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“I have so at a convenience store Twice Not a big deal, but Aether said they’d help s around in his jacket, then pulls out what arette “Well, it’d be nice to not sleep on the streets any have you been on the streets?” Adauy inon his wife, which was gross ’cause she was totally old He told the social worker I stole froured I was better off onin abandoned buildings gets old after a while” He lights his cigarette and inhales sharply “Aether can set me up for life Freedom and security That’s what I want”

I totally understand that desire—it’s behind everything I do too The others look at e of nificant compared to all of theirs And I’ve spent the last ten years keepingpersonal tucked deep inside me where no one can see it I don’t kno to show that side of e and become a social worker,” I say Zoe jerks her head up, and Chris raises his eyebrows

“Why?” Trent asks, incredulous

I knohy they’re so surprised Most social workers are dicks or, worse, idiots They don’t give a shit about the kids they’re supposed to help, or maybe they’re just so overworked they can’t actually find tiive a shit But they’re not all like that

“When I was seven I was put in foster care I was scared and injured, and I had no one But the social worker who helped me, she actually cared She ood ho bad would happen todid” My eyes tear up a little—from the wind, I tell myself—and I blink the water away “Of course, it didn’t last She disappeared,But if it weren’t for her, I don’t knoould have happened to me I just want to be that person for some other kid”

My head drops I’ my soul out on the table like that The others are silent, all staring ata dream like that, but instead Chris lifts his soda in a toast

“You’ll be a great social worker,” he says, and Zoe nods Adam squeezes oal,” Trent adds

Their words make my chest ache, and I duck my head so they can’t see the emotion in my eyes or the redness offorward “Why are you here?”

It’s the question I’ve been pondering myself, ever since I first saw Ada before and he never answered ot to the future I was too distracted with everything else going on to ask hiain But I can tell it’s been on Chris’sat Adaet to this point

Adalasses “My ht now, and I’ve been working two jobs to pay the bills I’ve had to postpone going back to school and gave up my scholarships so I could take care of her But Aether said they’d get her soo back to school They even offered me an internship with theuessfor them”

Sounds like his uess it makes sense he wouldn’t want to talk about it before I reami She clearly means a lot to him, and it must hurt a lot to see her like that

“What about your father?” Chris asks

“He left when I was five, started a new family in Florida I’m the only one my mom has”