrupted by someone touching my shoulder.

"Are you Beatrice Prior?," a middle aged woman says.

"I'm Beatrice," I say.

"Oh fantastic, I thought I'd have to ask every kid here. I'm Nancy. Your foster mom for now," she says.