Him & I

- CHAPTER 6 -

- W H Y ? -
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Robert
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As soon as the red tail lights were no longer visible, I headed towards Jagged Edge, my actual place of residence. Jagged edge was a very small part of our little town. There wasn't a lot on that street; there was a charity shop and a pub as well.

Oh yeah, there was also a children's care home.

Jagged Blossom children's care home is where I have lived for the past month. I got fostered at the age of five, as soon as I went in to the care system...but that didn't really work out. The only thing that upset me about returning to Jagged Blossom, was that it took me five years of pain and suffering to get back there.

The house was nice enough; there was a bright red front door with huge windows looking out onto the front. Jenny, our care worker, says that it makes the house look more inviting. I guess it does make it look nice; I just wish I didn't have to be stuck there.

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"I'm back!" I shouted, closing the door behind me.

We all had little pigeon holes for our coats and bags and I left my things there before heading towards the dining room.

There were only six of us in this care home. I guess that made it slightly more home-y. Still, I'd never consider Jagged Blossom as my home.

Everyone was gathered around the table: Jenny at one end, Jimmy, our second care worker, at the other. In between them were the children. Three on one side, two on the other with room for me next to Jimmy.

The eldest was Max. Max was thirteen and had arrived at Jagged Blossom a couple of years ago. He'd been in and out of foster homes but he's been left with the mark as a 'trouble child', which basically meant that he was an undesirable; nobody wanted to foster him anymore. Esther was next at twelve. She got to Jagged Blossom at the age of six and nobody had wanted to foster her. Apparently, all foster parents are racist. What has this world come to? There were also the twins: Arthur and Alice. They don't talk so we don't know much about them. All I know is that they're seven. They've only just entered the system, a week ago to be exact, so my guess is that they're still shaken up about whatever happened. Percy, who's six, is the youngest. He's always really happy and excited about anything and everything - he brings a sense of joy into the house, something that we all really need.

"Hey, Bobby, was school better today?" Jimmy asked me as I pulled in my chair, reaching for the mashed potatoes.

I nodded, not really wanting to talk much tonight.

There was a gentle silence of knife and fork against plate but then Max broke it by filling us in on his 'fun' day of detention and being sent out of the classroom. I used to go to the same school as the others but then I got a scholarship to 'Shepherd Preparatory School'. The others like to call me a bookworm and a nerd but honestly, I just needed some sort of escape from this lot.

I would have gone straight upstairs to do prep after supper but I was on drying duty this evening. Jimmy was washing up.

"Not in the talking mood tonight, Buddy?" He pressed.

"Not really, Jimmy."

"Did something bad happen?" Concern was etched onto his face.

"No. It's just a quiet day. That's all." I replied, trying to end the conversation there.

"Make any friends?" He probed.

I couldn't stop the smile from making its way onto my face. I heard Jimmy chuckling next to me.