"I want you on your best behaviour ... all of you" Rachel warned us sternly, I suspected the last part was directed solely towards me. "That means no back-chat" she added as an afterthought. Yep, defiantly directed at me. If she thought I was going to behave any differently this time she was in denial, or had a worryingly short memory. I sighed inwardly and flopped back into the plastic seat, already knowing that I would get another lecture from her later. Bored, I looked around at the group. Fifteen of us in all. I wasn't the only one who looked like I wanted to be somewhere, anywhere, else. Well to be honest there was one place in particular I wanted to be, but now was no time to be choosey.
The door at the other end of the rec. room opened, squeaking on hinges that hadn't been oiled in living memory. Rachel gave us one last warning stare, her eyes lingering on me for a fraction of a second longer than the others, before spinning on her heel to face the door with a wide, friendly smile on her face. A middle-aged couple entered. They had mousey brown hair, were of average height, and had warm smiles. They looked nice and relaxed but had a slight air of confidence that hinted at strictness. Rachel strode towards them, hand already outstretched. "Welcome to Cherrywood children's home" she used the chirpy voice that she reserved for potential adoptive parents. "I'm Rachel, and you must be Mr. and Ms. James. The girls are very excited to meet you." Um ... we were? I looked around to make sure I hadn't been transported to some alternate universe. Nope, still the same bored, angry looking girls.
I focused back on Mr. and Ms. James, they seemed like good people. Defiantly good perspective parents, maybe they would even be able to change around one of the lives of the girls here. Ms. James nodded slightly at Rachel and her and her husband started to look us over. They started to talk to each of the girls individually. Asking about their interests, dislikes, anything really that would give them a feel of her personality. After going through half the girls they started to look a bit disappointed. People usually did. Let me tell you something about Cherrywood, it may be a children's home but it never had children per say. Cherrywood specialised in adopting teenagers, and not just any teenagers. To get into Cherrywood you had to be a teenager that was difficult to place. So the kids that ended up here had problems. Addictions, violence, and post-traumatic stress were the most common I'd seen. I was an exception, the reason I wasn't placed was because I refused to be adopted. I was one of the two exceptions Cherrywood had. And I wasn't about to change now. I had more at Cherrywood than I could ever have with a family.
It was my turn. The James's looked me up and down, I could see what they were thinking - no piercings, no heavy make-up, no brightly coloured streaks in my long chestnut hair, clean, neat clothes. Hope sparked in their eyes, I almost felt bad that I was going to crush it. Mr. James extended his hand and I shook it, smiling slightly at him. Just because I didn't want him as a dad didn't mean I wasn't going to be polite to him.
"Hello, I'm Nora James" Ms. James voice was soft and sweet. Her eyes were honest.
"I'm Camilla Roach, it's nice to meet you" I smiled tentatively at her.
"Camilla." She tested it on her tongue, "it's a pleasure to meet you, my husband and I are looking for someone to adopt." Well duh! I resisted the urge to roll my eyes "our children are all in collage and we're finding it strange, having the house to ourselves." She looked at me almost expectantly as though waiting for something. I racked my brains trying to think of something to say. Ah hell! I thought, I might as well go straight in for the kill.
"I'm sure that you'll be able to give one of the other girls here a lovely home." I told her politely, but putting a definite emphasis on the "other".
"What about you?" she asked, eyebrows raised. Rachel's smile had become fixed and she was shooting me death glares, as though just daring me to say it. I could never resist a dare.
YOU ARE READING
