"I heard someone come in at like 4 this morning," the Latina women in the kitchen said.
Charlie looked around realizing she was talking to her.
"Oh, I was asleep," Charlie lied.
"Well, my seven year old doesn't sneak out and my wife was next to me," the women said.
"Sorry, I'll go pack," Charlie said leaving the kitchen.
" I didn't say you're going back," the women turned to face her.
"Whatchu gon do, put yo hands on me," Charlie crossed her arms.
"No, god no," the women laughed. "I was going to give you a stern talking to but I need a minute to process this," the women turned around still laughing.
Charlie hated being laughed at.
"Ok, so um don't sneak out you don't have too, we trust you just tell us. But not at like four am," the women said once she stopped laughing.
"I went to go see my cousin and we went to my old job and then we talked. I just lost track of time," Charlie said.
"Yeah," The women said as she opened the fridge.
"Youre not going to tell Mrs robbins right," Charlie asked?
"No, I'm not but next time I will," She said grabbing the milk.
She told Cortez shed see him again but she got caught. And she didn't want to cancel her plans she sighed as she turned around to ask a question.
"So um I was wondering if today I could hang out with my cousin again," Charlie wondered?
"Sure, just bring him up here I just want to meet him," The women said.
"Why," Charlie crossed her arms.
"So that I know you'll be safe," the women sighed grabbing a box of cereal.
"Ok I guess," Charlie went to her room.
[tez]
Do I really have to meet her
[char]
yes
[tez]
be there in ten
[char]
try not to smell like weed.
Charlie paced around her room waiting for those ten minutes to go by. It's not that she needed the women's approval but she really needed to get out of this house. It was to homey it made her want to vomit.
"You ok Charlie," The women from earlier asked sticking her head in.
"Yeah, my cousin said he'd be here in ten," Charlie held up her phone.
"Alright,then," the women nodded before leaving the doorway.
her phone vibrated in her hand.
[tez]
pulling up
[char]
it's 502
[tez]
you told me that an hour ago
[char]
shut up
read 12:45
there was a knock and Charlie made a bee line for the door, opening it to a familiar face
"Tez," She opened her arms.
"Es agradable aquí," Cortez said. (It's nice in here)
"Yeah," Cortez noticed how stiff she was.
"¿Te pegan?," Cortez asked? (Do they hit you)
"No," Charlie laughed.
"Then why you stiff, relajarse," Cortez said.
"You right," Charlie smiled.
"So you gone let me in," Cortez looked past Charlie peaking inside from the doorway.
"So sorry," Charlie moved to let him in. "Don't mess this up," she whispered.
"Baja un cambia, I got this," Cortez said. (Chill out)
"Callie Torres," Mrs Torres said sticking her hand out for Cortez to take.
Cortez took the hand and pulled her into a hug patting her back. This gave Callie time to look at his neck tattoo.
"We do hugs where I'm from sorry," Cortez pulled away.
"It's ok," Callie smiled.
"I'm so happy she got good placement her last few before the one she came from was horrible," Cortez looked at her.
"Shut up," Charlie whispered.
"Sorry I'm just so happy for you," He look as if he would cry.
"So what the tattoo on your next," Mrs Torres asked, taking the conversation off Charlie?
"Oh it's say till we meet again, it's for my brother. He got shoot at a party two summers ago. Charlie was living with us then, they thought he was a part of some gang but he wasn't he was gonna go mit or whatever it is. He was tryna be a doctor but since he was from the wrong side do the tracks they thought it was a gang hit. His killers died but he never got justice," Cortez explained, hands in his pockets.
"Oh I was thinking," Charlie starting trying to find the right words. "Well wondering if I can get my old job back. I mean I know I can but I was wondering if you'll let me work," Charlie asked?
She knew it was a temporary placement and she didn't have to ask her but she wanted to just to take the attention of Cortez.
"Sure," Mrs. Torres said.
"Alright well if you're done grilling my cousin I think we gone head out," Charlie said, breaking the temporary silence.
"Yeah, sure just be back before dinner," mrs torres said
"When is that," Charlie asked?
"5:30," Mrs Torres answered.
"I'll have her back at 4:30," Cortez said as he made his was out the door.
"Still got the weed," Charlie asked once they got to the car?
"It's been one day, of course I got it," Cortez looked at her funny.
"What," Charlie asked?
"You don't even know how much they care," Cortez laughed as he started the car.
"What, its been a day," Charlie buckled up.
"Yeah, and she asked to meet me, how many other have asked," Cortez questioned.
"Even your long terms didn't care about it," Cortez said.
"Yeah but she's just being nosy," Charlie argued.
"Sure," Cortez sighed pulling off.
Thirty minutes later and she still wouldn't drop it.
"So that doesn't mean anything," Charlie yelled as she got out of car.
"Let's just drop it," Cortez sighed.
"No, I don't want to," Charlie said crossing her arms.
"I'm not taking about this anymore, either we go inside and smoke and play the game, or I'm taking you back home," Cortez gave her a chose.
"ok tio Cortex," Charlie mocked as she walked in the house.
"So how was hanging with Cortez," Mrs Torres asked?
"It was nice we went to his house, played some video games, then went by my old job my boss said I could start Saturday at 8," Charlie said sitting on the stool by the kitchen island.
"Perfect I start work at 9 that day, so I could take you. Do you know what time you'd get out," Mrs Torres said, as she grabbed a pot out of the cabinet.
"Around 11 or 12ish," Charlie shrugged.
"Oh no, you gotta get out of there earlier than that I'm pretty sure thats illegal," Mrs Torres turned to look at Charlie.
"No it's not I only work the weekends but I used to hang out during the week and Julio would help me with my homework," Charlie explained.
"Who's Julio," Mrs Torres asked, as she filled the pot up with water.
"Oh he was my boss well now he's my boss again. He this big Mexican Dominican guy, he looks scary and give a good mean mug. But he is the worlds biggest teddy bear. He'd be like niñita if you ask me another math question my heads gonna explode," said Charlie doing her best impression of Julio. "When I saw him yesterday he was like I can't call you niñita anymore, you've grown so much," Charlie laughed.
"Seems like you've got your own little chosen family," Mrs. Torres said as she put the pot on the stove.
"Yeah,it does," Charlie smiled, hoping off the stool.
"Hey, I was think we go and look at some school next week," Mrs Torres said,
"Oh you don't have to worry about that, I'll be gone by next week," Charlie waved her off.
"Becky didn't tell I assumed she would I'm sorry. You'll be staying with us till they find a permanent placement," Mrs Torres said.
And it's was like a glass bottle fell. Her skin crawled. No she thought to herself.
"No," she said out loud.
"It's okay," Mrs Torres said before Charlie ran to her room.
She'd never smoked in the house, but this was different it was vaping. And she only did it to take away her stress, which she had a lot of right now. This was all to much for her. Charlie wasn't used to this, she wasn't used at family. No, what she was used to was, single old women, or creepy men, or weird older foster siblings, or nice old women with cats, or residential. She was familiar with this kind of life, she didn't know how to adapt to this. Would she ever be ok with family dinner and involved parents.
"Charlie, I think we should talk," Mrs Torres said on the other side of the door, while Charlie stuffed the vape underneath her pillow.
"Come in," Charlie said after waving the smoke.
"Are you okay," Mrs torres asked as she sat in the bed.
"Yeah I am or at least I will be," Charlie shrugged.
Callie could fell her unwantedness.
"Alright I guess, I'll go but if you need me I'm right down the hall," Mrs Torres said before leaving.
Charlie fell back on her bed releasing all her pinned up emotions as she cried. She didn't want this, because she knew the minute she got used to it, everything would be taken away. She learned that lesson young and always carried it with her. She was tough she has to be tough she was a little girl in the foster care system. You got to be tough to survive that. She sat up as silent tears still fell, and went to her vanity mirror staring at herself. She wiped her eyes and smiled.
"You're ok," She whispered to no one in particular.
A/N: I don't have a strict schedule when uploading for this book I know I don't have one for my other books but this one will be even more sporadic.
like I said in the other chapter ignore the next one till I update