The car door shut, and my heart rang in my ears. Seventeen years old, and here I was. The social worker had said this was some kind of new therapy, living with a new family for six months and then seeing if they want to adopt me. Like anyone would want that. I'm almost 18, and not once have I been adopted. Shocking, isn't it? You shouldn't be shocked.
"Here we are Newtie" the woman I was supposed to be calling "mom" said. Her dark hair curled naturally, her somber eyes colored green. Her skin had paled some over the years.
"Just Newt please" I said quietly.
"Okay, Newt, I know you're seventeen and you don't really think you need a home, but I think you'll like it here. Just give it, give us, a chance okay?" She asked. Her soft gaze seemed to disarm me automatically.
"I'll...I'll try" I managed, forcing a smile.
"Alright, come on in then" she said, unlocking the door to the house and letting me in.
"Boys, the new foster boy is here!" The woman called into the house, aiming her voice upstairs.
"I'm coming, I'm coming" a voice said, and I straightened up. A boy walked down the steps, and my heart skipped a beat. His dark hair couldn't bothered to be brushed, but it looked good just as well. His eyes colored chocolate brown, swirling around easily. I didn't realize I was staring at him.
"Is there something on my face?" He snapped. I recoiled on instinct.
"Thomas, be a little nicer! You don't even know the boy" another voice, softer and more sarcastic, said. Another boy, paler and skinnier with dashes of freckles under his eyes. His hair was lighter brown than Thomas's. His smile was warmer, much easier.
"Whatever, Aris" Thomas grumbled, averting his eyes.
"Aris, Thomas, this is Isaac" their mother said.
"Uh...Newt please" I said.
"Cool, like the lizards!" Aris exclaimed.
"Why on earth do you want to be called Newt? Isaac is a much better name" Thomas asked, cocking an eyebrow at me.
"It's personal" I said.
"I would assume" he muttered, clambering down the stairs the rest of the way.
"Well, to celebrate, I made pasta for dinner. Newt, are you hungry?" My foster mother asked.
"A little..." I trailed off. My stomach grumbled in protest of that statement.
"Alright, I'll serve you a plate then" she smiled warmly as she entered the kitchen. The three of us, the two other boys and I, sat down at the table and an awkward silence fell over us.
"So, Newt, how do you like it so far?" Aris asked brightly.
"Uh, it's alright I guess. I haven't really seen much of the house yet" I said quietly.
"Well, there's my room, which has my bed and the video games, the good ones anyway. Thomas's room is where you'll be staying, and it's much bigger. I tried to tell Thomas that only one bed would be best but he wouldn't have it." He continued.
"Oh" I said, even quieter.
"Dinner is served!" The foster mom announced, setting plates down in front of us. Aris dove into his food without so much as a thank you, and Thomas began to twirl pasta around his fork without saying a word. I couldn't help but pick at my food as I thought about my days at the orphanage. There was hardly ever enough food to go around, and even when there was someone else would steal mine halfway through the meal. Needless to say, I didn't exactly have a healthy appetite.
"Aren't you gonna eat?" Aris asked between carnivorous bites of spaghetti.
"He has been. I've been watching him" Thomas said, nudging his younger brother.
"You were watching me?" I asked in surprise.
"And your eyes were locked on mine. But you were staring off into space" he said, studying his fork.
"Yeah, just got lost in thought" I said.
"Mhm, sure" was all Thomas said before resuming his meal. I couldn't help but study his eating habits as well. I may have been partly anorexic by force, but Thomas appeared to be bulimic. He was way too skinny as it was, but he was eating as much as a healthy boy our age should. So either he had three stomachs, or that food wasn't staying down. I snapped myself away from my suspecting thoughts.
He's my foster brother, and not even the one who seems to actually care about you. Stop worrying about him. I chided myself.
"I think I'm not very hungry, I'm actually pretty tired." I said, standing up.
"I should go too, if you're going to bed. Since you are going to be in my room and all" he said, joining me.
"Goodnight Thomas, night Newt" Aris said. Thomas didn't say anything, motioning for me to follow him up the stairs. I followed quietly. He opened the door to his room, pushing me lightly.
"Hold up already!" I exclaimed.
"Sorry, I'm just tired." He said softly.
"It's fine. But seriously man slow down" I said seriously. He nodded, not saying anything.
"I'm gonna change" he said, pulling his shirt up slightly.
"In front of me?" I asked. He raised a brow at me, something that was becoming freakishly usual with him.
"Yeah, why? You're not gay are you?" He joked. I looked away, reddening, and his face fell.
"Dude, I didn't mean to-" began Thomas.
"It's fine." I said defensively. "I'll just wait outside" I walked into the hall before he could say anything else and crossed my arms, leaning against the wall.
"I'm done, you can come back in now" Thomas said, opening the door.
"I really didn't mean to upset you Newt" he said apologetically.
"You didn't." I lied, not meeting his eyes.
"Obviously I did. You won't even look at me. Newt, I shouldn't be saying those things, even as jokes. I promise I won't do it again" he looked back up at me.
"Let's just get some sleep okay?" I asked, returning to the room and entering the bathroom that connected to change. After I finished, I got into my new bed. The sheets appeared and smelled like they'd been washed. I sighed.
"Goodnight Newt" Thomas said quietly. As if he weren't expecting a response from me.
"Night Tommy" I said, rolling over.
i woke with a start, feeling myself freeze with fear, like an Arctic frost.
"Thomas?" I asked, but there was no response.
"Tommy?" I whispered, opening the door and whispering the word into the hallway. I noticed a light on downstairs, and two murmuring voices.
"I don't know mom, he's just...he's gay" Thomas's voice said. I crept down the stairs lightly, peeking through the railing as I knelt down to listen.
"Yes, but he's like you. You could get close with him" his mother said.
"I know, but I don't wanna get too close. He looks so fragile, and I don't want to be the one to shatter him again" Thomas said.
"You're a better person than you think Thomas. Now, get some sleep. You need it" his mother replied. My eyes raised, and I crept back up the stairs as I heard Thomas stand. I shot back under the sheets, pretending that I was asleep as I heard the door open.
"Oh, Newt. I don't want to hurt you" he sighed, climbing back into bed. I didn't move until I heard soft snores from his bed. Then, I relaxed some.
Needless to say, I didn't sleep the rest of the night...
