Forever Ours Read Free Page B

I am. I don’t want to look up and see Claire’s reaction to this comment.
    “That was beautiful,” my mom continues, and I sigh with relief. “What do you two want for dinner?”
    I look at Claire and I’m surprised to find she’s crying. “Are you okay?”
    My mom looks down at her and covers her mouth. “Oh, honey. I’m sorry. I didn’t even ask you how you’re feeling.”
    Claire shakes her head as she hides her face. “Sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
    “You’re just tired. That’s all. You can have dinner with us or you can go straight to bed. Whatever you want to do. The bedroom’s all ready for you.” She turns to me with a severe look. “It’s ready, isn’t it, Chris?”
    I nod as I get up from the recliner and set down the guitar. “I got it ready this morning as soon as you called.”
    My mom kneels down next to the sofa and gently lays her hand on Claire’s knee. “Sweetie. You don’t have to stay down here if you feel more comfortable upstairs. I can bring your dinner up there later.”
    Claire pulls her hands away from her face and wipes at the tears that are still streaming. “It’s okay. I’ll eat down here. Thank you.”
    “For what?”
    Claire looks taken aback by this question, then she shrugs. “For being nice.”

Chapter Five
    Claire
    Forever Awkward

    My first week with Jackie and Chris Knight is the least awkward first week I’ve ever had in a foster home. Jackie and I spent Sunday, the day after I arrived, running all over town to make sure I have everything I need. Then she took me to Athens Drive High School on Monday to get me registered and I began classes on Tuesday.  
    Walking into a new school is always nerve wracking, but walking through those front gates with Chris on Tuesday morning made everything less awkward. He has so many friends and most of them are just as nice as he is. They greeted me like I was one of them. Which is why I didn’t hesitate when Chris asked if I wanted to sit with them in the cafeteria for lunch.
    Rachel and I are the only girls in the group, but she didn’t look too relieved to have another girl join them. But Chris was pretty good at diffusing the awkward questions that are inevitable in my situation. When his friend Tristan asked if I was going back to my parents soon, Chris answered for me. “She’s going to be with us for a while.”  
    A couple of days later, when Rachel asked if I had any siblings, Chris’s reply made me blush. It was just a simple no , but the way he looked so uncomfortable with her question gave me butterflies. I may be totally wrong, but I feel as if his response was meant for me.
    And the way they talk about music, especially Chris, is awe-inspiring. I’ve never heard kids my age talk about the future the way they do. I’ve heard some of my foster siblings talk about college and getting jobs, but the way they talk about music is not at all like that. It’s like a calling for all of them—even Tristan who seems to have fallen into playing the bass sort of by accident.  
    The only thing I didn’t like about hanging out with Chris and his friends this week was how temporary it all felt.   Jake and Rachel are graduating in three weeks. And I’m getting a strong feeling that Chris wants to drop out of high school after this school year ends. If I manage not to get myself kicked out of the Knight house by the end of the summer, will his friends still consider me “one of them” if he’s gone?
    When I come down from my bedroom on Saturday morning, Jackie has gone to work at the bakery, as usual. She usually leaves for work around four a.m. and returns sometime between four and seven p.m. Chris and I take the bus to school every morning, though he claims he’s going to get a motorcycle on his birthday in four weeks so we can get around while his mom is gone. The thought of being that close to him, straddling a motorcycle and wrapping my arms around his waist, makes me nervous. But it