trust | lierra

ten

Ten

Lunch was pretty good, I was thankful they were good at cooking. I didn't eat much of it because I wasn't the hungriest and I also had this pit in my stomach. I had no idea why it was there, but it was and it wasn't going away. "Do you want to go outside and sit on the porch? Petunia will probably just go out in the yard," Luke suggested after we ate, so I agreed. "We can have family time," he cheered happily. We all went out, and luckily Petunia was out in the yard sunbathing. I sat in the chair next to the loveseat that the two were seated on as we enjoyed the outdoor air. I kept my knees up at my chest as I bit my thumb nail and kept my hood up from my hoodie.

"What do you want to do with your room?" Sierra asked. "We can get things for you this week while we get everything else you need,"

"Everything else I need?" my gaze shifted from the yard where Petunia was to where they were.

"Yeah, like clothes, toiletries, shoes, and anything else you want," Luke answered, confused by my reaction.

"You don't have to get me anything, I have enough,"

"From the looks of the garbage bag you don't," Luke said, "and we want to get you things you want and need,"

"Please don't," I lightly chuckled as I shook my head and looked back out to the yard, "please don't do that thing,"

"Do what thing?"

"The thing where I get whatever I want and you act like you care then throw me back into the system a couple of months later," I answered, "it hurts your bank account, it's not written off as a tax deduction,"

"Carter, it's not an act," Sierra reassured me, "we really want to give you a loving home and whatever you want and need," I didn't believe her for a second.

"That's what every home says," I shook my head, "and it ends up the same every time," I finally looked back over at them. "What makes you two any different from the other homes I've been in? It's the same story. A couple that thinks they can do something good and gets way in over their heads,"

"Honestly, we might be in way over our heads," Luke admitted. "But that doesn't mean we're just going to give up and throw you back into the system," That was the first I ever heard that. At least he knew.

"We're all going to make mistakes, but that doesn't mean you're thrown to the curb. You'll make mistakes, and Luke and I will definitely make a lot of mistakes. We just need to work together," Sierra added. I just nodded in response, still keeping my stare at the yard. "And I know it's hard for you to believe we're not using, but we aren't. We wouldn't have become foster parents if we never met you, we want to give you home like you deserve," That was one thing I've never heard.

"Carter, when was the last time someone told you they loved you?" Luke questioned softly.

"Grace, when she left," I answered.

"How about other than Grace?" That made me silent. There was a silence between us for a minute, and before either could say anything, I got up.

"I'm done with family time," I mumbled as I went back inside, shutting the door behind me, then went up to my room and shut the door, then locked it.