They saved her. One thing Illy could never deny. But, Illy found them, the Cullen's. Most thought it was the Cullen's who took her out of foster care, which is true. Illy though, well, she knew she had to be saved because she was dying. Not from a disease, but from herself. She was broken past the point of hope. She knew she couldn't be completely saved, but maybe repaired.
There's always a light at the end of a tunnel.
Like an day at the hospital, it was busy. Though Carlisle was immortal, it still took a strain on him. Walking down the hallway, he ran his hand through his hair and let out a sigh. Though it was unnecessary, he had to keep up the act of a human.
"Dr. Carlisle?" A voice from behind him said.
He turned around with a smile on his face. "Yes?"
"You have a patient on level three in room 298." Callie, a new nurse, informed Carlisle.
He grabbed the folder with the patients information from Callie and headed the elevator. Reading through the folder, which only contained about one document, he learned the girls name was Iliana Lenick and she was 16 years old. She seemed very behind on getting her shots and rarely ever goes to the doctors.
Carlisle arrived at the room and knocked on the door and entered. There, in the hospital bed, laid a frail girl. Carlisle how her skin clung to her bones because she didn't seem to have muscles. Her skin almost resembled his, but in an ill way.
She stared at him as he approached her bed, her ice-green eyes sad.
"Hello, Ms. Lenick, I'm Dr. Cullen. How are you feeling?" Carlisle asked while grabbing the clipboard from his pocket.
"Fine." Illy said in a small voice. If it would have been human talking to Illy, they would have asked her to repeat herself. Illy picked at her nails, no longer making eye contact.
Looking closer, he noticed the girl had a faded black eye and bruised lip. She had a small scar from stitches along her hairline and she had a bit of a crooked nose, not that a human could ever tell. She wore long sleeves so Carlisle couldn't tell if she had bruises on her body, but he imagined so.
"So, according to my papers, it says you're in here because of a possible concussion. Is that correct?" Carlisle asked, switching his eyes back and forth from her to the paper.
"Yes." She whispered again.
Carlisle grabbed his small flashlight from his pocket and held his finger up in front her face. "Look at my finger and follow it with your eyes but don't move your body."
Carlisle clicked on the light to watch her eyes and moved his finger. The girl closed her eyes after 10 seconds, saying the light hurt her eyes. Clicking his flashlight off and returning to normal position, Carlisle scribbled down that the girl had a slight concussion.
"Well, Iliana, you have a slight concussion. I suggest plenty of rest and no physical activity. I'll have the receptionists fax your school saying that you should have no interaction with computers for a few weeks. If your head starts hurting from focusing too much, take a break. You'll heal soon though." Carlisle gave her a reassuring smile.
Taking a seat in the chair next to Illy's bed, Illy knew what question would be next.
"How'd this concussion happen?" Great.
Illy was never a good liar. She just couldn't. Think, Illy, think!
"I slipped and hit my head on a table."
"You told the nurse it was from getting hit in the head with a ball." Carlisle said, concerned.
"Well, I did that too. That's how I got the concussion was from those two things." Illy recovered quickly.
"Where are your parents?" Carlisle asked, scribbling away on his paper.
"I'm a foster kid. I live with a couple and five other foster kids." Illy responded.
Carlisle's seen these cases before. Foster children come in banged up, lie and say it was an accident when really they're abused.
"Are you sure that's the truth?" Carlisle asked, looking Illy in the eye.
Illy looked away from the doctor's topaz eyes. "Yeah, just a little accident."
"Okay. I'll send a nurse in to discharge you. Pleasure meeting you, Iliana." Carlisle politely said, sticking out his hand.
Illy cautiously shook it, flinching at how cold he was. "Sorry, my hands are usually freezing. My mistake." Carlisle said with a sincere smile and Illy gave a fake one before Carlisle left.
As a nurse walked towards Illy's room, Carlisle stopped her.
"I think she's an abuse victim." Carlisle said as he handed the nurse Illy's folder.
"You stupid bitch!" Carter yelled as he smacked Illy across the face.
Illy fell down hard, her head bouncing against the wood floor. She didn't let out a cry, just winced hard. She knew crying would only make it worse.
"Carter, leave her alone." Amy, their foster mom, said meaninglessly from the couch. Amy could care less about Illy, just the money she came with. Last time the social worker came and saw the bruises on Illy, Amy and Vick were threatened to get the kids removed. Now, Illy has to wear long sleeves to cover up the truth.
"Whore." Carter spat at Illy. Illy slowly got up, her head throbbing. She quickly got up, which was a bad mistake and quickly went to the bathroom. She stumbled, since her balance was off. Grabbing the counter before she fell, she slammed the door shut and locked the door.
Her hand flew to her nose, which was bleeding. Illy grabbed a handful of tissues, pressing them to her nose and winced again. She was sure her nose was broken from two weeks ago. Making her way to the kitchen, she grabbed a bag of frozen vegetables.
A hand flew to the back of her head as she sat down at the table and she growled. "Don't touch me."
"I can do what I want." Vick said as he walked over to the sink. "What happened?"
"I fell." I lied, knowing he knew what actually happened.
"And if the social worker comes over soon, that's what you tell her."
"If I don't?" Illy tested, turning towards Vick.
"Trust me, you don't want to find out." He said with a malicious wink, and left the room.
Going up to her room, which literally only could fit a bed and a dresser, Illy passed Naomi, who purposely ran into her.
Naomi and her both get the shit beat out of them by Carter, but sometimes Carter treats Naomi kind. Never with Illy though.
Illy locked her door and laid on her bed, her whole body in pain. Like usual, Illy found herself thinking.
She'd been in foster care most her life, after her mother left her on the door steps of her grandma's house. Illy's grandma raised her until the age of five when sadly she passed.
Illy had been in approximately 20 foster homes, 90% bad. Though she thankfully never had been sexually abused, a few of her foster siblings had been. Then the kids would get removed from the house once one of them would speak up or neighbors would start noticing screaming at night.
The two families that Illy liked living with made Illy feel complete. Though at one home there was thirteen kids, the mother and father had loved each and every single one of them. Illy and the six foster kids living with them got removed due to the excess amount of kids.
The second family, the father was accused of sexually abusing one of the girls, so all kids got removed but was later proven non-guilty, since the girl was mentally ill and also a compulsive liar. It was too late though, Illy had already been living with a different family.
Illy had always been told she could make it as something big in the world. With her wide, beautiful eyes and her gorgeous, thick blonde hair with natural brown lowlights, no doubt was she considered beautiful. She had full pink lips, dark and long eyelashes, beautiful cheek bones, and an oval face. She was 5'8" with long legs but being as she barely ate, she always looked gaunt.
She usually stayed hidden in school, trying to blend in with the crowd. She didn't possess any friends, in fear she'd get to close and have to move. She always kept up outstanding grades, since she needed scholarships to be able to go to college.
For a long time, she wished for a better life. Now, she accepts it. She knows that if she wants better she's going to have to do it herself since no one is this household is ever going to help her.
"Anna! Get down her!" Amy yelled from the living room. Slowly but surely, Illy got up.
"It's Illy!" Illy called back down to Amy as she descended from the stairs. One of her foster siblings pushed her to move faster.
"Get moving! Sadie's here!" Roberts, her other foster brother, yelled as he pushed her quickly down the steps.
Sadie was the social worker that checked in spontaneously on the family. Everyone was tidying up the house and Illy quickly put some of her sister's coverup on and threw away the bloody tissues. Her nose had stopped bleeding and she used a cotton swab to get rid of the dry blood around her nose. Illy went back into the kitchen and put back the pack of frozen vegetables. The whole sat in the living room, Illy taking a seat on the love seat next to Naomi.
Amy answered the door, pretending to be all sweet and bubbly. It disgusted Illy.
The first thing Sadie was concerned about was Illy, since Sadie mainly only cared about her. Sadie looked at Illy right as she stepped through the door, noticing Illy looking away from her and out the window.
"Greetings, everyone." Sadie said, as she took a seat in front of everyone on a foldout chair.
The usual things were discussed, like how everyones feeling, how school is going, and any concerns. Sadie always prayed Illy would speak up but she never did.
"Carter, how are your anger problems coming along?" Sadie asked the oldest foster kid, who was almost 18. He flashed her a smirk.
"I don't have anger problems."
"You've been removed from seven foster homes due to violent behavior." Sadie said, unamused by his blatant attitude.
Carter just scoffed at the woman and slouched further in his chair with his arms cross, his brown eyes angry. "I'm fine, I'm practically the nicest person in this house."
At that, all the other foster kids made faces to prove Sadie's suspicions true. Sadie scribbled down on her note sheet to find a more structural foster home. "Okay. Naomi, how's high school going?"
"I think I'm pregnant." The whole room went silent.
"What?" Naomi said harshly. "He's almost 18 and he promised to care for us."
"Being that he's in high school, probably not." Roberts snapped at Naomi. That only added fuel to flame.
"I want out of this shitty foster home! Illy and I get beat practically every fucking day and you assholes of people just sit there and watch!" Naomi now was standing and panting.
If Illy could hug her, she would but Naomi was too angry right now. Sadie's eyes casted over to Illy. "Is this true?"
Illy couldn't find the words, she just looked away. But that response right there just showed that Illy agreed. Roberts on the other hand was furious.
"Of course, the girls get all the special attention. Don't you even care about the rest of us?"
"Roberts, would you like a new foster family?" Sadie asked him with a sigh.
"Yes!" He yelled, obviously furious.
"Don't forget about Maverick!" Illy spoke up.
Maverick, the eight-year-old, was silently sitting on the floor next to Illy. Those two had grown close, but Maverick had a temper. Though Illy never took it personal, she knew he needed counseling, which he wasn't going to get in this house. This house only made his anger worse.
"Illy has a concussion." Maverick spoke up.
"Mave!" Illy hissed.
"Iliana, is this true?" Sadie said, appalled that this girl was hurt once again.
"I got hit in the head with a ball in gym." She mumbled.
"Go to my car." Sadie instructed her and Illy got up and left.
Sadie pulled her cellphone out of her bag and dialed a number quickly. Amy got nervous. "Who are you calling?"
"The State. I'm getting this kids removed. You've failed to prove yourselves as foster parents."
The drive to the hospital was quick, but long for Illy, who's head was pounding.
"Are you sure you got hit in the head with a ball?" Sadie asked, glancing over at Illy.
"I think we both know the answer to that one." Illy said quietly.
"We'll find you a new home, a better home." Sadie promised her.
"It will never get better. They're all the same. There is no good foster home is Washington." Illy slumped.
"Aww, don't say that. It will get better." Sadie reassured her but Illy didn't believe her.
After 20 foster homes, 18 of them bad, a person can lose hope for their future. Illy's only plan right now was to graduate and go to college and start her life from there. Hopefully financial aid companies and scholarship and grant organizations would eat up her sob foster home story life and help get her through college. Illy's dream was to become a teacher, but with the amount of money she doesn't have, that dream might get cut short.
"Where am I'm going to sleep tonight?" Illy asked Sadie. Sadie made an unsure face.
With a sigh, she said, "I don't know. Hopefully with me but maybe at one of the centers." Illy nodded, but she was disappointed. She hated sleeping at the center. There was barely room to sleep, it was always crowded and stuffy, and sometimes she had to share a bed with someone.
Arriving at the hospital, Sadie parked and the two walked towards the main entrance. The click-clack of Sadie's heels made the pounding only worse in Illy's head and she even winced a couple times.
"Hi, I think she has a possible concussion. Can she get checked out?" Sadie asked the receptionist.
"Yes, of course. Just fill out some client information. Sweetie, I'll get a nurse for you." The receptionist said to Sadie then Illy.
Sure enough, a nurse led Illy up a flight of stairs and into a hospital room. Taking a seat on the bed, the nurse told Illy to wait there for the doctor to come in.
Ten minutes passed, and finally there was a knock at the door and it opened. Illy locked eyes on the tall, blonde hair doctor. His skin was paler than hers surprisingly and he had topaz eyes. Illy questioned how that was possible. Maybe a gene mutation?
"Hello Ms. Lenick, I'm Dr. Cullen. How are you feeling?" Carlisle asked Illy as he pulled out his clipboard.
"Fine." Illy said quietly. She hated being shy, but she'd been taught her whole life it's better to be self-inclosed. She noticed Carlisle staring at her, probably the faded bruise around her eye.
"So, according to my papers, it says you're in here because of a possible concussion. Is that correct?" Carlisle asked her.
"Yes." Illy whispered quietly.
She noticed Carlisle grabbing a small flashlight from his pocket and holding his index finger in front of her face."Look at my finger and follow it with your eyes but don't move your body."
Illy tried to do as she was told, but the flashlight was blinding and focusing on an object for too long hurt her head too much. She closed her eyes once she couldn't take anymore. Carlisle returned to his normal position and clicked his flashlight off and put it back in his pocket. He scribbled away on a piece of paper, saying she has a slight concussion.
"Well, Iliana, you have a slight concussion. I suggest plenty of rest and no physical activity. I'll have the receptionists fax your school saying that you should have no interaction with computers for a few weeks. If your head starts hurting from focusing too much, take a break. You'll heal soon though." Carlisle finally spoke up.
Illy mentally groaned. She didn't have time for a concussion! School would literally be hell now.
Illy noticed Carlisle pulled a chair up to the bed she was lying on. Please don't ask me how I got this, please don't ask me how I got this! She pleaded in her head.
"How'd this concussion happen?" Carlisle asked, concerned.
"I slipped and hit my head on a table." Illy quickly responded.
"You told the nurse it was from getting hit in the head with a ball." Carlisle pushed, hoping she'd confess to something.
"Well, I did that too. That's how I got the concussion was from those two things." Illy retorted.
"Where are your parents?" Carlisle asked, scribbling away on his paper.
"I'm a foster kid. I live with a couple and five other foster kids." Illy said truthfully, hoping he'd buy it.
"Are you sure that's the truth?" Carlisle questioned while looking her in the eye. If she broke eye contact, she's probably lying.
Illy looked away from the doctor's topaz eyes. "Yeah, just a little accident."
"Okay. I'll send a nurse in to discharge you. Pleasure meeting you, Iliana." Carlisle politely said, sticking out his hand. He felt very sympathetic for this girl.
Illy cautiously shook it, flinching at how cold he was. "Sorry, my hands are usually freezing. My mistake." Carlisle smiled at the girl, covering up any suspicions she might come up with.
He left the room and Illy let go of a breath she didn't know she was holding in. Sadie came in about five minutes after Carlisle left.
"We're all good to go. Did you know Dr. Cullen has seven adopted children?" Sadie asked with a smile. Though she wasn't happy since a nurse discussed that Carlisle believed Illy to be an abuse victim, at least she had a better understanding of the situation.
The drive back to Illy's house was quick and Sadie gave her simply instructions: pack.
Ignoring the death glares she got from her foster parents and Carter, all kids were packing up. Illy grabbed the same three suitcases she's had for 11 years now and piled in her clothing and pictures. Sadie waited inside incase anyone tried to pull anything.
"I hope you're happy." Amy growled at Sadie. Sadie just scoffed in response.
"I'm sorry you're sick enough to use these kids for money."
Amy shut up after that to Sadie's pleasure. Sadie noticed Naomi was gone so one of the social workers had already picked her up. Each kid was assigned a social worker to take them to the shelter and Sadie thankfully got assigned to Illy.
Sadie grabbed Illy's suitcase and helped her go down the stairs. Everything got loaded into Sadie's trunk. Illy got into the passenger seat and Sadie got into the driver seat and roared the engine to life.
"So, you have to stay the night at the shelter but I'm picking you up at eight tomorrow morning and you'll stay at my house tomorrow." Sadie gave the unfortunate news to Illy.
Illy leaned back in her seat, upset. She'd literally stay anywhere but the shelter. After a 15 minute drive to the shelter, they finally had arrive. Sadie helped Illy get her luggage out and into one of the rooms.
Sadie worked her magic to get Illy a room with only one other foster kid. The room was tiny with a bunk bed and a dresser but it was better than nothing. Illy immediately crawled in bed and Sadie looked at her, pained.
"I'll be back tomorrow. Make sure to get something to eat." Sadie told Illy before she left.
Illy's POV
After Sadie left, I just laid there. I was almost the girl sleeping on the bed above mine was smoking pot. I left the room and got some food. Though it didn't taste great, it was still something.
I saw Naomi sitting at one of the tables and sat next to her. Sure she probably hated me but really what else was new?
"Thank you." I quietly thanked her.
"For what?" She replied in a snotty tone.
"For getting us out of that house." I said while looking her in the eyes.
Her face softened. "You're welcome. I'm sorry for how Carter treated you."
"Same for you, we didn't deserve that."
We sat their in silence.
"So...you're pregnant?" I broke the silence. She immediately brightened up.
"Yeah! I'm actually really excited. My biological mother had eleven kids so I think I'm meant to be a mother!" Naomi said with a huge smile.
"Congratulations, you'll be a great mother." I congratulated her. No, Naomi wasn't the brightest. But if she's happy, then so be it.
The night flew by fast and by eleven p.m., I gave up trying to sleep.
Did you know Dr. Cullen has seven adopted children? Sadie's words kept ringing my head.
Before I knew it, I was packing up my clothes. ...seven adopted children. I quickly dialed Sadie's number and she picked up immediately.
"What's going on?" She asked, concerned.
"Nothing. Come pick me up please." I said breathlessly as I threw my clothes in my suitcase.
"Yes, of course." We both hung up.
Grabbing my three suitcases, I hurried down the steps.
Save yourself. You're going to be a goner soon.
Escape yourself.
Sadie flew into the parking lot and before she even stopped I was throwing my suitcases in her backseat and I grabbed the phonebook from Sadie's glove department. I flipped threw like a maniac, hoping his address would be in there. When I found it, I told her where to go.
They lived on the outskirts of town, but I didn't care. I knew what I had to do. Arriving at this large and beautiful house, I had a gut feeling I had arrived.
I grabbed all my things and made my way to the front door. Butterflies were in my stomach, but I pushed them away.
They'll save you.
I knocked on the door and after five seconds, Dr. Cullen opened the door, concerned and confused.
"Hello, Dr. Cullen. My name is Iliana Lenick, and I've been in foster care for 11 years. Please, can I be apart of your foster family?"
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