"Caleb!"

"Hey Lizzy!"

"It's good to see you, dude," she said.

"You too," replied Caleb.

The teenagers did their secret handshake as they sat on the couch.

The Wagners were visiting the Firelli's for a family lunch. Lita and Juan had taken off running towards the garden after Daisy told them she had been gifted a new trampoline. Meanwhile, the adults gathered in the kitchen to talk and catch up. Following advice from Pete and Ellie, this was the first time Kim and Russ were allowing the Wagners to visit with all three kids since taking in Caleb and Daisy. Lizzy had purposely sought out Caleb, who was in the living room playing videogames, to find out how he was doing, knowing all too well what he must be going through as the only teen in the house.

"How have you been?" she asked.

"Alright," replied Caleb.

"And Daisy?"

"She's good too."

"I'm glad. You settled in the new school?"

Caleb shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah I guess. I still can't believe we ended up in related placements though."

"I know!" Lizzy laughed.

"Remember at the last adoption fair," continued Caleb, "how we were saying it would be cool for this to happen so we could hang out more?"

"Yeah I remember."

"Well this is probably the coolest part of being here."

Lizzy jokingly punched Caleb on the arm. "So, how's it going with your new parents?" she winked.

"My new fosters you mean?"

Lizzy smiled. That expression was very common among foster kids, who never called foster carers 'parents' until they were sure they would not be returned to the system.

"They're alright," said Caleb. "The mom's a bit intense, but the dad's cool."

"Yeah, aunt Kim can be really intense sometimes," Lizzy chuckled. "I remember one time when she was watching us she insisted I wash my hands twice before dinner."

Caleb frowned. "Why do you call her 'aunt'?"

"Well, she and Ellie are sisters. You knew that, right?" asked Lizzy.

"No, I know," he said. "But Ellie isn't your mom. And the Wagners aren't your parents, just like the Firelli's aren't mine."

Lizzy was taken aback by his comment. She knew where it was coming from, but it had been so long since she'd been in the 'foster kid' mindset that she had forgotten what it felt like.

"I get it," she said. "I was like that at the beginning, but you'll be surprised."

"No, I won't," said Caleb. "I'll be disappointed, just like always. It sucks though, cause Daisy really likes them."

"Hey, you don't know that you'll be disappointed," said Lizzy.

"Yes, I do," insisted Caleb.

"Look, all I'm saying is Kim and Russ are good people, and they seem to really care about you. Yeah they're a bit intense, but I've known them for a while and I can promise they're not like other fosters. I know you won't believe me but I'm just saying you don't need to have your guard up all the time. You'll be fine," she said.

"What's gotten into you?" asked Caleb.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you forgotten everything about being a foster kid? There's no such thing as happy endings for us. Rule number one: never get attached," he said.

"Yeah no, I get it, I'm just saying—"

"Lizzy, you're not listening." Caleb interrupted her. "There's no such thing as happy endings for us, the older ones. The teens. Remember?"

Lizzy went silent.

"Russ and Kim are going to get tired of me just like every other foster family we've had," said Caleb. "It doesn't matter whether the placement is adoptive or not. They're going to grow tired of having a full-grown kid around the house, instead of a little toddler they can shape how they want. I'm just sorry about Daisy, cause there's no way I'm letting us be separated."

Caleb's words resonated with Lizzy. As much as she had hated watching Juan and Lita be devastated at having to leave the Wagners back when she was trying to reunite with their birth mother, she had known it was important to not be separated by the system. Now, however, things had changed. Lizzy could see how happy her siblings were with Pete and Ellie, and she wouldn't dream of trying to separate them again.

"Well, you don't know that's what will happen—"

"Dude, it's what always happens. Have you for real forgotten everything?"

Lizzy was about to reply when she was interrupted by a screaming 7-year-old. "Mommy! Daddy! You have to watch me do a spin in the trampoline!" Lita shouted excitedly as she ran past on her way to the kitchen. Shortly after, Juan followed. "Dad! I can do a back flip! I can do a backflip! You have to come watch!"

Caleb turned to look at Lizzy. "I see your siblings are already comfortable with your fosters. Perhaps the Wagners will keep them, but you have to stop lying to yourself about the fact that they actually want you. Sooner or later they're going to get tired of you, especially when they learn all about your past shit. That's the sad part of us, older kids. Wake up Lizzy. It's not going to end well." He turned his attention back to the videogame, leaving Lizzy speechless.

As much as she wanted to tell him it would be the other way, the truth was she didn't know otherwise. All previous placements had ended badly. And he was right: the Wagners didn't know many things about her past. Would they still want her when they learned more? Knowing that she wouldn't have it in her to separate Lita and Juan from Pete and Ellie again, that could only mean one thing: she would be the only one to leave. Caleb had planted a small seed of worry, and as much as she didn't want it to, it was growing fast.