𝘼𝙁𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙒𝙀 𝘾𝙍𝘼𝙎𝙃𝙀𝘿 ↣ 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝘿𝙄𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉

7. SWEET CREATURE

I woke up at about 7:30 the next morning.

I groaned and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I was dazed for just a moment, confused as to why I was in my bed when I should have been in South America with Louis.

And then I remembered the events from last night. The phone call with Sarah, the plane ride to LA, and the bedroom across the hall from me that held two sleeping teenagers.

I rolled out of bed, stuffed my bare feet into slippers, and then turned out of my room into the hallway. Out of curiosity, I reached for the doorknob of their room. I found it locked.

I sighed sadly and shook my head before continuing to the bathroom. As I brushed my teeth, I remembered that they didn't know what to expect from me. Just like how I didn't know what to expect from the boys when I moved in with them.

To Keenan and Karter Smith, I was another another house, another bed, another person that didn't care. Hopefully after some time, both of them will come around and realize I'm only here to help them. I cared, regardless if they wanted to believe it or not.

I spit out the toothpaste in my mouth, rinsed the toothbrush, and then hesitated before going downstairs. I pulled two unopened toothbrushes from the cupboard below the sink and left them there.

After that, I padded downstairs into the living room and pulled out my phone to call Louis. I hesitated, though, because it was only 4:30 in the morning for him. Instead I went into our texts to see if he had read the text I sent him.

He hadn't, meaning he was still asleep. I didn't want to wake him while he was sleeping, especially because tour was so draining. I pulled my laptop off of the coffee table and opened it. I clicked into my email and sighed.

Who would have thought starting a record label came with so much stress? I pulled my glasses onto my face and took a deep breath before I dove into work emails.

-

At about 10:00, Keenan and Karter made their way downstairs. I looked up when I heard their feet on the hardwood and smiled.

"Good morning," I said, "how did you guys sleep?"

"Good," Keenan said. I looked to Karter.

"Fine," he said.

"That's good," I said. I set my laptop onto the couch next to me and stood up. "Breakfast?" Both kids nodded their heads. I waved for them to follow me. I lead them to the kitchen, where I nodded for them to sit at the counter.

I pulled glasses out of the cupboard and juice from the fridge. I set that stuff down in front of them before I turned around again and started looking though the cabinets.

"I'll be honest, Louis and I are usually too busy in the morning to eat a proper breakfast. But I think we can work it into our schedules."

"What do you guys do?" Karter asked skeptically.

"We work for the mafia," I said. I spun around to face them, taking in their shocked expressions. "I'm joking. Louis and I are both music artists. He's gone right now because he's finishing his tour."

"Oh, wow," Keenan said softly. "You guys are like, famous?" She hiccuped again.

It struck me, suddenly, that she probably hiccuped when she was nervous.

"Yeah," I said.

"Is that why you're fostering us? Because it's good publicity?" Karter asked.

"No," I said, "of course not. We're fostering you because you and your sister deserve to stay together. And hey, listen to me for a second?" I asked softly, looking between them. "I can't say that we're going to adopt you, because honestly I don't know for sure. What I'm saying is that this is going to be your last foster home."