Foster Sisters

Chapter 13

How am I the selfish one? If anyone is being selfish, it's Natalie! She up and left us, she left me! We had a pact or so I always thought. We're freakin' sixteen years old, we have TWO years left in the system, well I do now. It was only two years she couldn't wait for? What was so damn special about this family? That new little sister of hers? It took me about a year to get my relationship strong with Lily. I needed her to trust me, she's young and they need to trust their older siblings and she was really shy at first. There's no way, in what, a day that Natalie formed a bond with Maggie?

Maybe everyone would be happy if I just left too. Nobody at school thinks I'm pretty or worth it anyway, it's all about Natalie Farmington. The new Natalie and ugly boring Ava Littleton.

It was the next school day and I quickly tossed together a bag of clothes, my toothbrush and the essentials, swinging it over my back.

"Hey little sis, need a ride?" Garrett asked as we met in the hallway.

"Um, no. I think I'm gonna walk today, I need the fresh air." I play it cool and he just shrugs his shoulders and walks away, phew.

Hailey was home still recovering from the emotional process, Harriet was even going to make her see a therapist or someone because she's been really depressed lately, not wanting to do anything. I mean I don't blame her, what she went through was really traumatic.

I know that what I'm about to do is really stupid but maybe it will all work itself out and this is meant to be?

NATALIE POV

"Missing? What do you mean Ava is missing?" I throw off my bed covers as mom and dad stand in my doorway.

"Harriet informed us and wanted us to ask you if you have heard from her?" Mom's voice is soothing and not accusatory.  That's what I love about Debbie so much, her and I have formed such an amazing bond in such a short amount of time. She said I never had to call her mom, only if I wanted to. I like the way it rolls off my tongue, it feels so new and a little weird at times but it's so exhilarating. 

"No, we talked at school yesterday but she seemed really upset." My mind starts to race at all the possibilities of what could have happened to Ava, she's been on an emotional roller coaster as of lately and it's all my fault.

"I have to go over there." I state, it's not a question, it's a must.

"She's not there though honey." Anthony speaks for mom. I haven't been able to call him dad yet and I know there's a reason for it, my biological dad is in prison, it's hard for me to ever see a dad being trustworthy again and Anthony and I just don't have that bond yet. He's not mad but I can definitely see his smile falter whenever I address him by his name.

"It doesn't matter, I need to speak to the others, they may have a lead to where she is." I quickly open my closet and shut the door behind me for a moment of silence. I pray to god nothing is wrong with Ava and I can bring her back home. I take a deep breath as I lean against my closet door, I need to be strong right now, for Ava.

I change into comfy clothes and walk out of my closet, my parents still standing there.

"I need to borrow the van." I put my hand out for the keys and they both look at me stunned by my sudden forwardness.

"Uh yeah, keys are in the dish on the counter in the kitchen sweet pea." Anthony says, scratching the back of his head.

"I don't know about this Anthony, she might leave us for them." Debbie whispers into Anthony's ear. I've been hearing Debbie whispering a lot to Anthony at night, she thinks I can't hear, their bedroom down the hall from mine. She's been really suspicious as of lately.

"Keep your voice down Deb! And her and Ava have a history, you didn't really think she'd shrug her shoulders and just go on with her day, did you?" Hm, so Anthony does have my back afterall.

I couldn't listen anymore though and I walked out to the garage and hopped into the ugly ass minivan Debbie won't give up. Maybe it was a mistake calling her mom so soon, she's starting to show her true colors and Ava had warned me about her in secret so many times before, maybe I was being too naive.

I started the engine, rubbing my hands together. "I'm coming Ava."

AVA POV

It didn't take much investigating to figure out where my mom was living these days, Harriet has it all on record in her computer. She wasn't living in some trashy dump like I had thought, she lived in a decent looking town-home, she was getting help from the state clearly but I'm happy for her, I think.

My phone was blowing up with texts and missed calls from Garrett, Hailey and even Adam? Little dude actually cares about me? It was the next text that made my eyes well up with tears.

Ava, please call me.

-Nat

How does she know I ran away? Why does she care? She didn't seem to care at school yesterday. I take a deep breath and put my phone in my pants pocket. I walk up the front pathway to her porch. I sigh and ring the doorbell, here goes nothing.