Home is where the heart is

Chapter 1

We drive past cars and tall buildings that I've grown accustomed to over the years as my social worker Karen sits next to me talking on the phone with my new foster parents. I try not to listen to their conversation, so I take out my phone and my ear buds. I put on Hozier and stare out the window, wishing I could be anywhere but here. My eyes wander to the side view mirror and I stare at the drivers face. He looks like the kinda guy that's probably done some time and was an alcoholic at one point. Also, judging by the fact that he has a bible sitting on his dashboard, he went to an AA meeting, it magically changed his whole life, and he tried to redeem himself through the "power of Christ." I snort laugh and roll my eyes.

Karen hangs up the phone and looks at me with an obviously forced smile. She's never liked me because I've always been her most difficult case. Apparently people don't want a kid with 7 piercings, a boyfriend in the drug business, and a tramp stamp shaped like John Lennons face. Could you imagine a parent who WOULDN'T want that?

"Now Taylor sweetie, I need you to be on your best behavior for this couple. They are wonderful and friendly people. They both don't make a lot of money so I'm sure you'll feel right at home," says Karen. I swear, Karen could be the biggest bitch in the world. "Yeah and I hope they're as "friendly" as the last ones," I say sarcastically. She looks like I've just slapped her but it shuts her up so I don't feel any remorse. My last foster parents were devil worshippers. They tried to do this ceremony thing where they put my blood in a bowl then drank it or whatever. Pretty freaky shit. Apparently Karen was all messed up about it and she almost lost her job. I wish she did.

Just then my phone rings. "Hey," a manly, familiar voice says on the other line. Karen rolls her eyes but then gives me a look that says,' if you must.' "Hey Derek. What's up?" Derek and me have been dating for the past year now. Practically the only reasons I'm dating him are A) Drugs B) Money and C) To bug the shit out of Karen. If our relationship didn't bug Karen so much I probably would have dumped the poor bastard months ago. "Nothing. I'm almost at the new house. We're only a couple miles away," I say as I stare out the window blankly. "Okay. Well I'll talk to you later. Maybe we could have some fun tonight," he purrs. Apparently Karen heard that because she looks at me with a stare that means death. "Yeah maybe we will," I say in my best attempt to sound seductive.

I hang up the phone then look at Karen. "What?" I say, feigning innocence. 'If looks could kill,' was my thought as she stared through my soul. "You're not going to see him tonight Taylor," she says matter of factly. "Oh yeah? Those are big words Karen. What next? Are you going to FORBID me to see him. You're not my mom Karen and you never will be. Why don't you do the whole world a favor and go get laid, okay?" Karen looks at me with disgust then turns her head and looks out the window.

The rest of the car ride is spent in silence. I decide to ignore the tension in the air and check my phone for anything new. My old friends Tori and Mika keep messaging me about how much everyone misses me at my old school. People saying that I was so smart and nice and they'd miss me soooooo much but I know the truth. I was never the kind of girl that people would call "nice," or, "smart." I was the girl who got suspended every month for talking back to teachers or fighting bitches who need to be taught a lesson. I was the kind of girl who wore slutty clothes and hung around with the potheads after school. I wasn't ever nice or the kind of person who would be missed. Actually, I bet lots of people were relieved that I was gone, probably even glad. The only reason they're saying all these things is because Tori is sleeping with them or Mika threatened to beat them to a pulp.

We get to the building about a half an hour later. While Karen pays the cabbie I get the bags out of the trunk and put them on the sidewalk. I look up at the apartment building. It looks better than the last one and is definitely in a better part of town than the last, too. Karen walks over to the bags, making sure to avoid eye contact with me, and starts hauling them up the stairs. I follow, taking on my best defensive stance. 'This could be it,' I think to myself. 'This could be the one.' Taking deep breaths, I walk up the steps one by one.

By the time I reach the top I put on my best rebellious teenager face possible. I can't let them know I'm excited or nervous AT ALL. I mean, what if this family doesn't work out? I can't let my hopes up only to have them crushed again.

Karen knocks on the door. God, even her knocks sound bitchy. How is that even possible? I hear footsteps heading towards the door and my heart starts racing. My eyes wander around the hall so I don't make eye contact with them as they open the door. I read somewhere that people take eye contact as a sign of aggression. Wait, so maybe I should make eye contact with them, since I'm kind of going for the hostile teenager look. But I don't want them to think I'm gonna kill them in their sleep or something. Or do I? 'Great! Now I'm rambling,' I think to myself.

Then I see the doorknob turn. Someone slowly opens the door with a creek. Then I see him. And the OTHER him.