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We both knew my answer didn’ttihteen

Unless I went to live with Mrs Shields Maybe I could salvage so of my former life if I had some stability

For the first ti time, I had hope

The long walk back to my room didn’t seem like a march to death row for once

I pushed open the door Griff was instantly in my face

“How’d it go? You getting out?”

“Not yet” I hbor is trying to apply to fosterthat application”

Griff held his hand up high and I clasped it, giving hiht”

Eraser gave ood news”

“I’et too excited about it,” I confessed

“I hear you” Eraser nodded “My uncle’s been trying to gethim around”

From what I’d picked up about how the system operated, I assumed his uncle had a criminal record or major health condition Otherwise, the state would be thrilled to drop a kid off with a relative But I didn’t want to pry We shared a lot of information with each other, but some details were just off-limits

“That sucks”

He shrugged

I tried to shove it out of httile-file to the dorm-style bathrooms Only six of us allowed in at a time Eyes forward Use bathroom in front of everyone Don’t make eye contact Three-minute shower Watch my back Brush teeth WatchShuffle into the changing area Slip into ht shirt that scratched my elbows every time I turned over, and another pair of sweatpants Marched back to my room

Fun times

Kids yelled Fights broke out Guards talked shit

I ignored it all, crawled into hts out

Somewhere in his foster care journey Eraser had picked up so, bullshit visualization techniques

Since Griff and I had no idea what he was rauide, forcing us to nas anted for our futures So, after ere all tucked into our bunks and the guards had stopped by toasleep, Eraser expected s I wanted but couldn’t have

“Come on, Roman,” Eraser insisted “I swear this works”

“And yet, you somehow haven’t manifested your ass out of here,” I commented

“I’ the necessary steps to improve my situation”

Fuck if this guy didn’t have an answer for everything

Surprisingly, Griff went along with this oo crap “Keep your negative energy on that side of the rooht over here”

“Peace and light head in the cafeteria when no one was looking”

“That was karmic justice,” Griff said