Page 9 of I Should Hate You-but I Don't

At the corner, they waited for two cars to go by. River glanced at the men.

The closest man's tattoos drew her attention. She spotted a motorcycle, numbers, and the word "brotherhood." The man moved. She glanced up, and he nodded at her.

His brown eyes stared right at her. Her heart raced.

"Come on." Kenna stepped off the sidewalk, pulling her out onto the street.

River looked over her shoulder as she walked. The man raised his hand. She ran. With the adrenaline rush, she never felt the heavy backpack with all her belongings or how Kenna refused to run as fast as her.

From the safety of the front step of their foster home, she looked back at the bikers. They were still watching her and Kenna.

"Did you look at them?" she asked.

Kenna knocked on the door. "Yeah."

"What do you think they're doing?"

"I don't know."

The door opened. Behind them, the motorcycles roared to life, making her jump.

"You're both late." Mrs. Hostin grabbed the pack on River's back and pulled her into the house.

She stumbled inside, trying to keep her balance without losing her backpack. Kenna grabbed her before she fell.

"Get your things, Kenna. Margie will be here at quarter to four." Mrs. Hostin brushed her hands together.

"Why?" asked Kenna.

"You're going to another foster home."

She shared a look with her sister. They were moving again. Mrs. Hostin no longer wanted them.

Kenna grabbed River's hand, pulling her to the room, but before she could ask her sister any questions about where they'd be going, Mrs. Hostin stopped them.

"River, go to the kitchen and wash your hands," Mrs. Hostin said, pointing down the hallway to the back of the house.

"But I need to pack." That wasn't true. She carried everything in her backpack that she wanted.

"You're not going with Margie." Mrs. Hostin's beady eyes disappeared behind her false eyelashes. "Only Kenna is moving."

"No." She threw her arms around Kenna. "We're sisters. Margie can't take Kenna."

Kenna was always the loudest one, the one who spoke up for her. Why wasn't she saying anything?

Mrs. Hostin stepped toward her, and the doorbell rang. "Finally."

As her foster mother turned her back to them and walked toward the door, River whispered, "Don't leave me."

Kenna looked her in the eyes. "I'll run away and find you."

"I can't live here without you."

Margie pulled Kenna away from her. She shot forward, escaping through the door with Mrs. Hostin following her.

Kenna looked over her shoulder, tears rolling down her cheeks. River's chest hurt, and she screamed for her sister.

The car door slammed. Kenna stared out the side window. River cried for her, yelled for her, begged for her. She knew her sister would bottle everything up inside of her until she exploded, and she wouldn't be there to help Kenna when she fell apart.

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