I watch as we drive from nice rich north side Chicago to the run down south side. I've been here before, many times actually, It where I grow up, I was just hoping my time on the north side was gone last longer but it never does. I always do something to fuck up my time in snob land. You see I'm in foster care I bounce from home to home, I've been all over Chicago. My dad's in jail for murder and is gonna be there a long time and mum...no one knows where the fuck she is. One day she just up and left, leaving me all alone. I was only 5. Now I'm 17 and I know how to survive in any society.
My new "family" are southsiders, I don't mind much this is where I was born and have spent half of my life. As long as they are not assholes It will be fine.
You would think I would prefer a rich family, nice house, private school and expensive clothes but it's not all the good. The kids my age are stuck up wanker and the family's are horrible only taking in foster kids to look good. Behind closed doors they treated me like shit! The only good thing I got out of it was feeling safe.
My case worker turns to me and huffs, this is my 5th family in 6 months, my first time back on the south side in 5. "Laura you need to start trying we are running out of family's soon there will be no where left to go, you will be in a group home and I don't want that for you. But you have to stop breaking the rules and getting in trouble." She said.
Her name is Sarah, she's okay I guess, new, she's only know me a year.
I stare at her blankly, hoping we can just go in already, I don't want to have this chat again. I don't get in trouble on purpose. People just always walk in at the wrong times or say stupid stuff to me when I'm really not in the mood. I have a short temper, so I get in a lot of fight, that's the main reason I'm kicked out of places.
Finally she looks away and gets out of the cars, sarah knows I wont talk and less I want to. I follow behind just wishing this whole thing to be over an done with already.
Sarah helps me with my bags even though I could mange on my own I only have two bags. When we get to the door, she knocks. We don't wait long, the door do ya open and standing there is a guy in his mid twentys with a massive grin on his face "Hi, I'm kev it's nice to meet you! This is Vee. Please come in" he introduces himself and the woman next to him and then leads us in to the house. He seems so excited, may be it won't be so bad here after all.
After 5 minutes of small talk sarah leaves but not with out warning be "Laura be smart, they seem nice this could be a good fit. Call me if you need anything"
"Yeah bye" is all I respond with.
I turn back to kev and vee " so is there any chance I could see my room, so I can unpack and stuff "
"Yeah sure, follow me. Let me grab one of those" kev turns to leaded the way braving one of my shift case on the way.
"Here you go, I'll leave you to get settled, we will be down stairs if you need anything" he said kindly, he still seemed super excited.
"Thanks" was my simple reply
Half an hour later there was a knock on my door. "Come in" I shouted
It was vee, "Hey, we are heading next door to have dinner, you should come or I can bring something back for you, it's up to you?" Vee said kindly I think she could tell I was kinda tired and stressed out. "Sure, ill come. It's always good to know the neighbours"
"We are leaving in 5, you ready to go?"
"I just need to us the bathroom, then I'm good to go"
"Okay see you down stairs in a minute" vee said as she walked out the room.
I quickly pit on a jumper and grabbed my pack of smokes and then we left.
As we were walking up the steps to the house off stood me a bit about the family that lived here. How there dad's a drunk, there mums no where in sight and how the older sister true to keep the house running. "This family is wild but but there is not a better on to have as friends they will always have your back not matter what. Welcome to the Gallagher house!" Kev said as he opened the front door and walked in, proud to be there friends and very protective of them all.
When we walked in we went straight through to the kitchen , it looked like that was where everyone was. Kev and vee walked in and said hi everyone gave some kind of response and carried on doing what they were doing. That is in till they saw me. "Everyone this is Laura, are foster kid! Be nice!" Kev said
"Hi" I said I'm not a shy person but this was a bit weird. The older looking girl who look about the same age as vee and kev came over and offered me a beer. I accepted it greatfully. "It's nice to meet you I'm Fiona, that's Debbie, Carl, Ian and Liam. Lips not here but he should be home soon." As she introduced everyone they all have a wave.
"It's nice to meet you all" I said as I opened the beer and went to sit at the table next to Debbie and Ian.
"I recognise you , did you used to go to school around here?" Ian said
"Yeah I did, I'm pretty sure I have seen you round, I will be starting back on Monday. What year are you in?"
"I'm a junior"
"That sucks, it would have been nice to know someone, I'm a senior. Can't wait to leave."
"You will know someone, lips a senior"
"That will be good" I replied I didn't really care, I never really made an effort to make friends as I moved around a lot. I had one close friend and I could wait to tell her i was back, I was gonna surprise her Monday at school.
Food was put on the table not long after my conversation with Ian, spaghetti and sauce, so simple but so good. Everyone made conversation over dinner, telling me crazy story's about there family. We finished dinner then everyone was just hanging around doing there own thing, I was sat with debbie for a bit but I need some air so I went out back to have a smoke.
It was cold out, I could see my breath. I sat thinking about new place I was at and how maybe Sarah was right about how this could be the one but it was to early to think like that.
It was kinda cold out considering it was ment to be the begining of summer. I pulled out a smoke and tried to like it but my lighter wasn't working. "For fucksake really!"i mumbled under me breath. I was about to go back inside when a litter appeared in front on me. I look up and there was a boy around my age standing in front of me holding out a light, I was guess it was lip. "Here" I accepted the lighter greatfully light my smoke then handed it back. "Thanks"
"No problem, I'm gonna guess your Laura, kev and vees new foster kid" he said
"Yep that's me. And your lip right, the oldest brother?" I joked back
"Yeah" he laughed
Oldest and the fittest I thought.
"So how come you arout here on your own?" He asked
"Dont know just need a bit of air"
"I get ya it can be a but much with all of the Gallagher at once" he joked
"Yeah" I replied with a bit of a laugh.
The door opened then, it was ian. "There you are we thought you had run away from us already" Ian said laughing
"No I'm still here, just meeting lip"
"Well both of you get in here, seems like a party might be about to start" Ian replied
Then he went back in.
"A party?" I question lip as I got up to go in.
"Yeah it a regular thing when Ken and vee are over" he replied
"I see" we bithd walked in. Music was on, everyone was dancing and the older ones were drinking and passing round a joint.