Life, Love, and the Foster Home

[Bryce]

"BRYCE! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" That would be his foster mother, Carla. He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Stupid woman..." he says as he goes down the stairs, he looks at his Carla, expressionless.
He crosses his arms, "What do you want woman?"
She glared at him, "For starters I want you to show a little respect." This made Bryce scoff however she continued, "Anywho, We have a new foster brat coming to live with us."
This made Bryce raise an eyebrow, "Another one? Jesus woman... we already have 6 kids living here. And did you talk to Richard about this?"
She looked pissed now, "Its none of your concern what I talk about with my husband!"
Once again Bryce rolled his eyes, this time making sure she saw, a slight smirk spread across his face, "Whatever you say lady. Anywho, what is your point?"
Carla pinched the bridge of her nose, "I want you to make that other bed that is in your room for her..."
He arched an eyebrow again, "Her? But isn't -"
She snapped, "Bryce I don't have time to argue! Now will you just do it!?!"
Once again Bryce scoff and headed up the stairs, "Whatever woman I will make the damn bed."
Right now this was like a game to Bryce... seeing how mad he can get her till she explodes... and her idiotic husband. Bryce was the oldest foster kid there. All the other kids looked up to him, and honestly he adored them... they were pretty much his family. He always protected them from their foster parents wrath... now he must protect a new one...

 

[Alison]

Cheyenne stared out the window as the car drove her to her third foster home she would be living in. She wasn't sure if it would be temporary or permanent yet, but that's how most of her life was now: undetermined. She sighed and fidgeted with the hem of her dress that she was forced to wear by her social worker, and she hummed a soft melody.
Cheyenne had been warned about the new foster home she was heading towards. Everyone said that there was a lot of children, but the one to fear the most was the oldest one. All they had told her about him was that he was a little older than her, and that he didn't like new people.
Cheyenne stared at the house as they pulled into the drive and she hesitated before reaching for the doorknob. She stepped out slowly and took her small bag, slipping it over her shoulder and followed Karen, her social worker, to the front door. As the front door opened, Cheyenne hid behind Karen shoulder nervously before she stepped into the warm house. Although she could obviously feel the heat on, her cold body still forced a shiver to run down her spine.
Cheyenne followed the two women into the living room where she saw an older guy and then six kids or teenagers sitting around for standing. She immediately caught sight of a small girl, about the age of seven, with a bright yellow sundress on and white sandals playing with a puzzle.

 

[Bryce]

Just as Bryce finished her bed he heard Carla say in a sweet voice, "Bryce sweetie, will you come in here please?"
Bryce rolled his eyes before walking into the room. He looked at her, "Yeah?"
She gestured over to Cheyenne, "This is Cheyenne, the lovely girl that will be bunking with you."
Bryce looked down at her with his dark grey eyes. A small smile appeared on his face and he held his hand out for her to shake, "Nice to meet you Cheyenne. My name is Bryce."

 

[Alison]

Cheyenne looked at Bryce and then down at his hand. She felt her body freeze up and she just started downward at his hand. She felt Karen nudge her back, edging her towards Bryce to shake his hand. She held out her small, shaky hand and felt his wrap around hers. She flinched slightly but not noticeable to anyone who wasn't paying attention. As soon as his grip loosened on her hand, she pulled it away and dropped it to her side.
"I-I'm C-Cheyenne,"she says quietly, staring towards her feet. She took a small breath and listened as Carla, as she introduced herself, introduced her to the rest of the five children and her husband, Richard. They all seemed nice, but Cheyenne had already learned the hard way not to judge the book by the cover. She had been through plenty of foster homes already and knew better than anyone that the first impression doesn't matter.
All the foster homes she had been in started exactly like this, but they all ended completely different than this. She sighed softly to herself and tapped her toe on the floor quietly.

 

[Bryce]

Richard gave a slight smirk as he crossed his arms, "By the way beware of Bryce. He is known to be a trouble maker."
Bryce gave Richard a slight scowl, "Am not."
And 8 year old blonde haired boy spoke up. He looked at Cheyenne, " He really isn't. He is a good guy once you get to know him."
"Bryce, will you please grab Cheyenne's bags and put is into the room."
He nods slightly and takes her bags, "Come on I will show you where are room is." He said as he started walking.

 

[Alison]

Cheyenne hesitated to follow Bryce but after seeing "the look" she was receiving by Karen, she immediately followed him to the back room she had to share with him. It was a good size room, and it gave her plenty of room to put her small things, and it gave them plenty of room between the two beds.
Thankfully, she didn't see anything that looked too alarming or anything to be too nervous or scared about, but she still was nervous about sharing a room with Bryce.
As Cheyenne turned around to sit her bag on the bed, her sleeve slipped up and she quickly pulled it back down before Bryce could see the marks and scars that were all over her arms.
As she sat the bag on her but without saying anything, Cheyenne rummaged through her few things and found a picture frame of a small boy and her in it. She sat the frame on a nightstand beside her bed and looked at it for only a second before shutting her bag closed again.

 

[Bryce]

Bryce helped her put her things away, his expression as he did this. As he helped he glanced over at her, and cleared his throat, "If I were you I would watch out with Richard and Carla... they may seem kind right now... but that will change within a few days. They are not pleasant people."

 

[Alison]

"I'm starting to think no one is pleasant anymore.."she says slowly. "Thanks for helping me with my bags,"she says not looking up at him. She glanced to the side a bit in his direction."So what are the rules? Every house I've been to so far has had their own sets of rules, so what's the rules for here?"
Cheyenne clears her throat slightly and coughs. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and sat her bag beside her bed, staring at him from across the room, but not quite making eye contact.
"And curfew? Lights out? I don't want to get in trouble or anything.. I just want to make sure first,"she says fumbling with her over sweater.

 

[Bryce]

Bryce sighs then looks at her, " Well... they aren't very rule oriented... but as long as we do retarded chores you should be fine... Plus there is one thing you should know, yes I do get in trouble with those to idiots... just because I defend myself and the other foster kids... now that includes you."

 

[Alison]

"You don't have to defend me. I can take care of myself. I've done it for as long as I can remember so I'll be fine thanks,"she says rather harshly. She hears their names being called from downstairs and she sighs, following him down the stairs.
She looked around and saw a few of the kids still playing in the living room and Carla and Richard in the kitchen.
"Hi,"Cheyenne says quietly as she sits down across from them afraid she was getting in trouble.

 

[Bryce]

Richard came back with a whole bottle of whiskey smirk, "What were you brats doing?"
Bryce followed after Cheyenne and had his arms crossed. He smirked, "We were making a bonfire in our room. What the hell do you think we were doing?"
Richard grit his, "What did I tell you about watching that tongue of yours boy?"
Bryce scoffed, "How many times do I have to tell you I care what you say?"
Richard just then got in his face, "You know what boy?... I am tired of your shit. You're lucky I don't-"
Just then Bryce let out a short laugh and moved Richard a few inches away from him, "Just what old man? Hit me? Haven't you tried this numerous times?" Just then Bryce gave all the kids a look and the ran off into their rooms.

 

[Alison]

Cheyenne watched the two afraid they would start fighting and she started to get scared. She backed up against the counter slowly and she watched the kids run to their rooms. She saw them look back with fear in their eyes which only made Cheyenne more scared and nervous.
"M-maybe we should just g-go?"she asks nervously as she saw the alcohol being swallowed in Richards throat. She gulped and felt her body start to shake as she became more scared of what he would do to Bryce or even her.

 

[Bryce]

Bryce looked over his shoulder at Cheyenne, "You should just go into the room. I'll take care of it." He glared back at Richard. They were glaring at each other for quit some time now then finally Richard let out a sigh, "Eh... I am not going to waste my time on you..." he said walking over to his wife.
Bryce scoffed, "Pathetic..."
Carla scowled, "Watch you mouth."
He turned his back to them, "Oh bite me woman." And with that he walked out of the room with Cheyenne allowed her to enter first then he slammed the door behind him.

 

[Alison]

Cheyenne jumped at the sound of the door slamming behind her and she stepped out of the young man's way as he stomped through the room to his side of the bed. She tensed up slightly and sat at the end of her bed.
"Are you okay?"she whispered quietly, unsure if he even heard her. She pulled her small body in the middle of her bed and pulled her knees up to her chest in an attempt to stay quiet in the room with an angry teenager.
Cheyenne glanced over at him and she pulled the covers over her legs as she shivered a bit, her small body freezing.

 

[Bryce]

Bryce plopped down on his bed, he didn't say anything for a moment, he waited until his anger dissolved which didn't take long. He looked over at her and smirked slightly, leaning back in his bed with his hands behind his head. He still looked at her, "Yeah I am fine. I am use to that kind of stuff... Are you ok?"

 

[Alison]

Cheyenne didn't say anything at first but she sighed and laid her head back a onto her soft pillow."Why?"she asks abruptly."I'm fine. It doesn't matter. Why do you care?"she asks staring up at the ceiling.
She sighed and sneezed a little, yawning and wiping her eye with her hand tiredly."So how long have you been here? Are any of the kids your actual siblings?"

 

[Bryce]

He shrugged, "Just curious," then she suddenly asked him if he had any siblings and how long he has been here, which made him look at her again, " I have been here for a whole year... And no none of them are my siblings. However I do have an older sister who is in college in Kentucky... She is actually suppose to be visiting me in a few days."

 

[Alison]

"That's cool. A whole year... wow,"she says sighing. Cheyenne starts to wonder if she would ever find a foster home where she'd be at permanently or for at least more than a few weeks. She yawned again."How old are the rest of the kids? I didn't get to meet them... Or even know their names."
Cheyenne sighed and glanced over at him and met his gaze for a split second but quickly turned her head away again. Although they had only looked at each other for a few seconds it seemed like forever just staring st him. It felt like he was staring right past her fake smiles and forced laughter and looking straight into her soul and seeing all the pain she had ever felt.

 

[Bryce]

Bryce then sat up at her. He could see her pain... that split second they made eye contact he could see all the pain. His expression remained emotionless, "If you want we can go into their room and I will introduce them to you."

 

[Alison]

"I don't want to wake them up if they're sleeping,"she thinks for a moment."I suppose we could,"she says sitting up and crawling out of her bed. She follows him out of their room and to the kids room and she sees all this kids awake for the most part playing.