Laurex ~ A Cinderella Story

Chapter 13: Wha-What Are You Doing?

Lauren's POV
I go to open the door and I see a social worker. She seems nice, but strict.

"Hi, are you Lauren?" she asked me. And I nodded.
"Yes, I'm Lauren. And this is my foster mother, Natasha," I said gesturing to Natasha behind me.
"Hello, Ms. Hoffman. I'm Elizabeth Taylor, a social worker from the foster care system. May I come in?" the social worker asked.
"Yes. Come in, come in," Natasha tells her.
"So, Lauren can I know some information about you since I've never worked with you before," she said. And I nodded.
"So I'm 17 and I've been living with Natasha since I was 12 years old," I told her.
"And why are you in foster care?" she asked me.
"Because my parents died from a car accident. And I have trauma from that accident so I qualified for foster care," I said.
"Ok, Ms. Hoffman," Elizabeth said getting Natasha's attention.
"Yes, Ms. Taylor?" she asked her. Kiss ass.
"How long have you been a foster parent?" Elizabeth asked Natasha.
"I've been a foster parent for about 6-7 years," she replied.
"How many foster kids have you taken care of?" Elizabeth asked her.
"2 other foster kids besides Lauren," she replied. Wait, what? I didn't know that.
"And what happened to both of them?" Elizabeth asked. Yeah, seriously. What happened to those foster kids?
"My first foster kid was named Nicolas and he is now in college in Toronto. And my other foster child, Stacy, she's in another foster home," Natasha said.
"What happened to Stacy?" I asked Natasha. I really wanted to know more about the previous foster kids she had.
"She got excepted into a magnet school far from here. It would have been a struggle driving her about an hour away all the time. It was more convenient if she lived in a foster home closer to the school," she said.
"Interesting, so Lauren," Elizabeth said, switching her attention back to me.
"Yes," I respond to her.
"So how do you feel about living here with Natasha? Anything bothering you? Anything that concerns you?" she asked me. As much as I wanted to yell out the truth and tell every single wrong thing Natasha does that is unacceptable. But I can't.

Natasha made me vow to never speak about anything she does that is against the rules for a foster parent to do to a social worker.

The first 2-3 months of living here with these demons, it was ok. It wasn't that bad actually. Until when she started making me clean for her. And then make food for them and I wasn't even allowed to eat with them. I would have to eat in my room or eat after them. And if I disobeyed, Natasha was rough with me.

But when evaluation day came, I was going to say everything that happened. But she started to put stuff in my head. Like that it was my fault for my parents' death. Because she said I had to done something for me to be the only surviving passenger in the car. She said that no other foster home would want to welcome a murder in their home. She said that she didn't care as long as I stayed there and kept my mouth shut.

I don't believe that anymore, but I still hate the fact that I was the only person who survived the crash. But now she always says that no one is going to want my ungrateful ass. But I still want out, but she just wants to keep me in.

"It's been great living with Natasha and her daughters," I said. Lies. "It's not the same as home with my parents, but this is still great. They've welcomed me into their home and they are so sweet. And truly care about me." So many lies.
"So no problems at all?" Elizabeth asked me again. She asked me as if she doesn't believe any of the crap that I just told her.

During every evaluation, the social worker always believes me and doesn't question anything. Is this lady my ticket out of this place?

"No, not at all," I said.
"Ok, then. So, Lauren, you are a senior in high school, correct?" she asked me. And I nodded. "Any plans after high school? Are you planning on going to a college or a university?" I was about to speak but Natasha beat me to it.
"Oh Lauren and I discussed that if she really wants to continue studying, she will go to a community college nearby," Natasha said. Wait, what? We NEVER discussed this!
"Oh really? And Lauren you're ok with that?" Elizabeth asked me.
"Yeah," I replied. Yeah no. I don't want to stay here after I graduate. I want to go somewhere away from here.
"Ok, Lauren has the school discussed with you both that you are incredibly intelligent and there are so many amazing schools out there that would be lucky to have you attend their school?" she asked.
"Well that would be good for Lauren, but she rather stay here and keep me company, isn't that right Lauren?" Natasha asked me.
"Right," I responded. Yeah no.
"Ok, then. So I'm pretty sure those are all the questions I have. But Lauren, you have your yearly therapy session coming up," Elizabeth reminded me.