Author's Note: This takes place after Season 4 Part A - after Episode 10.
Chapter One: New Faces
Ryan
Downstairs, the usual commotion began. The little ones screaming. The older ones arguing. A couple of people ran past Ryan's room, without pausing to call out to him. Naturally. Everyone ignored him these days.
It was all Sasha's fault. She was the one that overheard Mike telling May-Li the whole story about the theft of Carmen's file. Of course, being Sasha, she told the entire household straight away. There hadn't been a chance for Ryan to get back at her, as she had moved back in with her mum and brothers only a few days after the truth had come out.
After that, no-one talked to Ryan at all. Not even Mo, who liked to see the good in people. Not even Harry, who had been Ryan's best friend. Least of all Carmen. It wasn't even that they played pranks on him, or made comments about him. They just forgot that he existed.
He refused to go downstairs anymore, not even for meals. May-Li brought him food. He only ever left his room to go to school. No-one seemed to care, except Mike and May-Li. They had tried to convince him to make peace with the others, but to no avail. It wasn't like the kids were going to forgive him any time soon.
Then, a few days, ago, Carmen had left. She had been fostered by a young couple, and no-one had heard from her since. Mike had told them that she was unlikely to return, as she was very happy in her new placement. Tee had cried. Ryan had stayed in his room.
He started as his door opened, revealing May-Li. She was holding a plate of toast and a glass of juice.
"I brought you some breakfast," she said, entering the room and setting the plate on the table. "Unless you want to come down, eat with the others…"
Ryan shook his head. "Are you sure you can't arrange a transfer?"
After hesitating, May-Li said: "I'm afraid not. No other care home nearby has any room for you."
Which means that none of them will take me.
"There's always fostering – "
"No way," Ryan said immediately.
May-Li sighed. "Well, it's your decision. Just tell us if you change your mind."
"I will," Ryan said. May-Li turned to leave, but paused.
"Oh, there's a new girl arriving after breakfast," she continued. "You should come and meet her."
"No."
"Come on, Ryan. You can't stay in your room forever. I'm aware of what's happened, but you need to try and make amends. With all due respect, you need to make some friends."
"I know," he said, "but I don't wanna talk to the others. And they don't wanna talk to me. All they're going to do is make the new girl hate me too."
Not wanting an argument, May-Li left.
Time passed quickly, and soon Ryan heard a car pull up outside.
"Come on!" Floss yelled. "She's here!"
Ryan waited until everyone had gone downstairs before leaving his room. He leaned over the banister and watched the throng of kids squirming like sardines below him. May-Li wrestled her way to the front.
"Is everyone here?" she called.
"Yes!" everyone chorused.
"Except Ryan," Mo added.
"I'm here," Ryan said quietly. Everyone raised their heads to stare at him. May-Li smiled momentarily, just as the door opened and a girl walked in.
The first thing that Ryan noticed was that she was very pretty. She could have easily rivalled Carmen for looks, although this girl wore no make-up. Her long copper hair was unwashed, and tied up in a high ponytail. Her clothes were nice, if not fashionable, and were too baggy on her slim figure. A pair of glasses were balanced on her freckled nose.
"This is Laurel," May-Li announced. The girl brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Hello," she whispered shyly.
Laurel
She was astonished by the amount of kids waiting in the foyer. There had to be ten or eleven faces, all staring at her expectantly. She swallowed, and smiled.
"Hello," Laurel said. The gentle Asian woman who had introduced her stepped forward.
"I'm May-Li," she said. "Welcome to Ashdene Ridge. We all hope that you'll fit in here, with the kids." She gestured to them.
An older girl wearing a flowered dress came out of the crowd. "I'm Tee," she told Laurel. "I've been here the longest, so if you need anything, you can ask me." She held out her hand, and Laurel took it.
"Thanks, um, Tee," she said brightly.
"Where are you from?" a young, blonde-haired boy asked.
"Widnes," Laurel replied. "It's near Liverpool."
"Cool," piped up a young boy with glasses. "Ryan's from Liverpool." He pointed up the stairs.
Laurel followed his finger and saw another boy leaning precariously over the banister, high above her head. He had dark, scruffy blonde hair, and was wearing black skinny jeans and a dark red shirt. He held Laurel's gaze for a few moments, but didn't smile, even when she smiled at him. She looked away, back at May-Li.
"Go into the living room with these," May-Li said kindly. "I'll show you your room in a bit."
"Thank you," Laurel said, before following the crowd through the glass doors into the huge living room.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the dark blonde boy disappear up the stairs.
Tee sat Laurel down on the couch and dropped down next to her. "You're going to love it here," she assured her. "Everyone's really friendly. We're going to make sure you have a great time here."
"Do you know how long you're going to be here for?" asked a dark-skinned girl.
Laurel shook her head. "A while, I assume. I'm not going anywhere."
"Why?" said a red haired girl loudly. "Why're you here?"
"Floss!" scolded the dark girl.
"It's okay," Laurel said. She shifted uncomfortably. "I was… erm… neglected. By my parents."
"Most of us were, too," Tee said. She patted her shoulder. "Don't worry about it."
After a few minutes, Laurel had been told, if not learnt, everyone's names. The dark girl was Kazima, the redhead was Floss, the blonde boy was Harry, and the glasses-clad boy was Mo. The others were twins Billie and Toni, Jody, Finn, Tyler, and Bailey.
"What about the other boy?" Laurel asked.
Tee hesitated for a second. "What other boy?"
"The one that was on the stairs."
"Oh, you mean Ryan," one of the twins – Toni? – clarified.
Kazima cleared her throat. "Yes, well, you don't need to worry about him."
"What do you mean?" Laurel said, furrowing her brow.
"Ryan, well, did some things," Tee said cautiously. "Bad things. He almost got Mike fired by stealing someone's file."
"Really?"
"It'd probably be best if you stayed away from him," Bailey put in.
Laurel scratched her ear. "No."
"You what?" Floss cried.
"Well, no," Laurel said. "I don't want to get on the wrong side of anyone yet."
"Believe me," Bailey continued, "you'll get on the wrong side of him no matter what you do."
There was an awkward silence. Laurel slowly rose from her seat.
"You've all been very kind," she said. "And I hope to be friends with you all." She smiled at them, and went to the doorway. "I'm going to find my room. Please excuse me."
With that, she walked out of the door, halting for a second on the other side.
The kids exchanged glances.
"What do you think of her?" Jody muttered.
"She seems nice," Mo said.
"You think everyone is nice," Bailey said, elbowing him.
"But she is nice," Tee said.
"She didn't take our advice about Ryan," Tyler whispered.
"Come on," Tee said, defending the new kid. "She doesn't know the rest of the story yet. When she does, she'll come running back to us. Believe me."
