Iridescence

Chapter Seven (Faith)

CHAPTER SEVEN

FAITH

My room was currently supposed to be empty. I'd had three roommates, but in the last two weeks, one had been relocated to another group home, one had been reunited with her dad after he got out of rehab, and the last had run away. Again.

She'd be back. Liana ran away every couple of months, but they always found her and brought her home. Her mom couldn't be bothered to take care of her and her dad had been in jail since she was six. She'd lived at the group home ever since and had been there longer than anyone else. She liked following rules even less than I did, and that was part of why she kept running. They always kept her bed ready because they knew she'd be back.

I was pretty surprised to see someone in my supposedly empty room. She had tan skin and eyes that reminded me of an onyx. Her smile was pretty dazzling and her dark brown hair was perfectly braided and hanging over her right shoulder. I won't deny she was pretty stunning... But she was no Artemis.

"Oh, hi," she said with a shy smile. "You must be Faith. I'm Genie. Eugenia, really, but no one has called me that in ages."

"I take it you're my new roommate?" I asked.

"Yeah. It's nice to meet you." She offered me an extremely cheerful smile.

"First time in the system?" I guessed.

"Yes... Is it that obvious?"

"A little. You don't have to try so hard. I promise I won't set you on fire... Without reason." I winked at her.

She tensed for a moment before relaxing at my wink. "I guess I'll have to stay on your good side," she said. "So, have you been here long?"

"On and off for several years now. My mom is sick. When she needs to be hospitalized, this is home."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that! It must be difficult."

"What are you in for?"

"My grandmother passed away recently. She raised me. I don't have anyone else."

"Share if you want. Or don't. I won't push."

"My parents were killed when I was a baby. I don't remember them... My grandmother raised me. We were very close." She looked about as sad as I'd expect, but she soon smiled again. "So now you know my life story," she added awkwardly.

"Yep. We're practically great friends already," I replied. "Don't worry, Genie. This place is one of the better ones. You'll get used to it."

"Thanks, Faith," she replied.

"I need to take a shower," I said as I remembered I was covered in dirt from the woods. "Dinner's in about a half an hour. I'll show you the ropes when I get back."

I hurried to clean myself off. I replayed the afternoon in my mind, wondering if Artemis knew just how crazy she'd driven me. I had never been accused of being shy and I always went for whatever or whoever I wanted, but she refused to return or even acknowledge most of my flirtations.

I need to up my game, I decided. I'd had a ton of crushes on girls before, but Artemis was a literal Goddess and I couldn't seem to get her out of my mind.

After I showered, I headed back to my room. Genie was sitting on her bed with Baby Doll, who had probably been hiding under my bed when I got in. She had a habit of doing that when she was scared. Baby Doll was seven now, and she'd been in the group home since she was two. Her real name was Bella Parker, but even the staff called her Baby Doll. All of the older kids took care of her like she was our kid sister. She was a little ball of light most of the time and we all loved her.