Two in one day unbeilveable! The only thing I can say here is I am so so so so sorry! It will get better I promise! One more thing, if you don't like the direction my story is going don't read it, simple as that.-AJ
Teddy POV
10 years later
"Wake up maggot, you got school today," I feel the back of my shirt being pulled then I feel the cold floor on my face. Groaning and looking up I see my sorry excuse for a foster father standing over me. He is wearing his signature wife beater shirt that has a huge grease stain on it. Henry is in his late 40s and balding, he isn't as bad as some of the foster parents I've had, but he also isn't the greatest.
I've been with Henry for a couple of months and like always I try to make myself as small as possible so that no one notices me. That is nearly impossible with my size; I'm nearly 6 foot and only 14. It makes it hard when you're really tall and the new kid, always the new kid.
Like I said Henry isn't too bad, at least when he is sober that his. When he is drunk I usually just don't come home.
Henry leaves the room and I fallow heading for the bathroom. I strip off my boxers and t-shirt that I slept in; I throw them on the floor and look at my reflection. My limp copper hair hangs in front of my face so I push it away. Most of the time you can't control it even if you put gel it, my hair has a natural spike. I think about the time I came home with a Mohawk, my foster mother at the time nearly had a heart attack, I laugh at the memory.
There are tiny scars dotted all along my stomach, chest and upper back. I don't remember getting them that much, but they still affect me today. There is a small necklace that hangs from my neck; it's a heart that has the initials C+A on them. Inside is what I assume, a picture of me as a baby, and another picture of a sonogram. It is the only thing I have left from my parents. I push away from the sink angry, I jump into the shower and stand under the cold water. Henry must have forgotten to pay the water bill.
I shower quickly and get out of the bathroom so Henry came get in that is if he is going to work today. You never know with him. I throw my black hoodie and my ripped jeans on; I don't think I have had new clothes in years. Oh well these ones have gotten me through so far, right?
I grab my backpack and walk out the door without saying goodbye to Henry, he doesn't care no one does. I pick up my pride and joy on the porch, my skateboard. I found all the pieces myself and basically built the whole thing. I hop on a ride all the way to school but get off before the admin see me; they are always looking for a reason to get me in trouble.
I stuff my board half in my bag so I don't have to carry it and start to walk in for my first class. I don't bother making friends at these places; it's a waste of time. By the time I make friends I have to leave anyway, and most of the time it is my fault.
"Um, Hey Theo?" I turn around and see a bubbly blonde chick staring at me. I stare at her blankly waiting for her to say something, when she doesn't I start to turn around.
"Oh wait! Your name is Theo isn't it?" she asks, I just nod.
"Oh, that's a really cool name," I shrug.
"Yeah I guess," I tell her pulling on my earring a nervous habit of my. Then I start to walk away but I run right into a pompous asshole, one of those jock football guys.
"Hey Jenny this orphan freak messing with you," he asks. Uh oh, this never ends well from me. Most of the time it ends with me getting into a fight then expelled. I try to walk around him but the meat head puts his hand right on my chest.
I suck in a breath of air and try not to collapse onto the floor. Oh god it burns, it burns so bad, and I feel a little light headed.
"Nick! Stop! You are obviously hurting him," Jenny screams at him. I get my mind back as soon as he takes his hand off my chest. So I square up and punch him right across the face, he stumbles back a bit looking dazed. Well at least he can take a punch like a man I think to myself smugly. Nick stares at me for a second unsure of what just happened: I just punched you bitch.
The next thing I know I'm flat on my back and this Nick guy is wailing away at me. I have a good 3 inches on this guy so I quickly get the upper hand. I'm punching him over and over when I feel a hand rest on my back. I swivel ready to take on whoever it is, my fist raised. Oh crap it's the principle, and he doesn't look happy.
He drags me off Nick and to his office, where I have to listen to him lecture me on how we have a no tolerance policy with fighting. That I should pray that that guy doesn't press charges. He won't he's to chicken shit to admit he lost to me. I am more worried about what Henry will do when he find out, last time I didn't eat for three days.
The principle makes me sit in the chair outside his office while he talks to the other students involved. I touch the side of my face where Nick got me the worst, and then I see him walk by. I smile when I see my handy work on his face, he just sneers at me and walks into the office where Jenny is just leaving.
She sits on the bench right next to me not saying anything. I pull my hood up to cover my face, I hate the way see looks at me. She looks at me like everyone does, with pity. I don't want or need anyone's pity I've done just fine on my own thank you very much.
"I told him it wasn't your fault that Nick stared it," she says.
"You didn't have to do that," I say to her.
"Are you okay, you took a really hard hit?" she asks. I just look at her.
"I'm fine. You should see to your boyfriend I landed better hits on him," I bite out turning away from her.
"He isn't my boyfriend we aren't even friends," she tells me, "Why do you do that? I am trying to be nice to you and your being really rude. Maybe that's why you don't have any friends." She hisses at me.
"You have no idea what my life has been like, so maybe you should back the fuck off. Plus friends are pointless I won't even be here that long," I grab my backpack and get up, screw the principle.
"What does that even mean?" she asks standing up as well. I don't answer her and leave the little room out to the hallway. Soon enough I am surrounded by kids all running around trying to get to their next class. I feel invisible and that's just the way I like it.
I make it to my advanced math class just before the bell rings and slip into a seat in the back. I listen to the teacher babble on about topics I have already learned. All the other seniors in my class struggle to keep up, and I just stare out the window.
I lived in London for a couple of years when I was young; it was nice and always rainy which I liked. Also it was a really big city and I could lose myself in it. But then Mrs. Robertson said that I had to move back to the states. She dropped me off in Southern California, why there of all places I don't know. That's how I ended up in the system here. I have bounced around from house to house for years.
I can only vaguely remember my parents before I went to live with Mrs. Robertson. I think they were kind people who loved me a lot. But I can't remember why I had to leave them, but I remember them promising to always be with me. That is what makes me the angriest, that they just left me to fend for myself. They have no idea what I have had to endure this whole time. What kind of parents do that to their son, leave him all alone. I push the tears out of my eyes; I vowed to younger me that I would always be strong and no more crying at dumb things. I'm not that weak little boy anymore; no one is going to look after me I have to do it myself.
When school ends, I'm one of the first ones out of the building, not wanting a run in like this morning. I grab my board and head out. There is some place I have to stop first before I go to work. I have been thinking about it for a while now, it is time I finally figure out what happened to my parents, I dissevered to know.
I go down to the shady part of town where my social worker is. She should be able to tell me what happened to my parents or at least help me start to look. I am no stranger to this part of town; they give you alcohol down here without being of age, if you know where to look. I am not a heavy drinker, but sometimes I need to not feel like me. To not feel so fucked up.
I take a hard turn around a corner and wipe out. My knees hit the ground so hard I know I've broken the skin. I am hit with a really hard memory almost like déjà vu.
"Look Mamma," I say. But before I can make it to her I fall and scrap my knee, she is right there picking me up kissing my chuddy baby cheeks. My dad is there to he holds my hand while I cry into his chest. I can't make out their faces but Mom is right there whispering everything will be alright.
I shake myself off and grab my board, I am almost there I can walk the rest of the way. The memory of my parents just makes me angry. I thought they loved me, I just shake my head.
When I get to the social workers office her secretary tells me to take a seat that she will be with me shortly. I sit on the worn out brown couch, it is lumpy and uncomfortable. Lucky enough she comes out a second later to get me.
I fallow her into a little office that can barley fit one person let alone two. They don't have much money for us troubled foster kids as you'd image. I sit across from her and stare at her name plate, Leila Williams.
"So Theo, what can I do to help you," she asks.
"I really want to figure out what happened to my parents," I tell her not beating around the bush.
"Theo, you are one of my favorite kids here. But you know I don't have the power to find that out. You came here from the UK, we don't have any records of your parents buddy," she tells me. I knew it was a long shot but I had to ask.
"Yeah, but I am pretty sure that I am originally from the states," I tell her hoping this will help any.
"We don't know of any records containing Theo Ray. I am truly sorry Theo, trust me I have looked," she says.
Dejected I glance at my watch and hop out of my seat, crap I am going to be late if I don't get going now. I thank Ms. Williams and grab my board. My knees sting from earlier but there is no way I will make it to the shop if I don't board there, so I get on.
I really thought that maybe she could help me, guess not. If I am to find out what happened to my parents I am just going to have to do it on my own.
I board out of the shady part of town and into the richer neighborhood. I roll up to a little shop that says Sal's Piano's. I walk in and Sal is looking at me angrily, great another person I have pissed off today.
"Theo you are late!" he says to me.
"I know but I went to see my social worker today," his face softens a bit.
Sal has been looking out for me for years; his daughter was my foster mom a while ago. I really loved her but she died from cancer. That is when I gave up on things ever becoming good again. But Sal made me come work for him, said it was the least he could do. He truly is like my grandfather and he is the only person who has ever been allowed to touch me.
"How'd that go," he asks.
"Not as good as I wanted it to. I want to find out about my parents but my case worker has no information," I move back behind the counter next to him.
"So you are finally looking for them huh," I nod my head. Sal would adopt me but he is just too old to take care of a fucked up teen like me. But he makes sure that I am here to work every day just to see that I am okay. He stopped asking about the bruises a long time ago though.
"Well wipe down the counters and then we can have some tea and talk about it," tea is Sal's go to for everything.
I wipe down the counters and do a couple other odd jobs for Sal until it's time to close up for the time. We talk over a cup of tea and Sal tells me he thinks it's a good idea to look for my parents. He thinks it is time for me to stop being angry at them, he tells me that maybe something happened to them and they couldn't take care of me. Maybe he is right, maybe it was extreme circumstances and they thought I'd be better off in foster care. I snort at that, but I think it is time for me to stop being angry at them.
Sal offers me a ride home which I gladly take because my knees still burn from today's fall. Plus it is not safe being alone at night in the neighborhood where I live. Sal drives me to the block that I live on, he knows the drill by now. I don't want Henry to see me pulling up in a car.
"Look, Theo." He says placing a hand on my shoulder, I flinch a bit but not noticeable enough for him to comment on it.
"I will be here always if you need someone to talk to you know that right?" he ask, I nod. Sal is one of the good guys. I have seen a lot of things in my life, and endured quite a bit more, but I know when someone truly cares.
"Thanks Sal, I'll see you tomorrow okay," I tell him. I get out of the car and head towards my house, but before I can he calls out to me.
"And be careful on that thing will you! Don't think I didn't notice you limping," he points to my board. I laugh and wave telling him I will.
Not wanting to talk to Henry I climb through the window to my room. I strip off all my clothes except my boxers and climb into bed. My aching body finally relaxes into the mattress; I know it's going to hurt a whole hell of a lot more in the morning.
I grip the pendant that hangs around my neck and before I drift off I can hear a woman's voice in my ear, "Goodnight Teddy Bear, Momma and Daddy love you" then I am out.
Preview for the Next chapter:
"Theo! Theo! Wait up!" I turn around and see that annoying chick from yesterday. I look at her annoyed what does she want now.
"You have to look at this. Yesterday I saw that heart necklace you wear, it popped out when you where fighting. Look!" she thrusts out her iPhone and clicks on a video.
On the screen I see a reporter who is standing outside a tall building with the words Grey House at the top. There are many people standing around her with candles, a lot of them look really sad. I am about to ask her what this has to do with my necklace but then the lady starts to talk.
"We are outside Grey House in downtown Seattle. This is the business that is run by billionaire Christian Grey who is the CEO. He and his wife tragically lost their son 10 years ago; he was kidnapped and never found so now every year people come out to show their support for the family.
"Little prince Grey would be 14 years old now. On my right is a picture of what he looked like the day he went missing and on my right is what he would looks like now. If you have any info..." the video ends and I stare up at Jenny, holy crap I think.
Okay I know that many of you are probably really uset about this chapter and again sorry but this was my plan from the beginning. That is why I added the preview to give you all some hope for the future. Until next time-AJ (hope I didn't lose to many of you) :)