The weather accurately represented how I felt today. Gloomy. Today's the day I go to my new foster family . Wonderful.
I leaned my head against the car window. My social worker was sitting next to me in the back seat of the taxi cab, tapping her fingers on the end her skirt, humming to a tune I didn't recognize. I sighed and looked out the window, making designs using the raindrops with my fingers.
"Arden, are you okay ?" I slightly turned around as she spoke. "If you're nervous that's totally understandable. "
"I'm fine." I said as I pulled on the loose strands of my ripped jeans. "I'm not nervous. It's not like it's my first time going to a foster family." I said quietly.
"Alright well, I think this family is definitely the one." She smiled confidently.
"Yeah well that's what you said about the last one and the last one and the one before that." I scoffed. "Plus it won't matter anymore. I turn 18 in three months. I'll be able to be on my own with my inheritance."
"Okay, okay. I get that there has been a few bumps in the road, but I have a good feeling about this one." I shook my head as she said this. A few bumps ? More like a million.
"Yeah okay, Scarlett." I sighed and looked back at the window, trying to end the conversation there.
She must have took the hint and stayed quiet the whole ride to my new family.
——
The ride to the temporary home was everlasting. Scarlett kept blabbing into the phone. I suspected it was her boyfriend, who she's been with since forever. His name is Steve, and he's actually a cool dude.
We finally got off the freeway and my eyes instantly saw the sign that indicated we reached our destination.
Welcome to Brooksville
pop. 891
Make that 892.
The town was completely surrounded by nature. Trees everywhere. It was actually quite beautiful. I've always been a sucker for nature since I was so used to being stuck in gasoline-scented cities. I rolled down the window and breathed in all the fresh air.
The town looked like something you would see in a movie. There are houses and little shops as wells as a playground for the children. As we drive down the road passing City hall I saw the high school I would be attending. Brooksville high, home of the wolves. I sighed and remembered the last high school I attended and how horrible the experience was. Queen bees and wanna-be's looking for trouble. God, I hope it wasn't like that here, but then again aren't all high school stereotypical?
We turned into a street where there were two-story houses lined up. I was watching the scenery when something caught my attention. At a house there were a group of guys hanging out on the porch. They were all talking and laughing, all except for one. He looked like the alpha in that group. He was tall, a little bit tan with brown hair. His face was neutral, but as the car I was in passed by his face turned into a scowl and he looked up and his eyes met the car. His whole body looked tensed and the group seemed to notice and all their attention was on the car. It was strange, like as if they never had anyone new in town. Well, it sort of made sense since there are less than a thousand people here.
"Arden, we're heeeeeereee!" Scarlett sang, well she tried to.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out of the cab. The wind blew the hair off my face and felt almost familiar. Sounds weird right? That wind could feel familiar. But it did, it felt like I've been here before or something, I cant place my finger on it but that feeling was unsettling yet comfortable at the same time.
"Okay remember, be polite, smile and try not to mess this one up. This family was very hard to find." I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, yeah . I've heard the drill before. Plus I didn't mess the other ones up." I said wiggling my finger at her.
I opened the trunk and got out the two suitcases I had all my stuff in. I rolled them up to the door, with Scarlett trailing behind, not amused by my response.
I waited at the door and cracked my knuckles as Scarlett reminded me again the rules I was suppose to follow, but of course I totally ignored her. I already memorized them all. How could I not? This was something I was way too familiar with.
Finally, Scarlett rang the door bell and a few moments later, the door opened revealing the start of my new home that would change my life forever.
