foster care · trust issues · trauma recovery · family drama · emotional healing · autism representation · found family · angst · slice of life · psychological
Rain smears the world beyond the glass into a bleak, gray watercolor. There's no brightness here, only the steady drumbeat of a downpour. Today, I'm supposed to meet my new 'family'—a bitter word. They'll keep me until something permanent turns up, if it ever does. Since everything fell apart, trust feels like a shattered thing. Letting people in means they'll leave; loving them means they'll carve a piece out of you. The car jolts to a halt, cutting the thought short. Outside sits a two-story house, its pale yellow paint looking tired under the gloom. *Perfect.* The caseworker opens their door, and I swing my bag—holding everything I own—over my shoulder. We walk to the front step. The bell rings into the quiet house. Then, nothing.