|7|

I woke up the next morning to the smell of something delicious. I threw on an oversized hoodie that came down to my mid thighs and remembered the way to get back downstairs. When I did, I walked straight into the kitchen to find the source of the wonderful scent diffusing throughout the house. Ms Orti- Azalea, was making something at the stove. "Morning Alice, it's a lovely day today, the sun is shining." I agreed with her, sitting down at the island while she cooked.

"The kids don't know that you're staying with us yet, but they all seemed to like you when they met you, so that's good." I knitted my eyebrows together in confusion, "How long will I be staying here for?" Azalea sighed, "Honestly niña, I have no idea. We had taken a break from fostering kids for a few months a while ago. Sometimes they were here for days, sometimes months, and even years. Unfortunately, I don't know how long you're here. As you're 16, you're not old enough to leave the system yet. You can still be put up for adopted, but I don't think the state will as you're so close to being 18. The older you are, the less likely you are to be adopted.

On a brighter note, I think that you'll be here for a while. Currently, they have no reason to move you from under our care until you're old enough to leave and live by yourself." I nodded, breathing out a sigh of relief. At least I won't be moved from person to person like an unwanted doll. "Madre!" I heard a familiar voice call from behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see Julieta bounding towards her mother, a huge smile on her face.

I felt sad that I couldn't do that with my mother anymore. "Julieta, can you get your sister please?" Azalea asked. Julieta bounded off back upstairs while Azalea slid a plate towards me. "This is a speciality of my mother, not quite as good as hers

but I think it will suffice" Her eyes almost twinked under the lights. I heard tiny footsteps behind me and then I saw Juana, looking as adorable as ever.

Mr Alvarez came in after after her, smiling from ear to ear. "Morning, mi amor, and Alice." I gave him a small smile. "The breakfast was lovely, Azalea, thank you." Azalea nodded and looked to Mr Alvarez. "Alice is our new foster kid, she'll be here for a good while." Mr Alvarez turned back to me. "In that case, welcome. You don't have to call me Mr Alvarez out of school."

"Alice, Alice!" I was sitting in my new room, trying to write a letter to my birth mom, if I will ever find her. Adella came rushing in, her wild curly dark hair flying everywhere. "A boy is here for you!" She came upto me and grabbed my hand, pulling me from my desk and out of my room, towards the kitchen, once we were in there, she let go of my hand and sat down at the window seat. I looked to the boy in the kitchen, he was facing away from me, but I could immediately tell who it was.

Soren White.