and I'm home (fifth harmony kidfic)

to lose faith, to have faith

"I miss you so much," Lauren cries into her blanket. She controls her sobs, but she can't seem to stop her cries from coming out. In her life, with everyone she meets, they all seemed to have someone else or a family.

But she was just Lauren, always just Lauren.

-

Moving, Lauren hates moving. She's gripping the black garbage bag of her belongings when she gets out of the car. She's twelve now, and Lauren she has no chance of getting adopted. Either that or it's very slim. No one wants he because she's not two years old and hardly bruised. Her anxiety disorders, sometimes uncontrollable anger outbursts and a nack to get in trouble all push people away. She sighs at the thought.

Her social worker gives her a supportive smile when the woman knocks on the door. It's opened a few moments later and a tall woman with short black hair opens it with a smile. She grins at the two on the porch.

“Hey! I'm Demi, oh and we talked over the phone!” She says cheerfully, shaking hands with the social worker, who places her hand on the small of Lauren's back and nudges her forward. Lauren sends the woman a glare but steps in nonetheless. She knows she'll be out of here soon enough.

“Of course. Lauren is happy to be in your home. Just call us if you are having any issues.” She states. Lauren smiles knowing there will be issues. She leaves the porch and Lauren is left with her new foster mother.

“What's the deal here?” Lauren asks in a monotone voice, looking around at the small, but lovely little house. Demi shrugs and follows Lauren's gaze, unsure how to answer the preteen's question.

“The deal?” She asks, looking to the middle schooler with peaked confusion.

“Yeah, like do you have kids?” Lauren questions, wrapping her hand around the plastic bag.

“Nope. You're the only kid here.” Demi responds. Lauren makes a noise as if not believing the woman.

“Where's your husband?” Lauren asks unsurely. After she was rescued from her much older foster home she had a thing against guys (and women but she found them easier to trust).

“Don't have one. If you're wondering why the hell I would foster as a single person, then the answer is that I have only focused on my job the last nine years of my life and I want a family."

"So am I charity case?" Lauren asks.

"You're a kid who needs a home, and I'm a woman who wants to give a kid a home. Come on Lauren, I'll show you to your room," Demi says, waving the girl over. Lauren sighs and follows the woman down the short hallway.

Demi points to a door on the way and tells her where her bathroom is. Demi stops at door and pushes it open, revealing a decently sized room with only a twin bed, a dresser, and a desk. She smiles at the girl and walks in. Lauren follows, setting the bag on the bed.

"I didn't want to decorate yet, because I assumed you had your own style and I didn't want to mess that up," she explains. Lauren nods, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Demi sits a few feet away from her too.

"I don't expect to be here long," Lauren states immediately, refusing to meet Demi's eyes. She fiddles with the plastic handles of the bag. Demi sighs, but makes no movement toward the girl. From what had been explained to her, the girl's social worker basically stated she was as basket case. Demi found it incredibly degrading, and knew that Lauren was not just another foster child.

"Lauren, I don't care how much I have to fight, but I want you. I want you here and I want to help you. You're not as you say you are, and I'm going to prove that to you," Demi says. Lauren shrugs.