deception - original story [3]

chapter three

CHAPTER THREE
false god

"I'll get it!" Olive calls out after the doorbell rings.

The Fosters don't often get visitors.

Gabrielle Foster, the mother of Olive & Shawn, is very obsessed with work. She used to be mayor, but wasn't re-elected later. She attended Harvard, which prepared her for what she did after being mayor-- becoming a lawyer. Gabrielle is so obsessed with work that she doesn't have many friends, or any for that matter, so people don't tend to come knocking at her door.

Usually, everyone isn't looking for Gabrielle, Gabrielle is looking for everyone.

As for their dad, Daniel doesn't really go out. Or talk to anyone. I guess that's probably why him and Gabrielle are so perfect for each other.

So, other than the mail, people do not ring the Fosters' doorbell.

And at this point in the day, the mail was not coming.

This is why Olive is confused as she goes to answer the door.

She's even more confused when she opens it and finds Gina.

"Hi," Gina says, "Um... can I come in?"

•••

"That's illegal," Gabrielle announces, and Gina instantly believes her because this woman was the mayor, "You can't kick a child under 18 out of your house. That's abandonment. You're... you're a minor."

"And she kind of sounds like a bitch," Daniel chimes in, and Gabrielle gives him this look like he shouldn't have said that.

"She is." Gina agrees, "She kicked me out because she found out I was with a girl."

"Oh," Gabrielle suddenly has this wave of empathy rush over her, and you can see it in her face as she walks over to Gina, placing her hands on her shoulders, "Sweetheart. I'm so sorry, that's awful."

"My mom's a lawyer, she can help you out," Olive mentions, "And my dad... well, he's very supportive."

"You can stay with us until we get this all figured out." Daniel suggests.

"Thank you guys," Gina's unaware of how terrified she probably looks, but she has a fair reason to be, "Thank you so much."

"I take it you didn't bring any clothes..." Olive trails off, "It might not be your style, but you can borrow mine."

Gina smiles, "Thanks."

•••

Olive is exhausted as she tries to do anything other than freak out internally about Gina in class.

Olive is having a very difficult time listening.

"Hey, wake up," Phoebe snaps in Olive's face, although her eyes are open, "What are you daydreaming about?"

"Not daydreaming," Olive shakes her head, "Just zoning out. Sorry, what happened in the past thirty minutes?"

"Well, we're partners." Phoebe says.

"For...?"

"This... this is Science," Phoebe explains, "And we have a project. It's a bunch of shit with mold, so prepare to be disgusted this whole week."

"Only a week?"

"The bread at my house is already, like, three weeks old, don't worry," Phoebe chuckles.

Olive furrows her eyebrows, "That's... extremely alarming."

"My parents are just a little forgetful," Phoebe explains, "It's usually Dylan and I doing the grocery shopping."

"Alright..." Olive nods, "Cool. Thanks, partner."

"I'm sure it'll be a delight to work with you."

•••

Tara sighs, picking up her phone and calling Gina for the seventh time in the past two days.

She hasn't been answering her phone to anyone, and Tara is worried.

But this time-- Tara hears her phone ring only three times before Gina has really answered.

"Hi," Gina says, "Sorry for not answering your calls."

"It's okay," Tara shakes her head, although Gina can't see her, "You don't have to apologize, I was just getting worried. I mean, at first I was just going to ask you about... you know, what happened at Firefly, but when you didn't answer so much I just got scared."

"I've just got a lot of family drama right now," Gina shrugs, although Tara can't see her, "I'm alright. I'm sorry for not answering you, really, though. About camp... that was stupid. I shouldn't have kissed you."

"You... what?"

"It's probably for the best that we're just friends, you know?" Gina says, trying to put Tara before herself.

What Gina isn't aware of is how devastated Tara must look, because she's at a bit of a loss for words.

"...Friends?" Tara pauses, "Yeah, no, that's cool. If that's what you want."

Gina's about to say more before Tara hangs up the phone.

Tara feels like she's getting mixed signals.

•••

ME! By Taylor Swift blasts, and although Tom loves the song, it's beginning to annoy him.

"Alright, Jenna, let's just pause the Taylor for a hot minute," Tom says, "Your new babysitter is coming really soon."

Tom's dad enters the room, agreeing with Tom, "Jenna, you need to quiet down."

Tom and his dad are going to an 18+ concert by an artist that the two of them have been dedicated fans of for a while.

Jenna is only seven years old, so she is not allowed at the concert, and she is definitely not allowed to stay home alone.

Tom turns to his dad, "Is the new sitter... nice? You said they were my age, right? What's their name?"

There's a knock at the door.

"Guess you'll find out now," His dad says, raising his eyebrows.

Tom opens the door, and his jaw literally drops.

"Dylan?"

A/N: wingin' it cammcake