Chasing Chastity (Now on Radish)

Chapter 3

After a lovely dinner, the entire family ended up on the couch watching Pitch Perfect. These people have made me feel like family, more than any other family I have been with. I have three protective brothers and two beautiful sisters. I have a new friend in Peyton and two loving parents. I could never ask for more. This is all I've ever wanted. I was smooshed between James and William with a bowl of popcorn on my lap. Lucia and Wiloma were on the other side of James, while Lee and Peyton were on the ground and leaving Maddie and Maurcie in the loveseat near the corner. Nancy had left after dinner, to beat the traffic home. She told me she was just a phone call away.

"He's watching you again." James whispered in my ear. He meant Peyton. I blushed and glanced at him quickly. He was watching the movie again. I think he's just curious.

"Hey, can you make waffles?" I whispered back. He nodded. "Can you make them tomorrow?" He nodded again. After finishing the movie, Maddie and Maurice excused themselves to go to bed, leaving the rest of us on the floor.

"So, what shall we do?" William asked, resting his arm on my head. Short people problems.

"I vote we go to bed." Lucia said. "I don't know about you, but the jetlag is finally hitting me."

"Ditto. I've been on an adrenaline rush all day." I said, ruffling my hair slightly. "See you all in the morning." I said, retreating up the staris with the girls. Lucia went into her room and got ready, so Wiloma and I went in the bathroom and got ready in there.

"Peyton was totally staring at you through the whole movie." Wiloma said, pulling her hair into a ponytail. "Did you notice?"

"Yeah." I mumbled through the toothpaste. I spit into the sink and looked at her through the mirror. "But it's not like he's interested in me. He's a teenage guy."

"Sweetie, I've known Peyton since kindergarten. He has not once looked at a girl, let alone try and get in one's pants. He's very shy for a guy." Wiloma said, smiling at me. "You two should go out."

"I'm not looking to date anyone, Wiloma. I don't like breaking hearts when things don't work out."

"Things will work out, sweetie. My parents never foster a kid unless they know that they are going to adopt them. It's in their nature." Wiloma said, putting an arm around my shoulers. "You don't want to get hurt." She stated.

I nodded once. "My parents's death hurt me, the people who never adopted me hurt me. I've been abandoned by almost everyone except for Mrs. White and her family. What happens the cycle ends?" I asked her.

"Honestly, I don't know. Mom and Dad won't hurt you, no one in this family will." She said. I smiled at her words and gave her a hug.

"Thank you." I said. "Lets hit the head. I am positively beat." I headed into my room and went to sleep immediately. But, like all first nights, sleep did not last long. I woke up at two a.m. and groaned. I always had the jitters when with a new family. They all seemed great on paper, its the face to face meetings that terrify me. Back at the orphanage, there was an unspoked rule; anyone older than four years old had almost no chance of adoption. There were the lucky few that were, but most wanted toddlers and babies. It was unfair, completely unfair.

I wandered down to the kitchen for an early morning snack, and became so uterly lost. Its not like the house was big, but the kitchen was. THere were so many cabinets and so much food, I didn't know where to start.

"Hungry?" A voice asked, making me jump, throwing my orange at him kamikazi style. "Ow!" He groaned.

"Peyton?" I whispered. "I am so sorry!" My cheeks burned with embarassment, thankfully the lights were off. "I didn't think anyone else was awake!"