"Hey Max! What did you do this time?" My best friend Tyler asked as he jumped down from the window seat just above my temporary bed. I looked past him at the full moon that lit the room just enough to make out his tall figure.
After Patty brought me back to the 'Home 2' - where kids who don't have a foster family at the moment, and when Mrs.Littles is to full - she told me to go get some shut eye while she did some paper work, and that she would see me tomorrow.
"Oh you know, the usual." I shrugged. "Put a snake in the parents bedroom, almost caught the house one fire, came home drunk, snuck out, stole their money and bought some shit. Same old same old." I smirked, only half joking.
Tyler just shook his head at me as he flashed his boyish half smirk that he knows always melts my heart. He had perfectly straight teeth- thanks to one of his foster parents for buying him braces, were as I was just lucky enough to been born with straight teeth. The only thing lucky in my life. Tyler was 6'1. He hates it when you don't add the one on there. Tyler was always into body building and would hit the gym any chance he could get. So over all, Tyler was extremely buff. His usual messy mop head that was full of brown hair almost reached his eyes, was combed and nicely parted. Meaning he just got done with an interview himself. And since he was back here, it meant it went just as great as mine.
Tyler has been my best friend since I can remember. I even forgot how we truly met. But Tyler and I have been in the same foster family's a couple times. Each time we would get split up, we would always find each other again. Either by sneaking out, or ending up in the same foster family the next time. We were never apart for more than 3 weeks. And now that Patty bought him a cell phone as well ( which she did to hopefully stop us from running away so often) we always stay in contact.
"tsk. tsk." Tyler said shaking his head. "Same old Maxie." He scolded as he plopped down next to me on my bed.
I growled at him. I hated that nick name and he knew it. But my growl and death glare didn't scare him in the least. As he just kept smiling. But I mean I if I'm being for real, my 5'4 height wasn't helping me in the least.
I was very short compared to most of the teens in my foster homes. But my build and thanks to Tyler dragging me to the gym all the time. I had muscles, and a hour glass figure. And also thanks to Tyler I could win almost any fight. The only person who has ever been able to defeat me is Tyler. And he always rubs it in my face.
"Awwww. Is Maxie poo getting mad?" He stuck his lip out and pretended to pout.
"Oh shut up." I rolled my eyes and waved him off with my hand. Moving my gaze back to his neat mop top, and gave a small head tilt. "How'd the interview go?"
I watched as the light dimmed in his brown eyes as he gave a small shrug. "I'm here aren't I?" He replied. I knew by the way he laid back against the metal headboard that he was trying to play it off that he was fine with it. But his tense shoulders gave way to the darkness that he was trying yet failing to keep hidden.
Unlike me, Tyler hasn't gotten to the point of accepting the fact that he's 'unloveable'. Though, I blame myself on that part. I've never told him I loved him. Cause honestly, I have no idea what love is in reality. Like all girls, I've seen the romance movies now and then, so I see what love is supposed to look like, yet I don't know how it feels. Same goes for Tyler. So when we text or part ways instead of saying 'love you'. We just say "See you again." And that means more than any I love you could. Cause in the foster system, you never know if you'll ever see someone again. But Tyler and I. We always find each other again.
"Yeah I guess." I smiled as he frowned. But quickly replaced it with his signature smirk that promised trouble. I raised my eyes in suspension.
"Wheres my hug?" He asked as he spread his arms out wide. I just rolled my eyes, and crawled up the squeaky mattress and plopped down on his hard chest and into his big embrace. He pulled me tight to his chest. Bringing us as close together as possible.
I released a sigh as I relaxed into his touch. Laying my head down just under his chin."I missed you." I whispered.
"I missed you too. You didn't text me." He whispered into my hair, while relaxing his grip to just resting his arms on my lower back.
"My foster mom decided to steal my charger. Patty's buying me a new one tomorrow." I closed my eyes as I let the stress of the day leave my body.
"Mine's in my bag if you want to borrow it until you get yours." Ty offered.
I squeezed the sides of his chest in thanks. "It'll be alright. Just keep yours with you."
Instead of answering, Tyler just rolled onto his side, dropping me onto the mattress next to him and spooning up against me. His breath warming the side of my neck as we laid together. I don't know how long exactly we stayed like that, but just as I was dozing off I felt Tyler tense.
"You shouldn't be in here young man." Had I still been asleep and unable to recognize the voice, I would of thought we were in big trouble.
"I was just leaving." Tyler said as he went to roll out of the bed. I turned over and watched as he made his way across the small room. The old wooden floor squeaking as he made his way towards the door, where Patty was leaning against the frame watching us with tired eyes, and a very happy expression.
"Come on Patty we haven't seen each other in weeks. Can we please have five more minutes?" I begged from my sitting position on the old bed that now felt colder with Tylers heat gone.
"No it's fine. I gotta get back to my room anyway. Wanna get some sleep tonight. Kinda hard to do that with all your snoring." He smiled at me, the early morning sun rise lighting up his features perfectly."See you again."
"See you again." I smiled.
I watched as Tyler hugged and kissed Patty on the check. "See ya Patty."
Patty just rolled her eyes and laughed as she stepped back to let Tyler leave. "See ya kiddo."
Once Tyler was out of sight Patty turned her tired gaze back on me. "Come on. We got somewhere to be." She claimed as she spun on her heels and started walking the opposite way of Tyler.
"Ugh!" I groaned before face planting back down onto the lumpy bed. Trying to get an little extra sleep before she came back.
"Now!" She hollered from further down the hall. Probably waking up the whole damn building.
"Fine!"
I rolled my eyes. My brain to groggy to investigate Patty's good mood, and followed her down the hall towards the my least favorite room of the whole building.
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After following Pat into one of the meeting rooms- where adults come and meet kids- I started complaining.
"Really. Another interview." I knew I was throwing attitude, but I was sleep deprived and wanted to go back to bed. Plus, I didn't even brush my hair or change me clothes. "Pat please don't make me do another one. I don't want to see another 'happy' couple walk in, talk to me for an hour, then never hear from them again. It's really just a waste of time. I got better things to do. Like sleep." I turned on my heels and started walking to the door, done with this whole 'getting adopted' idea.
"Maxine Gene Grey!" Pat practically yelled my full name. Well, the name that she gave to me at least. But never the less, her using my full name was rare, and it made me stop in my tracks and I knew I fucked up."Sit you ass in this chair right now, or I swear to the lord that I will take your cell phone away."
She was pissed. Pat was a women who rarely cursed and for her to threaten to take my cell phone away meant that she was totally serious. She knew how much that phone meant to me. Without it, I wouldn't be able to talk to Tyler. Nor would I be able to reach her. So deciding that doing what she demanded would let me keep the one thing that makes me happy, I listened.
"Fine." I practically growled as I marched to the chair on the right side of the table while she sat down on the one on the left. "What family am I meeting now? What do I need to say? I didn't brush my teeth or hair." I honestly probably looked like a train wreck. Which honestly I couldn't care less about. But seeing as how Patty always made sure to doll me up before an interview, red flags were starting to go off in my head.
Patty just shook her head and I watched in horror as Patty started crying.
She never cried. Ever. I've never once even heard her voice waver. Let alone seen her eyes water.
This is it. She's going to leave me. I pushed her to far. She's finally giving up on me. Which is good at least I don't have to see another family. But I didn't think that meant that she would leave too. That she would truly just drop me. I always knew I was unlovable. But this. Patty was the only person in my life that I ever held out hope for. The last person that would prove me wrong after all these years. Would prove that I truly am lovable. But now shes just-
My thoughts were interrupted by the four words I'd never thought I'd ever hear.
"Max, you've been adopted."