Hi! Welcome to another story! So I don't know what ATL's tour schedule looks like for most of 2018 so I'm making it up as I go. Enjoy!
Avery L.
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My mom once told me that love is a funny thing. It comes in many shapes, sizes and forms. And quite often it sneaks up on you. She said the same thing about soulmates. Sometimes they're platonic and sometimes romantic. Soulmates are simply someone with whom you share a very strong bond. A connection you don't have with anyone else. She died of Lung Cancer when I was ten. Three months later my dad drank himself to death. It hurt and I cried a lot. But four and a half years later I've made my peace with it. I have many pictures and few vague memories and although it still hurts I know that death is a part of life.
"Girls! I'm giving you ten minutes before I come up there with the spray bottle." Allison yelled up the stairs. All eight of us that shared the attic groaned in unison. You could practically hear her roll her eyes. Allison owns the group home. Fifteen of us lived there. Eight girls and seven boys. At fifteen I was right between the oldest and the youngest.
Sighing heavily I threw my blanket off and sat up. I stretched and then stood. I bent and touched my toes before walking over to my little plastic, three drawer dresser. I pulled out a pair of pale green jeans, a navy shirt with the Eiffel tower on it and clean underwear before rushing to the communal bathroom. I stripped and hopped into the shower. While I did that Haley brushed her teeth and Jaz washed her face. Suddenly Jaz poked her into the shower.
"Hurry up, Anna. Apparently someone is coming to meet us all." I quickly rinsed my hair and shut the water off. I wrapped a towel around my waist and Jaz stripped and got in the shower. Here at the group home we have no qualms about seeing each other naked or sharing literally anything.
I dried off, got dressed and quickly began to run hair gel through my wet curls. I grabbed the blow dryer and the diffuser and flipped my hair down. Before I had finished with my hair Jaz was out of the shower and Haley was getting in. I decided my hair was dry enough and threw it up into a bun. I applied a small bit of foundation to hide my acne, mascara to make my eyes pop and lipstick because it looks good. I left the bathroom and dug around in my small jewelry box for a pair of small white rose earrings, and two rings. I had one with a small ruby stone that I wore on my right ring finger and a silver one with two dragonflies on it that I wore on my left middle finger. They belonged to my mom. I then grabbed my pastel pink hoodie, shoved my feet into my grey combat boots and headed down stairs. Leo, my best friend, was waiting at the bottom of the staircase. He was back to me so I skipped down the stairs and jumped on his back. He stumbled forward.
"Morning Leo!" He rolled his eyes.
"Morning." Leo had been there longest. At sixteen(technically seventeen. his birthday was just a little over a week away) he was tall and gangly with wavy black hair and stormy grey eyes. His skin was pale and he had a splash of freckles across his cheeks and nose. I loved it.
"What do you think? Is today your lucky day?" I asked.
"You and I both know that no one wants a seventeen year old, Annie." He's the only person I let call me Annie.
"Fine, Mr. Negative. When you get kicked out next year you can adopt me and we'll live together." Leo chuckled.
"Maybe today will be your lucky day."
"Mm. Somehow I doubt that." I hopped of his back and walked into the dining room. Leo followed. Were the last ones in. Everyone one else was already eating. We sat down and poured ourselves bowls of rice crispies. They were cheap to buy in bulk so that was the standard breakfast.
"You excited for your birthday?" Leo asked around a mouthful of cereal. I shrugged.
"I guess." Before Leo could respond Allison stood up.
"Good morning." There was faint chorus of good mornings before she continued, "There is a gentleman coming to meet you this morning. He-"
"Just a guy?" Jaz asked.
"Yes."
"Gee what could possibly go wrong with having a kid live with a single guy? That doesn't have rape or anything written all over it." Jaz scoffed.
"As always we have thoroughly examined him and his life. We spoke with family, friends, coworkers. We have heard all good things. We did background checks. I can with absolute certainty that he would be an acceptable caregiver. He will be here in an hour so I want you all on your best behavior. And if you all behave we'll have pizza for supper." Allison smiled at the excitement the idea of pizza instilled. Pizza was a rare and wonderful treat. Allison sat back down. Soft chatter broke out, and the gentle clatter of spoons against bowls were familiar and wonderful. I finished my cereal and pushed my bowl back.
"Any big plans for this afternoon?" I asked Leo.
"Nope. But I have to work at four." I hummed in response. The doorbell disturbed all conversation and the room fell silent. Allison stood and walked out into the entryway. A few minutes later she came back followed by two men. The first was tall and lanky with dark hair and brown eyes. The other was a bit shorter than the first with possibly the whitest teeth I'd ever seen.
"Kids this is Mr. Jack Barakat and his friend Mr. Dawson. Mr. Barakat is the one who is considering adoption and Mr. Dawson is just here to talk with me." As always all fifteen of us stood and said, with wide smiles,
"Good morning Mr. Barakat." He laughed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his(amazing) leather jacket.
"Call me Jack." He said with a warm smile. Allison motioned for us to sit and we complied. Jack walked over and took a seat between Jamie S. and Leo right across from me.
"What are your names?" Jamie, who at the time was only ten and very shy, spoke first, surprisingly.
"I'm Jamie." He took a new interest in his cornflakes and wouldn't make eye contact with anyone.
"I'm Annalise." I offered him a smile.
"That's pretty name. How old are you?"
"Fourteen." Jack nodded, then looked at Leo. "What about you?"
"I'm Leo. I'm a week away from being seventeen." Leo mumbled and began gently stirring the milk in the bottom of his bowl.
"I wish we could keep talking, but I want to talk with everyone else before I half to go." I nodded, but Leo and Jamie ignored him. Jack pushed his chair away from the table and stood. He looked back at me and smiled again, "I like your shirt."
Despite the fact that we barely spoke two words to each other I knew there was something special about him. And the longer I knew him the more I realized just how right I was.