"We're here." My attention is snatched by the blonde and our eyes meet in the rear view mirror. "This is your last shot kid. Just, give them a try okay? You're their first ever foster kid. They're probably as scared as you are." I scoff and turn my gaze onto my fiddling hands. "Yeah, sorry, you don't get scared anymore." She adds sarcastically. "But I'm being serious, I don't want to see you end up in a group home."
"I don't wanna be in a group home." I mumble bitterly. Group homes suck, they're filled with snot nosed kids who think they deserve the world, and also think that they can take your stuff. Heck nah, my shit stays with me. Sarah smiles sympathetically.
"I know, that's why you need to try and make this work. Do you promise you'll try?" I sigh and lift my eyes up to meet hers.
"I try." I say with a shrug causing her to grin.
"Then let's go."
We saunter up the porch steps, my backpack slung over my shoulder and my case in Sarah's hand. When we reach the light blue door I get to press the doorbell, yes, I am five, deal with it, and it's opened by a man. A very, very tall man. I take an involuntary step back and stare up at him. His bright blue eyes contrast against his dark, shoulder length locks, his shoulders were wide and biceps thick and, is that a metal arm? He smiles brightly at us and steps onto the porch.
"Hey, you must be Ms Cook." He says, holding a hand out to the blonde who takes it and shakes it firmly.
"Please call me Sarah. Is Mrs Barnes in?"
"Oh yes," He turns to face into the house "Nat, there here!" Not seconds later the sound of hurried footsteps fills the air and a small woman appears. She's nowhere near as talk as Mr Barnes but she still stands a good few inches above me, her pale skin making her big green eyes pop along with her long auburn locks cascading down her back. A slim hand reaches out towards the social worker who again accepts it quickly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Sarah." Her voice holds a lightness to it, almost like a song. I recognise it.
"Likewise Mrs Barnes." The red head smiles, a genuine smile.
"Please just call me Natasha." She releases Sarah hand and turn to look at me.
"And you must be Martha-Anne. it's really nice to meet you." I visibly cringe and Sarah attempts to stifle a laugh.
"I don't go by that." I say quickly. "It Mackenzi, or Max."
"Oh I'm sorry, it just said on your file-"
"Yeah," I cut her off "that's the name the orphanage gave me. I'm Max."
"Well, hello Max, I'm Natasha and this is my husband Bucky." I nod at both of them. Sarah clears her throat.
"Well I have to say, we don't usually give new time foster parents children like Max but I am so thankful that you agreed to take her in. it should be an excellent learning experience for all of you." An awkward silence falls over us for a few seconds so Sarah clears her throat. "Well, I'll be off, let you get settled in." She turns to me with a smile. "I'll be back in one week. And for the love of God, be good." I nod and smile back at her.
"I'll try." I promise causing her smile to grow as she climbs into the car. the engine roars to life and she pulls out of the drive way, waving as she leaves.
I stare after the car for a moment, unwilling to turn around. Please be different.
"We were just about to make lunch if you'd like to join us." Bucky (they said Bucky right?) says from behind me.
"Sounds good." I respond nonchalantly, not turning around.
"Well, why don't you come on in? We can show you to your room." Natasha. I slowly turn on my heel and look at the two of them.
"Yeah, whatever." I sling my backpack onto my shoulder and pick up my other bag before Bucky can. Natasha smiles and pushes open the door, gesturing me to step through, which I do with little to no thought, and I end up standing in a spacious living room. The walls were a light cream colour with brown accents and furniture. A tall log styled fire place stands on the opposite wall facing a brown leather two seater sofa with a small coffee table in the centre. Along the wall with the door there was a larger sofa places under the window which sat facing the flat screen tv over the opposite side. on each side of the tv there were two symmetrical book cases, one filled with books and movies, the other filled with pictures and objects which must hold some sort of meaning to the couple. Bucky walks past me and heads towards the stairs directly in front of the door.
"We'll give you a tour later if you'd like, but I'm sure you want to put those bags down somewhere." He says standing on the bottom step. I nod and move closer to the stairs, following him up. He walks along the hall and stops in front of a white door with a chalk board in the middle.
"This is your room." He says, pushing the door open. I smile awkwardly and step passed him, taking in the sight.
The walls are painted a light blue with the ceiling a darker shade than the rest of the room. A king sized bed was pushed into the far corner, laying under the window on the left, opposite a black wooden closet paired with a bookcase in the same colour. Desk sits in the corner in front of the door with a chair pushed under it. Natasha steps in after me and leans on the wall.
"It's not finished, you can decorate however you want." I turn to face her and she smiles. "Do you like the colour? We can repaint. Or we can put up some posters. Oh! We can go shopping!!" Bucky takes a step closer and places a hand on the petite red heads shoulder.
"Why don't we let the kid settle in." He smiles and glances over at me. "I'll go start lunch. You like Pancakes?" I nod slowly, is he really asking my opinion? Damn. Bucky nods and leaves the room, trekking down the stairs. Natasha smiles brightly.
"I'll leave you to get settled, lunch will be ready soon." I nod and she leaves. I throw my bag on the bed and shrug off my backpack, opening the former and pulling out my folded clothes. Well I guess these go in here, I pull open the closet doors and look at the space inside. Jesus Christ, they want me to fill this? I have three shirts, one pair of jeans and a pair of joggers. I have 2. Wait what? What happened to my other bra? I rip through my bag unable to find the other one. Well shit, lost that one. I pull the rest of my stuff out and shove it in the bottom of the closet, closing the doors.
"Max! Lunch is ready!" A voice yells from downstairs. I sling my backpack under the bed and shove my phone in my pocket, leaving the room, taking the stairs two at a time.
I turn left at the bottom of the stairs and end up in the kitchen where the two adults are standing over a stove. I lean awkwardly against the door frame and watch the two for a moment, trying to figure out their dynamic. Well, obviously there's the height difference. They both seem tense but relaxed at the same time, moving around each other in some sort of silent harmony, exchanging the occasional smile as they chopped various fruits. A small smile creeps onto my face, maybe this won't be so bad. Bucky glances over his shoulder and shoots me a grin.
"Hey kid, come on over, we're loading up." I take a step towards the pair.
"I'm gonna say okay and hope that wasn't a murder joke." Natasha's laugh fills the air. It's soft, melodious, I'm sure I've heard it before. I brush away the thought and look over the food options, there were pancakes like were promised and an assortment of fruits and vegetables along with multiple jars of jelly's and spreads.
"Help yourself." Natasha says while shoving a plate into my hands, already piling hers up. I attentively place two pancakes on my plate and add some fruit to the mix, picking up one of the forks on the counter.
"We usually eat at the table but we can eat in the living room if you'd feel more comfortable." Bucky says, I shrug and keep my eyes down.
"Which ever. I don't mind." Natasha moves silently to the table and pulls out a chair and sits down.
"Might as well not break tradition." She says with a shrug. Bucky sits in the seat next to her while I sit opposite them, picking occasionally at my lunch in the silence.
Once everybody's plates are cleared a steady conversation starts up.
"So you were born in Russia?" Natasha asks, refilling her glass of water. I nod taking a sip of my own.
"Yeah, whoever was in charge of me over there but me in a cargo van, sent me to the states. No name, no nothing. Just a locket with a picture of a hand in it. Which I lost. Ever since then, I've been Martha-Anne, foster kid. I made a name for myself. All the experienced foster parents know not to foster Mackenzi Hart. I'm sure you've been told that." Bucky shifts slightly in his seat and locks his eyes on mind.
"We have been."
"Then why didn't you listen? Why take in the kid with a criminal record?"
"Because I used to be a kid with a record to." The redhead says my attention snapping to her. She straightens up and leans over the table. "I don't want a kid who will roll over at the slightest command. I want a kid that can fight back, that can take a bullet and run with it, I want a kid like you Max, strong, resilient, a kid who can keep up with us. You're perfect for us kiddo. And we want you to stay, be comfortable here, and maybe one day, be our daughter." This is. That's too much. I stand abruptly, pushing the chair loudly across the wooden floor.
"May I be excused?" I ask, running up the stairs as soon as Bucky begins to nod his head. Too much.
I flop down on my bed once I reach my room. God this is soft. I pull out my phone and check through the messages, clicking on the group chat.
Tigger
Hola humanoids.
Egomaniac
Hey kid
Green
Why aren't you at school?
Robin hood
Leave the kid alone
Tigger
Yeah, leave me alone!
Green
Your education is important!
Tigger
Hey! I don't need it. I'm smart!
Egomaniac
GPA?
Tigger
3.8
Green
Woah.
That's nearly as smart as Bruce Banner
Tigger
Yeah well, I throw myself into
my studies instead of dealing
with me problems okay?
Egomaniac
Well, that's understandable.
How come you're still in high school?
With a brain like yours you could
be changing the world!
Tigger
What like Tony Stark? Yeah right.
Egomaniac
Why wouldn't you wanna
be like Tony Stark?
He's a genius and may I mention,
deviously handsome.
Tigger
Keep it in your pants big boy.
I meant I couldn't deal with being
in the media all the time.
I like my privacy.
Green
But still, you could graduate now
Get a job, earn money.
Tigger
Eh, that sounds like a lot of work.
I think I'll just keep skipping school.
Spider
You wanna rethink that answer?
Tigger
Oh hi! I-I didn't see you there spider!
How's it going?
Spider
Why aren't you in school?
Tigger
There's no point.
Spider
Hmm.
Spider has opened private chat with 'Tigger'
Spider
What's wrong kid?
Tigger
What makes you think somethings wrong?
Spider
Call it mother's intuition.
Now speak to me spider baby.
Tigger
It's nothing really...
Spider
Is it the polar bear again?
Tigger
No, turns out that having a polar bear
in the house isn't safe so they took him away
Spider
So, where are you now?
I'm assuming they deemed the polar bear
infested house too unsafe to live in.
Tigger
Some foster home.
They seem nice but, I don't wanna jinx it.
Spider
You're in the system?
Tigger
It's really not obvious?
Spider
I had no idea kid. I'm so sorry.
Tigger
It's cool. It's not something I talk about.
A gently knock on the door pulls my attention away from the screen. I shove it under my pillows and grab a book standing on the bedside table, opening it to a random page.
"Come in." The door pushes open slowly, silently and Bucky's head peaks around the corner.
"Hey kiddo, you left kinda quick. Just wanted to make sure you're alright." I smile slightly at him.
"Thanks uh, you don't have to hide behind the door. I'm not gonna hit you or anything." Bucky inches his was around the door until he's standing in front of it, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Nat's pretty torn up. She didn't mean to upset you." Nat. The name runs through my head a through my head a thousand times over. 'Nat's gonna kill me!' 'Nat's on a call, we might be getting our first foster kid.' No. it can't be. That'd be too perfect. A black blob moves up and down, unclear in my hazed state. It's Bucky's hand, he wants my attention. I snap my eyes back to his and he lets out a heavy breath.
"Lost you for a good few minutes there kid. You okay." My head moves without my consent, confirming that I am, in fact okay.
"Okay well, I'll be downstairs if you need anything okay?" and with that he leaves, closing the door softly behind him. As soon as the lock clicks into place I fall back onto the bed, collapsing in the abyss of pillows. This is gonna be a long week.