The Foster Family

Chapter 1

"I cant take it anymore." I overheard Mrs. Keene say. "She barely talks, and when she does she just mutters short answer. Never starts a conversation and cant carry on with one."

"What do you want to do about it?" Mr. Keene said.

"My mind is made. I'm calling the agency tomorrow to come pick her up." Mrs. Keene replied.

They were giving me back to the foster care agency. But its not like I hadn't expected it. I don't talk much because I'm shy. I'm not very outgoing, well not anymore. My life use to be the typical life of a New Englander. I lived in Boston, Massachusetts with my parents. I didn't have any siblings, but I had a lot of friends. I use to spend my days walking around Faneuil Hall and shopping with either my friends or my parents. I use to be very talkative and outgoing. I use to open up more. I use to trust people. But my walls crumbled and world came crashing down January 17, 2007.

After that day, I guess you could say I built my walls up higher than they were before. I didn't really talk much. Only spoke when I was spoken to. Even then my voice would come out quiet and soft. Usually I would have to repeat myself for people to hear me. With my parents dead, I was registered for the foster agency. Since I didn't talk, usually my foster families would get bored with me or get sick of looking at me, so I was shipped from foster home to foster home around the country.

I never staid in one place for long. The longest I was at one place for was almost seven months. I just couldn't find people who cared about me enough for me to open up to them. Usually, my foster family would stare at me out of the corner of their eye when I passed like I was some stranger. I mean, I guess I kind of was, but it was almost as if they were surprised to find me in their house, like I just wandered in there.

I guess the Keene family just reached their limit of how long they could stand me. I sighed as I walked back to the room I had been staying in. I put my stuff back into my one suitcases and backpack. Mrs. Keene came up the stairs and knocked on my door.

"I know you're sending me back." I said through the door.

I didn't feel like talking, but of course I never really did. She seemed to get the message and walked back downstairs. I sighed as I left my stuff in a small pile by the door and climbed into bed. I laid there thinking about how Sydney, my social service agent, a.k.a. foster family agent, would be disappointed to see me again tomorrow. She always would give me the 'why are you back here?' look. She always tried to find the best suited family for me, but I'm not quite sure there is a family that suits me.

The night when by slowly, with me tossing and turning. Even though the memories were from six years ago, I still had nightmares. They always came back the night I found out I was being returned. I don't know why, but the sounds of glass shattering and ear-splitting screams made their ways into my dreams.

I awoke the next morning with a jump. Tear streaks stained my face and I wiped them away best I could. I got up out of bed and changed into the clothes I had left laying on my chair the night before.

Before I knew it, Sydney was knocking on the door of the house. I put my backpack on my back and grabbed my suitcase. I walked down the stairs and past the Keene family while mumbling a 'thank you'. I walked past Sydney, who was headed into the house to get some paperwork filled out.

I walked to the car that was parked in the driveway in got in. I waited for about twenty-five minutes for Sydney to come back out. She shook hands with the family before walking over to the car and getting in next to me.

The drive back to the agency was long, totaling to about two and a half hours. Sydney didn't say anything, which made it worse. The car was completely silent.

I was now sitting at an office for the foster agency. Yet again, they were looking for another foster family for me. I have lost count on how many times I have gone through this process.

I don't know why everyone doesn't want me. I guess maybe its because I'm not as social as I could be. I'm usually a silent person. I don't talk much. Maybe if I was around people I was comfortable with I would open up more. But nobody keeps me long enough for me to get to know them. Sydney walked over to me with a folder, and by now I knew what that meant.

"Interviewing families again?" I asked quietly.

"Yes. Its a very long process." Sydney said. "Listen Jackie, I know its hard, but its difficult trying to find you a new foster home multiple times a year. We have other kids who need our attention."

"Can't I just be on my own?" I answered.

"You know you can't be by yourself until you're twenty-one."

I sighed. "Are any families even applying to have me?" I asked.

"We have a few different families who will all be interviewed. The first interview is about to start. I'm pretty sure I already know the answer, but if you want you can come to the interview."

She's right. She knew the answer because every time she asked I said no. I went in the first time we did this and it was so boring.

"No thanks." I said.

"I forgot to mention one of the families we will be interviewing was recommended to us. I have talked to them on the phone and they seem very nice."

I stayed silent. Sydney sighed.

"You really need to get your act together because I know we are both tired of doing this." she said.

She walked away into another room probably to go start the interviews. She was right. I was completely tired of doing this. I hated doing this.

I sat and listened for any talking I could overhear. I was just interested in the families names. Nothing else. The family that was picked for me I would get to know by reading files. Well, actually I started just pretending to read the files. Usually I just read the names of the family members.

I heard a little talking. I couldn't hear very well, but it sounded like the people had some type of accents. I remained silent for about a half an hour before I heard doors open. Sydney walked back towards me as the family she just interviewed walked out the front doors.

"I still have two families to interview so I will be back later." Sydney said to me before turning around and walking back.

After waiting about an hour, Sydney came back with a smile on her face.

"After interviewing the three families, we decided to go with the Payne family! They have a son who's around your age. They are coming to get you tomorrow morning. Oh, and won't it be fun to move to the United Kingdom?" Sydney said.

She handed me the file and I opened it. 'The Payne Family' was the title. I'm sure I would end up being a Payne in their ass.

Mr. Geoff Payne

Mrs. Karen Payne

Nicola Payne

Ruth Payne

Liam Payne

Well, I'm just guessing here but I think the son that's around my age was Liam Payne. I could swear I had heard that name before, but I couldn't figure out where.

I just remembered what she said a minute earlier.

"Wait... the United Kingdom?" I asked shocked.

"Yup! Wolverhampton, West Midlands in the UK." Sydney answered.

So they were putting me in a foster home outside America? At first I didn't like the idea. But then I realized I could have a fresh start. It was a new country and nobody knew about me. I have been to Florida, Hawaii, California, Maine, Idaho, well actually I have lived in almost every state for at least three weeks. I guess this could be refreshing.