Harper & Lee Plus Three

A Dark World

I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to do this again.

"This is the place, Harper!" said Michelle, my social worker. Her sense of cheeriness always seemed to make me want to claw her eyes out. "Do you have all your bags?"

"Yeah," I said.

I wrapped my hands around all that I had: my two trash bags full of clothes and memories. Michelle opened the door for me. She knew I was hesitating.

"You'll be alright, sunshine," she said.

"Screw you," I said, getting out of the car.

I stepped into the night and walked up the pathway to the house. It was actually nicer than the last one, and a huge step up from the group home. A lady was waiting at the door.

"Hi, are you Harper? I'm Sophia. I'm the mom of the house," she said.

I gave her a nonchalant "hi" and walked right past her into the open door. I could already hear more than one baby crying. This place was clean, but chaotic. Two more kids ran down the stairs and past me. It was a big 'ol rainbow of foster kids in the place.

I. Wanted. To. Vomit.

"So Harper, all of our house rules are right here on this big board," said Sophia, gesturing to a big, colorful board on the wall. "And here is everyone's schedule and chore list. I included some for you as well. We try to divide everything up evenly, but if you feel like it's too much just let me know."

I looked at my name on the board. Mopping? Sweeping? Laundry? Oh hell no.

"I'll show you upstairs to your room," said Sophia, still smiling.

This girl smiled way too much. It was irritating.

Sophia brought me down the hallway and knocked on a closed door a few times.

"What?" said a voice behind the door.

"I'm here with Harper. Can you open the door please?" asked Sophia.

A girl in a crop top opened the door. She looked like she was my age.

"What? I have a roommate? Michelle told me I was getting my own room!" I said to Sophia.

Her face instantly dropped. "I'm so so sorry, Harper. We got the twin babies placed with us this morning. You would've been in their room, but we had to move things around last minute."

"Whatever," I said, pushing past Crop Top girl and putting my stuff on the bed with the black sheets.

"Uh, that's my bed," said Crop Top.

"Not anymore. Black is my favorite color, so this is now my bed, okay?" I said.

"Sophia!" Crop Top whined.

"Let her have it," said Sophia. Her voice got real low and quiet. "Hazel, you know she's already been kicked out of the past two places. Enough, alright?"

"Wow, I get here and two minutes in, you're already talking shit?" I said, pointing my finger at Sophia.

"Harper, just relax. Everything is fine," said Sophia.

"Bitch please. I'm out!" I said, grabbing my purse and walking down the hallway.

"Hey, come back!" said Crop Top.

"Let her go," said Sophia.

I went out the back door and took my lighter out of my purse, along with my last pack of cigs. I lit one and started walking into this big clump of woods that was in the back of the house. I needed a hit of nicotine to help me deal with this.