ZENIA'S POV
Episode two - New life's eve
I WAS CURRENTLY SAT ON THE SOFA SCROLLING THROUGH TV. Lily comes and sits next to me.
"What's up Lils" I ask.
"I don't want to be friends with Carmen anymore" I frown at what Lily said. "She keeps interfering, she wants to be in control and she made Poppy cry. To be fair it wasn't on purpose but she never listens".
"You know it sounds like she just wants to be your friend" I comment "I know you like to be the one that's always there for you sisters but Carmens just trying to help".
"I'll think about i guess. Why can't i just have a friendship like you and Liam"
"Well Liam and I have known each other for a very long time but we fall out every now and then, that's just part of having a best friend"
•••
Liam comes up to me "Hey Zen, i don't think Tracy left. I think she's in the garden because i saw her from my window. Wanna come?"
"Yeah sure" I reply as we start walking to the garden. Sure enough there was Tracy sat on the swing.
"What are you doing here" Liam asks.
"What do you think" She replies
"Last bottle on Zen-iam aid, want some?" i ask but acquired no response.
"So why did you come back to the dumping ground?" Liam asks.
"Needed a job" she says curtly.
"You don't need to pretend with me, being back here, it sucks right?" Liam imitates the words she said to him when he got dumped back earning a chuck from Tracy and me.
Liam and i sit down leaning against each other and the tree. "I worked so hard to get away from this place and now i'm back. Well i was".
"Well your show back there was quite impressive" I add.
Tracy groans "ugh everyone was watching weren't they?"
I laugh "not everyone but Liam re-enacted it for those who weren't"
"It was a laugh. 'I quit' dushh" Liam jokes pretending to throw a plate on the ground.
"Don't worry about it Tracy, it's done, you don't see us crying over things we can't change" I say.
"If you wanna see someone cry, go write in Gus' notebook" Liam states whilst hold out a hand to help me stand up. "Yeah he told me" He laughs.
"Well that's you Zen and Liam time up so here you are drink up and shove off" I say as i pass her some Zen-iam aid.
"I am really sorry Zen but thank you for helping Tee when i didn't" Tracy adds.
"Don't worry about it, she's like my sister" I reply with a smile.
Tracy takes a sip of the Zen-iam aid and quickly spits it out making me laugh. "Yeah it takes a bit of getting used to"
•••
All day Gus had been going around asking people for points to add to his 'What Tracy did right list' and Harry, Gus and I were going to tell Mike to give Tracy a second chance.
We walked into his office to see Tracy already in there. "I have a list of what Tracy did right to read to you" Gus starts.
"Oh um can i read it later Gus" Mike asks.
"Yes you can read it later but you need to read it now aswell" Gus replies.
"Please Mike" I beg.
"fine but make it quick"
"Things Tracy has done right" Gus begins "Rosie says Tracy makes her laugh, Lily says Tracy's the only other person Poppy let's tie she shoelaces, Sapphire says Tracy was rude to a boy who phoned her, she says that's a good thing"
Tracy laughs as Gus continues "Liam says he likes it with Tracy here because then him and Zenia aren't the only ones causing trouble, Zenia says she likes Tracy because she find her easier to talk to without judgement"
"Jeff likes Tracy Gus" Harry adds walking over to Tracy.
"Tee says-" Gus starts only to be cut off.
"Thank Gus that's enough" Mike says.
"But we still have 11 more thing on the 'What Tracy did right list'" I tell Mike.
"That's ok Zenia, i think i get your point, please could you leave so i can talk to Tracy" Mike asks.
I smile and leave giving a high five to Gus and Harry. I think Mike might give her a second chance.
•••
Mike did end up giving Tracy a second chance. We were all gathered around a fire as Tracy puts an old letter from her mum into it and we all cheer.
EPISODE 3 - BAD LUCK BOY
Liam and I walk into the kitchen to see Tracy making a boiled egg for Toby and Harry messing around with Jeff.
"Jeff is going to reek so badly" Liam says.
"Four minutes twenty seven!" Toby exclaims. Tracy runs over to the boiling egg and trips over a stool leg making the egg go flying. We all watch the egg fly around the room as Tracy runs after it. Reaching out, her hands clasp around it and we all simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. Tracy places the egg in front of toby and we watch as he opens it. "Perfect" He picks up the salt at proceeds to tip some on his egg. Only for the whole cal to fall off drowning the egg in salt.
"I'll make you another one" Tracy chuckles.
"what's the point i told you that from the day i was born i'm jinxed" Toby replies.
•••
Me, Toby, Liam, Tee and Johnny were all in the garden about to play a game of football to prove that Toby doesn't have bad luck. Me, Tee and Johnny vs Liam and Toby.
"Come on Toby it can't be that hard if Liam can play" I joke earning a playful shove from said boy.
We start playing and my team is winning, because i'm on it obviously, then for the first time Toby gets the ball. He lines himself up and runs toward it kicking his leg forward, he missed. Toby slips right over onto the muddy grass.
"Unbelievable" Liam laughs as Toby runs off.
"Well looks like my team won Liam" I boast. Liam glares at me and the next thing i know he's picked me up and thrown me over his shoulder. I pound my fists against his back.
"Put me down Liam!"
"Nope not until you've learnt not to brag" He laughs.
•••
The next day nearly everyone's read about Tracy's new column 'Bad Luck Boy' all about Toby. They all think it's a laugh but i feel awful for him especially knowing his parents passed away in a car crash.
"Watch out bad luck boy, could have been a black cat" Liam remarks as Toby accidentally walks into a stool.
"Shut up" He replies in a harsh tone.
I hit Liam round his head "Stop it Liam it's not funny"
"Sorry Zen"
Following Toby out the kitchen we walk past many other residence of the household as they make snide remarks about 'Bad Luck Boy'. I glare at them all as they shrink back knowing i'm not joking.
"Toby" Liam starts as we follow Toby up the stairs. I think Liam has finally noticed the effect these word are having on him and wants to apologise.
"We we're just mucking around" Liam says whilst I sit on the end of Toby'a bed. "We didn't mean it"
"We've all had back luck Toby, especially all us in here whats why people try and rip it out of you.
•••
"Ahh" A scream interrupted my thought. I race towards the scream to find Carmen in the bathroom.
"A giant spider! Please get it Zen!" She shouts.
By now a big audience has gathered on the bathroom.
"Calm down Carmen it's not going to hurt you" I try and reason with her.
I peer into the bath tub to see, as imagined, a giant spider. I reach my hands down and quickly clasp them around the spider. I can feel it's legs tickling my palms. I turn around to see everyone watching me. "Are you going to move so i can get rid of the spider currently in my hands" I ask rhetorically.
Making my way through the house with a posse following in my wake, I finally reach the front door and make it to the large Elm tree in the driveway. I crouch down and let the spider crawl out my hand.
"We're you scared?" Carmen asks.
"No of course she wasn't, weren't you Zen" Tee replies to Carmens comment.
I looked over at Toby trying to make him feel better i said "Nope because it's all just in the mind, it only ticked a little bit"
A car pulled up into the drive way. Toby's possible foster parents but when Toby catches sight of them he sprints back into the house. I just casually stroll back in with Carmen.
•••
I am currently hanging out with Liam in his room.
"If you could have any pet, what would you have?" I ask him
"Hmm Id have a dog, i know it's basic but i mean come one who doesn't want a dog. I'd name him Ripjaw or Liam Junior because that sound kind of badass" He replies "What about you?"
"I'll have 2 snakes" I respond "One called Zaylin and one called Draconis. I think my names are more badass then your one" I laugh.
"Snake?"
"Yeah for sure, they're cool"
We both lay down on his bed. I turn to face him. "Do you think anyone would actually want to foster me for life, because it doesn't seem to be going that way"
He scoffs "Of course someone will, who wouldn't want to foster you". I look at him with one raised eyebrow. "You smart, funny, entertaining and also really loyal to those you care about."
I lay my head on his chest. "Thanks Dono"
"No problem Zen"
•••
Toby ended up deciding to not get fostered by the Scotts and i'm glad he did so because otherwise i would have lost my little brother. We are all gathered in the garden playing football together even with Mike joining in. I kick the ball hard and it goes straight through the goal. Everyone cheers as Mike places me on his shoulders.
"Good job Zen, proud of you" he stays as he parades me round the garden. My heart swells at his words. I've always seen Mike as a father figure so hearing those words makes me expediently happy.
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