Chapter 1. Hope
Hope's POV
My name is Hope Williams. I'm 17 years old and a foster kid. This means that I have moved more times than I can count. I have been to so many schools that it's a little overwhelming to think about it. The thing is that this has always made me a target at school. I have been injured more times than I can count. I have had broken bones, concussions, needed stitches, etc. I wish that school was the worst part of my day, but it's not. My foster parents hate me and I have no idea why. I get good grades, I don't smoke pot like most kids my age and I don't drink. You're probably wondering how I ended up as a foster kid, right? Well, I was found, when I was 5 wandering around town, filthy and had dried blood and wounds all over my body. There was a note pinned to my jacket. It only had the basic information for me that it could. It simply stated "My name is Hope Brooke Williams. I am 5. My birthday is 05/23/2007." I was taken to the hospital, and they found that I had been starved, beaten, and tortured. I remember being hurt and whipped and hungry, but that is all I can remember. I have been in foster care ever since.
"Hurry up you stupid little b***h, you have to walk to school. "I'm not taking you again!" Patricia, my foster mother, yelled at me.
'Ok, I was just going to grab something to eat if it's OK? I am getting paid by the diner tonight after my shift and I can pay you back." Oh, please say yes, I hope with my fingers crossed. This is the only foster home where I have been responsible for my food and clothes. She does give me my hygiene items because she doesn't want to smell me or have to take me to the dentist.
"What? You know that I am not wasting my money and food on you. But, I can't have you telling people that I starve you. Don't think I forgot about the last time she was here, and you tried to tell her that I mistreated you. We both know I treat you better than you deserve. "You may have a pack of noodles, but you better give me the money when you get back tonight."
"Thank you, Mrs. Paterson, I will give you the money as soon as I get home." Oh crap, I can't believe I just said that! Now I'm going to get it when Monty gets word of this. Monty Paterson is a disgusting man. He makes me uncomfortable. He is always staring at my body. You see, I am not ugly as much as that would be my luck. I am 5'4" with an hourglass frame. I have perky full breasts and a bubble butt. My hair is naturally deep brown and waist-length. My lips are full but not overly full like most of the girls in my grade. I have deep green eyes and creamy white skin. I'm not supposed to call this house my home. Monty hates it. He says that just because he is being paid for me to rent the room, aka the state support they get for letting me live here, doesn't mean it's my home. When he hears about this, I'm going to be in massive trouble. The first time that I said it he had grabbed my hair so hard that I had a headache, and I'm fairly certain that I had a bald spot for a while. He had also broken my wrist and I had to be in a cast for almost a month. It was supposed to be longer than that. However, I have always healed fast. I guess I had that going for me.
"What did you just say? You know that you are staying here until your birthday and then you are out. This is not your "home", is that understood?" Patricia snarled at me.
"I know I'm sorry it won't happen again. "I'll be gone this weekend because I'll finally be 18 and away from you and your pervert of a husband!" I yelled back at her with a roll of my eyes. I know that this is going to cost me my noodles, but God, I hate her.
"Fine, since you are going to be so ungrateful, you can wait for lunch at school. Leave now, before you are late."
I didn't hang my head or let on how much her taking the food was going to affect me. I won't let her win like that. I held my head high and walked to school. This b***h is not going to win only a few more days until I am out of here. I can always get something from Bre at school. She is the best like that. She is my only friend and the one person that I can always count on when I'm having a bad day.
