"What's your favourite colour? Why are you in care? What films do you like? Do you have any siblings? How old are you?" I was bombarded with questions by all the other kids.
"Whoa! You know what, I won't even bother answering them cuz I didn't get a word you said! If you ask one at a time then maybe I can actually listen!" I weaved past Tee and Lily and sat on one of the sofas. "One at a time!" I explained.
"Why are you in care?" This came from Gus.
"No. Not telling."
"But everyone else has! Please, Zoe, I need to put it in my list!" He begged. I glanced at Elektra, who sniggered and shook her head, indicating that he was talking nonsense.
"Gus, this is personal stuff. I'd like to keep it to myself. End of." I crossed my arms. I stood up to go to the kitchen.
"But-" Gus called after me. I turned round and clenched my hands into fists.
"No! And if you ask me about it again, I will personally rip your hair out. Understand?" I turned back around.
"Zoe-"
"Gus, leave it. She doesn't want to say." Mike told him.
"But I need to know!" He whimpered.
"That's it!" I stormed up to him and grabbed him by the collar. "I will not tell you the reason of my being here!" I let go with such force that he tumbled to the ground. I turned to look at everyone else. "And if any one of you dares ask me something personal," I pointed to Gus, who was crumpled on the floor. "That is what you'll look like when I've finished with you." I ran into the kitchen and out into the garden. I sat in one of the chairs in the bushes.
I held myself together, not letting the tears fall. Crying showed you were weak. It showed you couldn't cope. That's not who I was.
I hugged my knees up to my chest and put my chin on them.
"Hey." I heard. I looked up and Rick was sitting on the other chair beside me.
"Hey." I took my feet off the chair.
"You know," he started, "if Gus started pestering me like that, I'd probably do what you did."
"I had no choice. I explained that it was personal and that I wasn't gonna tell him but he still went on about it." I got my stress ball out of my pocket and threw it from hand to hand.
"I see how you feel. And you know, crying helps you feel calm. Let it out, OK?" He stood up and walked back inside.
How did he know that I didn't cry? I hadn't told anyone. Unless he's some super detective who can sense people's emotion, I really don't know how he managed that.
I walked back inside to the kitchen to find Rick and Tyler punching the hell out of each other. Mike and Gina were trying to break them apart but it obviously wasn't working the way they had hoped. I didn't know whether to get involved or to just carry on normally. Everyone else was watching so I figured I should as well. I was going to break them up.
"Guys, cut it out!" I yelled, crossing my arms. Rick was in mid-punch but when he heard me, he lowered his arm. "Thank you." I muttered coldly. "Sheesh, what's going on?" I pulled out a chair and sat next to Elektra. Rick and Tyler started speaking at the same time. "ONE AT A TIME!" I yelled. Everyone but Rick flinched.
"He put worms in my tea." Rick gabbled.
"Right and Tyler, where did you find worms? I heard Gina went through the garden yesterday and not a worm was in sight." I explained. I winked at Gina who smirked. I stood up again.
"In my window box." He replied.
"You keep a window box?!" I asked incredulously. I knew it was terribly sexist but I really couldn't imagine Tyler doing the gardening.
"Yeah. It's my worms' home!" He explained defensively.
"Your room must stink then. Are you feeding them?"
"Yeah, with Rick's old socks." He smirked devilishly.
"What!" Rick lunged at him again but I put my arm in front.
"Rick, personal space! Too close!" I commanded. He stepped back, swearing under his breath. "Oh, and watch the language. Tyler, follow me. We're taking your worm home outside, where it belongs." I grabbed his arm and pulled him after me. I heard Elektra and Faith muttering. I pushed Tyler into his room and stopped to listen when I heard 'Rick'.
"Did you see how Rick listened to her?" Elektra asked.
"Yeah, she should be a care worker when she's older." Faith replied.
"No! Well, yes, but I mean he obeyed her and not Mike."
"And?"
"And you see how she made Tyler take his box outside. It's an obvious favour for Rick. They are perfect for each other. And they're trying to impress the other one."
"Well what am I supposed to do? Play matchmaker?" Faith scoffed.
"Keep an eye on them. I'll do the rest." With that, she slipped away.
I followed Tyler and watched as he stuck his hands right into the dirt.
"Tyler! Come on, pick that thing up now!" I screeched. He picked the box up and went out the door. "This way." I led him into the garden where I made him dump the contents onto Gina's tomato patch.
In the kitchen, as he was washing his hands, he asked me a very awkward (at least, it was for me) question. "Do you like Rick? As in like like?"
"Tyler, I haven't even been here for a day. It's too early to tell."
"He likes you." Tyler announced. I froze and turned to look at him.
"Who said?" I asked suspiciously.
"Elektra. She said he listened to you because he likes you." He turned off the tap and ran into the living room.
I thought about what he and Faith and Elektra had said. Was it true that Rick liked me? Did I like him? I certainly thought he was good looking. But did I want him? My chain of thoughts led me into thinking about what Faith had said. About me being a care worker. I liked that idea.
"Zoe! Come here!" Tyler called.
"No can do, Tyler! I'm busy!" I called back.
"Please? I want to show you something!" I gave up and walked into the living room.
"What?" I complained irratatedly.
"I told you!" He jumped up and down. "I knew it!"
"Wait, what? What's going on?"
"I told you he likes you!"
"Who? What are you on about?"
"Rick! He told me he likes you!" He screamed in my face. I held my hand up and pushed him back slightly.
"Tyler, like I said before, I've only been here a few hours." I turned to go up to my room. Five minutes later, the door opened. Tee.
"You know, Tyler wasn't joking." She said, coming in and sitting on my bed next to me.
"About Rick?" I asked. She nodded.
"He admitted in front of Faith, Johnny, Carmen, Tyler, Elektra and me that you're the one that he feels strongest for."
"Wow. I mean, when I first got here, I felt an immediate connection with him. But I don't know if I like him." Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in!" Tee and I called together, glancing at each other.
"Zoe, can I talk to you?" Rick asked, poking his head in. Tee snickered, and I sent daggers at her.
"Yeah, I guess." I stood up to follow him into his room. "What?"
"Well..." he started.
"DINNER!" Mike called.
"Uh, OK, tell me later." I told him, running down the stairs.
"How's it been?" Mike asked me, setting down a big pot of steamy fondue in the middle of the table.
"It's been... eventful." I told him.
"Good fun?"
"Yeah." I speared a piece of French bread and dipped it in the cheese.
"Need to talk." Tee whispered in my ear. I patted the chair next to me and she sat down.
"Yeah?" I hissed. She glanced at Rick and back.
"I bet you he was going to ask you out!" She squealed. Mike glared at her.
"Tee! Keep the noise down!" He told her, pouring chicken curry onto his plate.
"Sorry, Mike!" She whimpered. "Tell you in our room." She hissed at me.
We ate in silence for five minutes apart from Elektra tapping away on her phone.
"Elektra! Put that away, now!" Mike scolded.
"OK, OK! Give me two seconds."
"K, two seconds up!" He extended his arm and Elektra (gruffily) placed her phone into his palm. "Thanks."
I put a piece of chicken in my mouth and immediately retched. I stuck a hand over my mouth then pushed my chair back and ran to the bathroom. I locked the door and threw up. I rinsed my mouth out and unlocked the door.
"Are you OK?" Tee, Mike and Rick asked.
"Yeah. Just the taste of the chicken wasn't my sort of food." I said, sitting back down. "Actually, I'd rather skip dinner tonight." I pushed my plate away and leaned back on my chair.
"Hey, can I take that chicken?" Rick asked.
"Feel free." I handed him my plate and shivered slightly when our fingers brushed together. I stood up and smoothed my skirt out. "I'm out."
"Zoe, can I have a quick word?" Mike asked, standing up.
"What?" I sighed.
"Meet me in the office." I sighed again and walked over to the office.
"Well?" I asked. I leant on the wall, crossing my arms.
"School tomorrow."
"What? I haven't been to school in two fucking years!" I didn't care that I was swearing in front of Mike. I was pissed off and I was going to show it. I thumped my fist against the wall.
"All the more so that you go now."
"I work. I earn money."
"It's all sorted. You're going to be placed in Rick and Elektra's class." I noticed that he was huffy at my language.
"No, I won't. I have got a job and I will keep it." I retorted.
"They called when they found out you were in care." He offered me a chair as he spoke but I refused it, pacing the room instead.
"Who?" I stopped and looked him in the eye.
"Jade and Emerald." Jade and Emerald were the twenty-two year old twins who ran the restaurant where I was a waitress.
"What did they say?" I sat on the table in front of him and he sighed.
"They said they were upset that you have to leave but they fully understand the situation and will pay the rest of this months salary into your bank account."
"There is no situation. I'm not going to this idiotic school. I will still go to Emerald Twilight to serve the people. It's what I do." I stood up to leave.
"No, you'll go to Elm Tree High School like all the other seniors in my care." He was getting angry now and I was just pushing my luck. I smirked in my head.
"Why? I know all I need to know." I opened the door a crack.
"GCSE's soon. You'll get a better job. Better than a waitress." He told me. I remembered what Faith had said.
"Could I... be a care worker?" I asked, closing the door again. I leant against it.
"Yes, if you want to be. And if you take the right courses." He seemed relieved that I was considering it.
"Like?"
"Sociology and Child Development are the ones that I'd recommend. The rest are up to you."
"OK. Thanks, Mike. Oh, and don't bother with the uniform. I'm not gonna wear it."
I went out to the living room where Rick and Elektra were playing pool. "Elektra, I'm in your class tomorrow."
"Really? Zoe, take my shot for me, will you?" She put the cue down and scarpered. Rick frowned at her and she smirked.
"So, you're in my class then." He asked as I pocketed the red ball.
"Yeah. Is it really that bad?" I pocketed the pink and stood up straight.
"It's all right. And you'll have Elektra to hang around with. You seem to be getting along."
"I guess so. Have you guys started your exams yet?" I pocketed another red and waited for his response.
"We're putting our choices in next Tuesday."
"K. And when do we know what we get?"
"The following week."
"Go on, people, upstairs!" Mike called.
"What?" Everyone asked.
"Because it's a school night."
"Aww."
"Go on. Shoo." Everyone put down whatever they were doing and filed upstairs.
"Did he say anything?" Tee asked in our room.
"Nope. I kinda want him to though." I laid on my bed and looked at Kieran's picture.
"So you do have feelings for him?" She smirked.
"A little bit. Do you go to Elm Tree High?" I asked, realizing I hadn't brought pyjamas. "Shit. Have you got any spare pyjamas?"
"Year Seven. Yeah, I do. Purple your colour?" She asked. She handed me a purple t-shirt that said 'love when you feel wanted is true love' and purple leggings.
"No, but it'll do for tonight. Thanks, Tee."
"No problem. You keep them." She got her own pyjamas. Black leggings and a white t-shirt. "You wanna go first?"
"Nah. I'm gonna take a shower. You go." I told her.
"I was gonna take a shower."
"K. I'll take one first thing tomorrow. You go."
"You go first." She ushered me towards the en suite and I locked the door. I stuck my toothbrush to my teeth and brushed them.
"Tee, bathroom's free." I told her.
"Cheers." She walked past me with a towel and her pyjamas.
I got into bed, stuck in my headphones and closed my eyes. In a few short minutes, I fell asleep.