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Chapter 5

Another three weeks went by like it was nothing, the weather had finally picked back up again, and my school life and general life had been significantly getting better. Jill had met me three more times, I hadn't met any of the others, but she eventually popped the question if I wanted to go to their house for dinner next week, to meet joe. She frequently spoke about joe, only in the highest manner too, she said they had their ups and downs like any other couple, but nothing ever broke them apart. I would hear him in the background of a first of the few conversations, and dropping in a few times on what we were saying. He seemed to sound nice enough, and he made Jill happy, so he made his way into the good books.

She warned me that they were a very affectionate family, and to say if at any point I felt uncomfortable, to confide in her. I'd been in affectionate family homes, so it couldn't be that bad, so I chose to just agree with her for the sake of it. What I appreciate about Jill, is that even now, before fostering, she's already began to mum me since our first phone call, but it wasn't like an invasive mumming, just looking out for me with genuine concern. From what I knew about Jill, I knew joe would be alright, she wouldn't have chose an idiot as a partner.

Throughout the next week, she continued to check up on me per usual, it didn't matter how busy she was, she'd always take the time for me. The day soon came around to meet Jill and attend dinner with her and joe.

My stomach was in knots all day thinking about going, it was all too formal, I didn't even know what to talk about. With Jill it wasn't so bad, because I felt like I knew her, but this joe, I had no idea about. I began to get ready to leave as it was getting on 7 o'clock. I wasn't fond of dresses nor skirts, so I decided black shirt black pants as usual, and hair down to mark the point I'm healthy or whatever that thing I read said. I looked at myself in the mirror and I felt happy, genuinely happy.

"Clarice?" Bill came running up the stairs, and entered my room holding out his phone for me to take. It was Jill, "hi clarice, there's been a small change of plans, we aren't going to dinner." My heart sunk in my chest lower than before, but I actually felt relief aswell "me and joe thought it was a bit formal the whole sit down idea, so we are going to a party. Don't dress up much, just come casual." She sent the address over to bill's phone which she said was a store nearby which she'd pick me up from, so we didn't raise concerns amongst my carers. "Your joking right hahahaha no way, sick, this is amazing." She laughed at me down the phone. I knew me and Jill were going to be buddies, even this joe for allowing such things, a party was the last place I thought I'd be going tonight.

She soon hung up, and I told bill some bullshit lie, that me and Jill were going to the store he's dropping me off at, then going to the cinemas with our snacks. Shortly after, He dropped me off there, and Jill met me outside the store, looking as pretty as ever, and she hugged me there for a little, whilst we both said bye to bill. Bill drove off and we were both stood there squealing in excitement. "I can't believe this, where's your joe then." She smiled tucking her hair behind her ear "he's already there, I've just got to run in here, to get more drinks, help me carry them?" I agreed and waited outside for her as she went inside the store. She came out with a crate of some liquor, and two bottles stacked on top with a shoe box bag there. I shook my head laughing at her, "what? come over here and help." She laughed rolling her eyes. I helped her put the crate in the bag and she went in for another crate thinking she'd be fine carrying it. She couldn't carry it in the end, so I ended up carrying it on my back, for 3 blocks, whilst she only had two bottles to manage.

We finally reached the place, and it was a frat house, bloody strobe lights blaring in the windows, loud thudding music that sounded terrible, toilet paper thrown all over the garden plants, it was like a bomb had gone off. The area didn't really look safe in all honesty, there was a a few boarded up houses on this street, and the rest didn't have their lights on, so guessing I'd have to say there'd be no noise complaints. The house had been trashed, there were people throwing up outside on the lawn, people making out under this one tree, it was the last place I'd expect someone like Jill to be, but here we were.