Triangles

My little outburst in class had earned me an after school detention. I had to sit in a musky science lab for an hour while old people stood above me and nagged me for answers. I didn't have any. I just did it. Nothing caused me to do it, like popularity or peer pressure. In fact, one teacher pointed out I don't have any peers to give me pressure. They started asking if the voices made me do it. I don't hear voices anymore. Unless I've got a knife in my hand and even then it's my own telling me they’re worthless and I can kill them.

A long trudge home follows. I just can't be bothered. I don't want to go back to the hospital just now. It’s still light. I want to run in a meadow and tear apart some grass and jump up and down on insects. Morbid? They try to eat me!

When I get back up to my room, my nurse, Andrew is perched on my bed, an overly cheerful smile draped across his face. I sigh and drop my backpack, wondering what luck is misfortunately coming my way.

"Please don't look so down, Echo!" He says brightly. I glare at him and clench my fists. I'm just not in the mood for talking right now. No way in hell am I talking to anyone right now. They can't make me. "We found you a foster home!"

I blink at him. No way. No way am I moving to a house where people who think they understand can yell at me because they can't grasp the concept that I’m mentally unstable. It's also the perfect opportunity for people younger than me to get out their Halloween masks and stand behind me in the mirror then run away screaming as I grab nail scissors in self defence. I've never worked with homes.

"I know this is a...a form of bad news to you. So this means-" I cut across him.

"The jacket. I get it." I sigh. By my third foster home I kicked and screamed and tried to hurt the people taking me away. I was forced into a straitjacket. It was odd at first but I learned to hate it. Every time I move into a home I have to wear a straitjacket for a few days prior. It’s because it calms me down, slightly. My arms are sore and so achy I can’t be assed with fighting. They won't stop sending me because they think they can find a home to my liking. I highly doubt that. I’d rather be on my own.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart! If I could stop this, I would, but you're so dangerous, we can't risk it." he takes my hand and sits me down next to him. He unties my ponytail and combs his fingers through my hair.

"It's okay. I guess I have to. Who are they?" I ask.

"The Butler family. Their eldest left and they want to fill the hole I guess. Maybe you'll fit in with them!" I cringe at the thought of having a family. Mine doesn't care. Why should anyone else? “Their son, Gavin goes to your school."

"I don't know anyone named Gavin. Let's just get it over and done with." I sighed. Andrew leaves the room so I can get changed into looser clothes. It's better to be wearing loose things when I'm in a jacket. It gives more room to breathe and makes me feel slightly safer. He comes back in with the white jacket and sits me down on my bed.

"Alright. We'll be back in a few hours to check on you. Let me brush out your hair." He helps me into the jacket and buckles it tightly behind my back. My fingers tug and my t-shirt with nothing more to play with. Andrew sits behind me and combs a brush through my hair.

It calms and relaxes me, as my usual bush becomes a river of flowing blue. He strokes it all into that river and ties it up high on my head so it doesn’t annoy me and drive me insane. He pushes my fringe behind my ears and smiles wearily. I don't know why, but slowly, I topple over into his arms and let him embrace me.

"It'll be fine, Echo." He sighs, rocking me back and forth. But it won't be. This foster home will be like all the others. I'll be left to feel weak and useless because no one cares and no one understands. Why can't I be with Sean? He cares and he treats me like a human. I bet his family is lovely too. They'd care. Sean must have amazing parents to be such an amazing person. He's quite beautiful too. But I suppose everyone with peroxide blonde hair and glowing brown eyes hold some hint of beauty in them. Sean’s beauty is more than skin deep. I've never had a friend like him before, one who treats me like I'm no different to every other damn person in this world.

"Alright Echo, on Saturday you can go spend some time with them. I'm going now. See you in a few hours." He stands up and leaves, leaving me cold and open to pain. I sit hunched over, pulling at my t-shirt. Three more days to go until I'm thrown into yet another home of Hell.