Chapter Text
“No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again.”
Jack Kornfield
Tommy’s never been good at focusing or paying attention. Teachers always have had to smack his desk to get him to listen to their classes; or even smack him.
It gets worse during long car rides. The scenery going past has always lulled him into a sense of security enough to slip far into the corners of his mind and not come out of it without someone physically shaking him back to reality.
Like now; only, he just now realizes that the 2-and-a-half-hour car ride from Medicine Hat to Drumheller has seemingly ended.
His assigned case worker is in the driver's seat shoving him back and forth by his shoulder saying something obnoxious like “Hey! I'm talking to you.” or “Get your head out of the freaking clouds!” maybe both. But he’s angry. So he scowls at her and rolls his eyes.
He wouldn't be back in this damn car, being dumped back into an incapable adult's grasp like a dog if that stupid cashier didn't call the asshole cops over a loaf of bread! He would still be in Medicine Hat and free from stupid foster care and this stupid city altogether.
When he was younger, say two to five, he thought that when they moved to Canada, like his mum said they would, that his life would be sunshine and yellow roses. He was very wrong.
Tommy takes a breath and pears out the windshield to see that they are in front of a white pristine house with an obnoxious (read: actually kinda cool) forest green door with what seems to be a wreath hanging on it. There are flowers out front in two flowerbeds on both sides of the door. He really hopes they don't expect him to manage it. He’ll wash floors, do the laundry, vacuum, anything, ANYTHING but gardening. He doesn't like the feeling of anything under his nails. He tries to keep them short but dirt gets stuck under them anyways.
He turns his head and sighs. “Let's just get this over with.” before unbuckling his seatbelt and pushing open the door while stretching to get his duffle bag from the back seat. He bought it two years ago after the garbage bag they gave him ripped and his DS and one of his shoes fell out and he had to borrow shoes that were two sizes too small for a week until his case worker brought them back during their visit.
His case worker, Mrs. Goobe or something, looks at him like he just stepped on one of her ten cats; or one of her ugly cardigans. (he doesn't bother with her name, she’ll get tired of him eventually and request that he gets a different worker stating that “We’re just not a great fit.”)
“Did you even hear a word I said??” she snarles. He turns to her slowly and goes “Was it important??” she looks at him like he had slapped her in the face and starts “Of course it wa-!” and he cuts her off
“Didn't think so. Can we go now? I wanna sit down somewhere that doesn’t reek of cat piss.”
She looks stunned, rightfully so, a 16-year-old just shut her down better than her boss does. Ha! Beat that bitch!
He stepped out of the car and shut the door quietly, something you pick up when you're regularly around angry adults prone to lash out. After he heard the driver's side door slam, he saw Mrs. Globe make her way up the driveway, so he shuffled close behind. His nerves made their way up his throat, clawing at his tongue and begging to be released to scream.
They make his head hurt
The sudden thought of his looks brings him to a full stop in front of the steps up to the front door.
He has a black eye from the angry man at his last placement, and a sling around his sprained arm from trying to get away from the police officers who arrested him while saying they'd have to call his social worker back at the station.
He hears Mrs. Gobb shout at him to hurry up, so he shuffles his way up the white wooden steps quickly. He is startled when Mrs. Gone rapped her knuckles on the green door just below the wreath quickly and roughly. Like she is just about ready to kick the door down.
The are audible footsteps seemingly stomping downstairs and then quietly making their way toward the door. The door opens and the inside is nothing like Tommy expected, and it terrifies him.