Promises - l.h

Chapter 19

"Family doesn't owe family anything."

Charlie's P.O.V

"So." That's all I could say before I started to tell Luke about my past.

"Whatever you wanna say, Char. Just tell me what you want."

"Okay. Uhm first I'll tell you about my past then I'll explain this weekend, okay?"

"Yea, that's fine." Luke wrapped me in his arms & then he held my hand, squeezing it tight. "I'm right here."

Then began an hour of me explaining my past to Luke.

Basically, after my parents died, I was obviously in a weird spot like mentally. I was almost mute, I barely spoke. I also enjoyed being alone. I had no desire to make friends at school or anything like that.

Ever since they have died, I became a runner. When things get rough or when I get really upset or angry over something, I run. When I was little, my running away was just sleeping outside in the yard or like in the basement alone. As I grew up, my running became more intense.

When I turned 14, I learned that I was leaving the Donner family to move in with the Rivers, a.k.a Amy & Thomas. The Donner's were an older couple & they were just done being foster parents so my case worker told me they had a new family for me. I hadn't met Amy or Thomas but I was just so angry that I was being moved yet again. I knew I would have to start in a new school district, have a new doctor, a new dentist, a new family.

I was a very angry child but it was all internalized anger.

When I was about to move into the new home, I was just so upset at everything, I wanted to get away. I needed control back. That was another problem, I felt like I lost a lot of control being in the foster care system. But this time, I didn't just need a night outside or a night alone in the basement, I needed to actually get away.

I had a lot of money saved up from an allowance that the Donner family gave me so I planned a way to get out of the house.

I was a very manipulative child too on top of just having a lot of common sense, like I was a great liar. I knew I was too young to like rent a hotel room & I didn't want to sleep on a park bench & risk something happening so I had this genius idea to sleep on buses.

There is a bus company that has buses that run down the entire state of California & some run overnight so people can travel while they sleep. So I bought some bus tickets & then I'd sleep at night on the bus to then wake up in a new city. I'd spend the day walking the city & then at night, I'd go back to the bus station & I'd take a bus down state, wake up & do the same thing. I did that a few times before I went back to L.A & eventually moved in with Amy & Thomas, who turned out to be exactly who I needed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." I told Luke after I explained everything.

"No, you didn't have to. So what happened this weekend?"

"Well, after I left your hotel Saturday morning, Amy & Thomas wanted to talk so we sat down & they basically said that I'm approaching 18 but that they see me as a part of the family & if I wanted to make it official, I could & they'd adopt me. They made it clear it was my decision & regardless of what I decided, they'd still keep in touch & I could go to their family parties or come see the twins whenever. So either way, I'd have them as a family but they said if I wanted them to legally be my family, they would me more than willing to adopt me. Like it was a dream come true to hear them say that."

"Yea, I think it's amazing."

"It is but it's also a huge shock. I'm not used to stability or like being wanted. I don't know, I just didn't know how to handle it so I thought why not get drunk with you guys & forget about it for the night. I know I was insanely bitchy to you & the other three, like I am sorry times a thousand."