Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“I won’t.” A chill raced down her back when a muscled teenager filled the doorway, blocking them.
“You get it?”
“Not yet. She gave it to Bev. She’ll have it by the time we get home from school.” Kate’s hold on Alanna’s shoulder became a stranglehold around her neck as they both watched in amusement at her gasping for air. “Isn’t that right, sis?”
“Yes,” she managed to gasp out.
Kate’s hold around her neck immediately loosened. “See? I told you I have it under control.”
“You better,” he warned. “I don’t want to be disappointed like I was last night.”
“I made it up to you, didn’t I?” Kate cooed. “Let’s go eat before Bev comes up here to see what’s taking so long.”
A smile crossed her foster brother’s lips that always turned her stomach into knots, and Owen didn’t move away from the doorway.
“Why should if I care if the stupid bitch comes up here? She’s going to kick us out of here in a couple of days, anyway. What’s a couple of days going to matter?”
A sigh of impatience came from Kate. “I’ve told you before why we don’t want to cause trouble. Play smart, and you never get caught. Stupidity will get you caught every time. It’s why you were in four different foster homes before you met me. Now, move. I’m hungry.”
Owen moved aside, but not before giving Alanna a promissory look. “When I get home, you better have my money,” he threatened.
His money?
Too frightened and timid to assert herself, Alanna could only give him a fearful nod. Owen’s bullying behavior had been gradually worsening the closer he was to aging out of the system. The last couple of days, she had practically been quaking in her shoes every time she heard him in the house, terrified of what he would do.
“I’ll ask for it back.”
Owen didn’t appear appeased by her assurance, but at least he lost the scary look, which was habitually on his face when he looked at her.
She meekly walked alongside them to go downstairs while her stomach churned, expecting at any second for Owen to jerk her into any of the rooms they had to pass.
When they entered the kitchen, Mrs. Fields turned from doing the dishes, taking in their expressions as they took their chairs. She fixed them a plate then turned back to her dishes, so she missed Owen taking two of her French toast sticks, leaving her with only one.
She slowly ate the small amount of food left for her without speaking up and telling on the much older teen. And, not wanting to ride to school with Kate, she ignored the kicks under the table for her to hurry up and gripped her fork tighter at the sudden blare of a car horn from outside.
“Let’s go, Alanna.” Kate stood up from the table expectantly.
Mrs. Fields turned from the sink. “Go ahead, Kate.” Moving to the stove, her foster mother carried a platter of French toast to the table to place three more on Alanna’s plate. “I’m sure Owen wouldn’t mind a ride to school; it’ll save him from being late again.”
Unfazed by the heated glare Owen turned on her, Mrs. Fields gave him a stony glance, showing him she was unmoved by his bullying behavior. “Unless you get your diploma, you won’t qualify for the transition housing your caseworker found for you.”
Alanna could see Owen biting back what he wanted to say. Instead, he jerked himself to his feet and carried his dirty dishes to the sink.
Kate jumped to her feet at the sound of the dishes crashing inside the sink.
Scarfing down the food once Kate and Owen had left, Alanna started to rise from the table with her empty plate in hand.
“There’s no need to rush.” Mrs. Fields gave her a gentle smile. “Your caseworker is coming by for a visit. She wants to have a chat with you.”
Feeling the color drain from her cheeks, she shakily sat back down. “You’re sending me back to the group home?”
Mrs. Fields covered her trembling hand with hers. “Only for a few days, until Kate and Owen leave.”
“I don’t understand.” Alanna stared at the older woman in confusion.
“I’ve been taking care of children in my home long enough to know when something isn’t right. I can see you becoming more terrified of Kate and Owen every day, so I think it’s best if you move to a group home until they are moved into their new housing.”
Alanna didn’t know whether to be relieved or become more frightened. Even when they moved out, they would still know where to find her when she returned to Mrs. Fields’s house, which school she went to. They were going to be furious about the birthday money, and not having someone to do their bidding when she was unfortunate enough to be around them. They knew she was afraid of them, and they wouldn’t give up without a fight. They fed on her terror, so they would starve until they found someone new to take advantage of. And when they went hungry, no one was safe.