Winter's World.

Chapter 17. Change

"Cee it's time to get up-" He doesn't finish his sentence because he's too busy yelling for Nora.

Me and Tae jump up- wide awake now, "Get out!" i cover myself with the covers and throw a pillow at him. Immediately he runs out closing the door behind him.

Flopping back on the bed i cover my face, "He's gonna kill us." Tae only chuckles and wraps his arms around my waist to pull me closer to him, "Only me."

Resting my hands on his bare chest i sigh, "You know I'm going to get grounded for this." "Well," he chuckles, "Was it worth it?"

Rolling my eyes i push him off the bed, "Get dressed before they come back in." Nodding he throws his sweats back on and throws me a hoodie and shorts.

Once we're dressed we go down stairs to confront the fosters who are pacing the floor in the living room. "Morning." I call out smiling awkwardly.

Their attention turns towards us and they squint, "Please tell me im hallucinating." Liam taps his foot angrily, making us more nervous.

"Uhm," I look down at my fiddling hands nervously, "You're hallucinating?" I can hear Tae chuckle as he covers his mouth with his hand to try and hide it-

But he fails.

"You can't just come in here," Liam walks towards us, "And act like-" "Like what?" Tae finally laughs out loud, "Like she's my girlfriend-"

"You know we can press charges." Liam snaps and Tae gets serious real quick. Grabbing his hand i take a deep breath, "Please," i look at them, "He's all i have."

They seem a bit taken back and i clear my throat, "Beside you two, of course. But he helped me back when i was a kid. The first time i went into foster care, and he's still here next to me."

"Granted you two knew each other for a day," Liam sighs, "Then reunited years later to jump each others bones-"

"He saved my life," my eyes water and everyone looks at me confused, "I was jumped one day outside school- and no one cared. I planned to go home and OD..."

I can see them taking deep breaths, shocked at what im revealing, "That day at lunch he came and sat by me," i shrug, "He gave me food and a hoodie," i look at him smiling, "He gave me the reason i needed to live."

"Princess," he cups my face, "Why didn't you tell me about this?" Looking up at him i can see his teary eyes, "I didn't want you to see me the way other people did," I wipe a few tears that escape his eyes, "Weak and vulnerable."

"I would never!" His words come out in sobs before he pulls me into a tight hug, completely forgetting about my foster parents.

Before we know it, Liam and Nora are joining in on our hug, all four of us crying. I pull back laughing, wiping my face from tears, "Does this mean Tae can stay?"

They all let out their own laughs, "I can't stay, princess-" "Why not," Nora surprisingly speaks up, "You're eighteen right? You can move out of your parents-"

"What??" Liam looks at us three in shock, "You're inviting our daughters boyfriend to move in?" I can't help smiling when he calls me his daughter.

"You don't mine if i call you-" "Not at all." I smile cutting him off and his eyes water from joy. Rubbing his eyes to stop the tears, he nods, "Okay," he sniffs, "Fine. He can stay."

I smile wider and look at Tae, "What do you say, Tae? Will you stay with me?" Taking a deep breath he opens his mouth, "Forever."

"In the spare bedroom of course!" Liam chuckles, still sounding upset. "Oh hush!" Nora pushes him playfully before hugging him.

"Thank you, guys." I smile at them, wrapping my arms around Tae to hug him tightly.

~

"Dad?" Tae calls as we walk into his fathers house. I look around nervously, holding onto Tae's arm. We stay still when we hear footsteps moving toward us.

Once he walks around the corner, he stops in his tracks, squinting at me, "Miss. Winter," he looks back up at Tae, "Son what's going on here?"

"I'm moving out." His shoulders relax when he says it, but i can tell by the way he's holding my hand that he's still nervous.

"No you're not," He laugh, "Where are you going to go? Back to your mothers? You know how much she doesn't want you."

"I'm moving in with Winter," He clears his throat, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith invited me to stay." Mr. Kim laughs at this, "Yeah okay, sure they did."

"They did." I snarl at him, defending Tae. "I thought i told you not to talk to her-" "You did." He snaps, dragging me down the stairs to his room.

"Help me pack?" He rushes around his room, throwing a few back packs on his bed. I only nod before grabbing one and filling it with hos clothes.

We're about to walk out of the room when his dad steps in front of the door way. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

Without saying anything, Tae grabs my hand and pushes past his dad, allowing us to leave.

~

"All set." I put the last shirt in Tae's new bedroom, which i conveniently just down the hall from mine. I sit by him on the bed and he sighs, "It's a bit girly."

I only giggle and nod in response, laying back on the bed. "And i don't get a swing." He pouts and lays next to me.

"You'll just have to mine then." I smile and run a hand through his hair. "Mhm." He closes his eyes, relaxing under my touch.

"Hey," Liam enters the bedroom, dogging Tae, "Keep these doors open." "Of course, dad." I smile at him and his expression changes.

I can see his eyes water before he walks over to me, pulling me up from the bed to hug me tightly. I giggle and hug him back. "Goodnight, hun." He pulls back walking out.

"Night, dad."