Lust // John B // Outer banks

Chapter 28

Laila's POV

After dinner I head up to my room, heavily confused as to why John B wouldn't even mention the fact that he works for my "family" now. Like, that's a bigggg deal, and I didn't find out until now. I'm not necessarily complaining about it, but I really would've rather known about it first.

Payton knocks on my door, and I tell her to come in, and she flops on my bed. "Mom and Dad are talking about bringing in another foster kid while you're here.." She says, not sounding very pleased with the idea of that.

"Is that a bad thing?" I ask her while grabbing my laptop off of my dresser and plopping on the bed with her. "No, but I think they've already got enough kids." She tells me, rolling her eyes. I giggle slightly and tell her I don't mind it either way.

"They haven't talked to me about it yet but I overheard them talking when they didn't know I was still in the kitchen." She tells me, and I shrug. I wouldn't mind another sibling, and I'm sure Dawson wouldn't either, given how he's very unproblematic.

I assure her that no matter what it'll be fine, and she ends up leaving a few minutes after. I pick up my phone and see that I have a text from John B that says "I have some big news", and I unlock my phone to reply to it.

"Lemme guess, you got a job with Ron?" I say, and he replies back acting all surprised that I knew. I sigh and continue the conversation with him for a little while, until I get a text from Payton.

"Mom wants us both to come downstairs, I bet I know what this ones about :/" I laugh when I read that, and stand up and head down the stairs into the living room where Payton, Katie, and Ron are sitting on the couches. I sit down next to Payton, and her dad clears her throat.

"The DSS of OBX has reached out to us and told us there's another kid that was in Laila's position, and has asked if we can take in another kid." He says to us, and Katie looks like she's about to burst with excitement when he tells us.

"And?" Payton asks, earning a glare from Ron. "We said yes! Just like Laila, it's short notice and he'll be here tomorrow. We're printing off some of his papers with information about him for you guys, just like we gave Payton your papers!" He tells us, and Payton just nods.

"We've got some phone calls to make and a room to set up, I'll bring those papers up when they're printed sweetheart." Katie says to Payton, and me and Payton head all the way upstairs to her room.

She closes her bedroom door behind us and groans in annoyance, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "Of course it's a boy, probably some crackhead ass idiot like Dawson." She says, complaining about how her parents really wanted another kid Dawson's age for him to play with.

Personally, I'm excited for the kid. As much as I didn't want to move, atleast he'll be removed from whatever foul situation he's in and brought here where he'll get to grow up in a welcoming and friendly home. It's safe for whoever this kid is. It means that he'll be out of harms way, which is all I want for kids who find themselves in situations like I used to be.

Katie opens the door without knocking, and places some papers inbetween me and Payton, and gives us both a hug out of excitement, then heads back downstairs. Payton picks up her stack of papers and I pick up mine, and begin to read them. Here's the first paper.

**Child report summary**
Angelo Lawson,
16 y/o male
Rescued from abusive father and step mother in Kissimmee, Florida.
Mother=Deceased.
Father and step mother detained and signed custody to DSS.
Child is not compliant and mildly aggressive.
Plane scheduled to arrive in OBX at 11:04am EST.

I frown, immediately feeling pain for this kid, having been in his almost exact same position before. Reading his report made me wonder what my report looked like, and I've only even read the first page of his. I flip to the second page and begin to read it. On the top of the page is a picture of him, and he's not even bad looking. He has dark drown curly hair and hazel eyes, and a small amount of freckles. I continue to read the rest of the page.

Other comments/notes:
-Child has a dog he has requested to bring with him.
-Child may suffer from severe anxiety and depression.
-Child has one adult sibling, was not able to contact.
-Child suffers from fractured left wrist, has already been treated.

The rest of the pages are just a bunch of legal stuff, and I almost want to cry after hearing about this because it makes me think of my situation. It's almost identical, but he had two abusers. I can't even imagine what he's been through.

Hopefully Katie and Ron allow him to bring his dog, because I'd feel horrible if he didn't. That dog is probably one of the only things keeping him going, it's probably his support animal if he wants to bring it with him.

I place the papers down in front of me, as Payton does the same thing. "Not gonna lie, he's kinda cute. Technically it's legal because we aren't blood relateddddd!" Payton squeals, completely changing her mind about how she felt about about another kid in her family.

"I feel so bad for him.." I mutter, and she agrees but continues to go off about how he's her type of guy. After we talk about unrelated things for a little while, I head back down to my room to shower before bed. Before I get to my room, I stop by Katie since she's on my floor turning the other huge guest room into a more boyish looking room.

"Hey sweetie, what's up?" She asks me, offering me a warm smile as she tucks in some blue sheets on the bed, closes the already red curtains. "Not much, I just feel really bad for Angelo. I feel his pain." I reply, and she gives me a sympathetic look.

"I get that, the best you can do is just welcome him and let him know that you're here for him." I nod, and head to my room. I step into my bathroom and lock the door behind me, and take off my clothes.

I go through the bathroom cabinets and find a bottle of liquid called "wound miracle" and pick it up, looking at its description. "Apply to any wound big or small, leave overnight, and you'll be good as new!" I shrug, not believing that it'll help, but I leave it on the counter.

I step into the shower and turn it on, flinching when the water makes contact with the cuts on my stomach. I get over it and wash and condition my hair, and wash my body. I step out of the shower and grab a towel for my hair, and then open the bottle of wound miracle.

I generously pour it over my stomach, where the bad cuts are. I rub some into my thighs and wrists even though those aren't as bad, and definitely won't be visible in the morning. I just don't want my stomach to scar. There's scar cream in the cabinet but I'm pretty sure you only put that on after the scab is gone.

I double dutch braid my hair while the wound miracle dries, and then I put on an oversized shirt and some athletic shorts to sleep in. I'm ready to meet Angelo and let him know he's not alone, because I would've loved to have had somebody just like me when I moved here.

I lay my head on my pillow and pull the covers over me, falling asleep after a little while.

A/N y'all know the drill, 25 votes