A/N: 'Promises you weren't around to keep' just isn't working out. I'm sorry :( This is my new story. It's based off of 'concrete angel' by Martina McBride and 'Your guardian angel' by the red jumpsuit apparatus.

Don't own HSM x

Prologue

Gabriella felt the car jerk to a stop and her eyes – unfortunately – opened as a result. Not that her dreams – people would argue that they were nightmares – were something she wanted to escape to. But, with her nightmares, she always knew what was coming. Every time this car came to a stop, she rarely knew what her new foster family would be like. She hated not knowing what was coming. She hated surprises, period. The only surprises she liked were in her books. The only happiness she had was in her books.

And she was okay with that because she knew she didn't deserve real happiness. She didn't deserve to feel like she had a reason to live. She knew that she was alive because she needed to suffer. She had every reason to suffer…to live in pain. She had never thought of looking for an escape and didn't want to. Looking for an escape meant looking for happiness and she knew she didn't deserve it.

"Gabriella, this is your new home." Mrs Thompson, a social worker who I've known for seven years, says softly. "They're the McKessie's."

Gabriella nodded and stared up at the large white house. "Y-Y-You said th-that they have a d-d-daughter my age?" She stuttered in a whisper.

Mrs Thompson nodded. "Yeah. She's called Taylor and really smart like you."

"I'm not smart." Gabriella muttered – exactly like she did at every new home.

Mrs Thompson cut the engine and sighed. "Mr and Mrs McKessie mentioned that they were thinking about adopting."

"Why w-would they want t-to ad-dopt me?" She whispered as she un-clicked her seatbelt.

Mrs Thompson looked down at her hands. Gabriella was a very sweet girl but she underestimated herself way too much. She'd deny every compliment put to her and would push any chance any happiness away. She knew why the seventeen year old girl did it. She was one of the few people that knew the whole truth. She also knew how Gabriella feared people finding out and so she only told the foster parents the bare minimum. "Do you want to come and meet them?"

"Sure." Gabriella whispered.

That's what Mrs Thompson admired the most about Gabriella: she gave everyone a chance…even people who it was clear didn't deserve it. Gabriella, herself, was probably one of the people who deserved a chance the most. "Come on." The older woman said softly as she slid out of the car.

Gabriella sighed as she picked up her tattered backpack and followed suit. She got her small suitcase out of the trunk of the car and looked up fearfully at the house in front of her. She folded her arms – somewhat awkwardly due to the suitcase – defensively and felt tears well in her eyes.

It was always the same. The same fear. It had never happened with any of her previous foster families – and she faintly doubted that it happened with any in the world – but anything was possible and she refused to let her guard down. Letting her guard down was just asking for trouble. It made her vulnerable and she wanted some warning if her fears were going to come true.

"You ready?" Mrs Thompson asked as she locked the car.

Gabriella nodded mutely and reached up to touch her cheek self-consciously.

"You can't see it." Mrs Thompson said softly. "I promise."

Gabriella sucked in a deep breath and finally nodded again. "Okay." She whispered. "H-How long am I h-here?"

"Until the end of summer vacation." Mrs Thompson replied softly as she walked up the front door steps towards the door. "The longest you've ever been anywhere."

"Longer for it to begin." Gabriella whispered before she hastily followed the older woman.

Mrs Thompson straightened her black blazer and then rang the doorbell. The door opened moments later by an African-American woman in her late forties. "Hello. I'm Mrs Thompson, are you Mrs Diane McKessie."

Diane nodded. "Yes I am. And you're the social worker and Gabriella?"

Mrs Thompson nodded. "Yes, we are."

"Well, then, come on in." Diane smiled. "Let me take those, Gabriella." She gestured to her two bags.

Gabriella swallowed. She was alright with them. It was her stuff. But, she was terrified of refusing anybody of anything. That's why she ended up as a foster child. She handed her bags over. "Thank you." She whispered, bowing her head.

Diane shook her head as she placed the bags at the bottom of the stairs. "It's okay. Don't think anything of it." She shut the front door and gestured to a doorway to the left. "Shall we go into the lounge?"

Mrs Thompson nodded. "Of course. Come on, Gabby." She led the way into the large living room and Gabriella followed timidly.

Diane followed and held her hand out. "Welcome to my home, Gabriella."

Gabriella hesitantly shook her hand and nodded. "Th-thank you." She mumbled. She retracted her hand and folded her arms over her chest.

"Let me just go and get my daughter and husband. Excuse me." Diane said politely as she left the room.

"Relax, Gabriella." Mrs Thompson said soothingly. "They've been police checked. Nothing's going to happen."

Gabriella shrugged. "It always happens." She whispered as she looked down at the carpet. She knew that Mrs Thompson understood. They had had the same conversation many times and Gabriella knew they would keep having the conversation until she wasn't a foster child anymore.

Mrs Thompson touched Gabriella's arm. "Trust me, okay? I think these people are really considering adoption."

Gabriella snapped her gaze to her. "That's p-permanent." She stuttered.

Diane returned with a young African-American girl and an African-American man. "This is my husband, Harry, and my daughter, Taylor. She's only a bit older than you, Gabriella."

Gabriella nodded slightly. "Hello." She murmured.

Harry stepped forward and smiled, touching her shoulder. "I'm sure you're going to love Albuquerque. It's lovely."

"Is it quiet?" Gabriella asked softly.

"It's pretty quiet." Harry replied, chuckling.

"Good." Gabriella muttered.

Harry went back to his wife and then Taylor was in front of Gabriella. "Hi. If you need help with anything, you can ask me. I've got some cool friends at school who want to meet you."

"Oh, um," Gabriella glanced at Mrs Thompson and sighed, "could I please settle in a bit first? If that's okay."

"It's fine." Taylor giggled. "But, when we're at school and you need anything, just come and find me."

Gabriella nodded and smiled weakly. "Okay."

"Tay, why don't you show Gabriella to the spare room?" Diane suggested.

Taylor nodded. "Sure. Come on, Gabriella."

Gabriella followed dutifully and paused at the bottom of the stairs to look back at Mrs Thompson as she said four familiar words, "I apologise for Gabriella." Gabriella knew what was coming and waited for the rest of the conversation.

"What happened to her?" Harry asked worriedly.

Mrs Thompson sighed. "She's fragile. She keeps herself to herself, okay? No matter what we do for her, nothing can break her from it. She was traumatised as a child. Just to warn you, she will hide if she is scared or if she's startled."

"Hide?" Diane asked slowly.

Mrs Thompson looked to the stairs and met Gabriella's eyes. She turned back to the two parents and nodded. "She'll hide."