All Together

<p data-p-id="9cecf2449f6a7f989b12d5301db5e338">Harry knew what Ritalin was. It was for Attention Deficit Disorder. His last foster parents had begged the doctor to put him on it, but the doctor had refused. "But he can't follow simple instructions without stuffing up!" his foster father had declared. Harry clearly remembered the doctor's words. "I see no evidence this boy needs to be on Ritalin. Perhaps you should be less harsh on him. He's only eight."

<p data-p-id="7ba113d2855a68081c68cd7877b129b2">"He's been on Ritalin now for a few weeks, hasn't he?" said the social worker to Ms Curtis.

<p data-p-id="34e1169a1f879b579bbcf9267e1ed57f">Ms Curtis turned to Harry. "Harry, why don't you go out into the back yard and play with the other boys?" she said, pointing towards a sliding door next to the meals area.

<p data-p-id="c112b11a57345119dada497a5be33ffb">Harry stared out the glass. In the garden he could see forms whizzing about. There seemed to be an awful lot of them. In his last foster placement, he'd been the only child.

<p data-p-id="1538bf17f74df053cef6dd00a2c1e7d6">"Go on," coaxed Ms Curtis, opening the door for him. "Look, see the boy with blond hair there? His name's Niall. Go up to him and tell him I said he had to be your buddy. He won't bite, I promise."

<p data-p-id="61d129e9b45feb80dca4155b8fd791d7">Harry looked at the blond boy. He was kicking a football back and forth across the lawn with two other boys. They all looked older than him. He looked back, but Ms Curtis and the social worker were looking at him expectantly, so he stepped outside.

<p data-p-id="5d6e6be3dd34412a1175cda994e6d087">The door closed behind him. The boys playing football didn't notice. Harry stood under the verandah for a bit, trying to work up the courage to go over to Niall. Then someone kicked the ball his way, and three pairs of eyes were on him.

<p data-p-id="ae62e65547ffa9b850f01ec7d84d670c">"Hey!" exclaimed the dark haired one. "Who are you?"

<p data-p-id="85983fe1e8aedc35744413c1cd7d626c">"Harry."

<p data-p-id="2b931929d8b3862f2c15e3dad156025c">"Pass us that ball back, would you?"

<p data-p-id="d7481308c3d105b5f4bc62fc88c728bf">Harry wasn't very good at football. He willed himself to kick the ball straight, and tried to kick it back to the dark haired boy. The ball dribbled off the side of his shoe and into the flowerbed. Two of the three boys laughed. The third one, Niall, just looked interested.

<p data-p-id="d6239e7dd235e4c895a800780bf8930f">"Sorry," said Harry to the dark haired boy, who came to fetch the ball.

<p data-p-id="e811c1abb0db8931a6cbf5bc7b985558">"Never mind, small fry. We can't all be experts." The boy kicked the ball up from the ground, bounced it twice on his foot, then sent it off to one of the other boys.

<p data-p-id="7907235ad21606b62ee923b9e50955bd">Niall, who was watching everything going on, came jogging up to Harry. "Hey," he said to Harry. "Did you say your name was Harry?"

<p data-p-id="270ece5dc1fca9cb8a31f060f21f37ea">"Yes." Harry hid Monkey behind his back. He didn't want to be thought of as childish.

<p data-p-id="03564d724175b129666c7d2f57b2478b">"Are you our new brother? We were told we'd be getting one."

<p data-p-id="6c9229e22d32cf2cb934f0ac2a7e9e61">"I guess so."

<p data-p-id="c9cf510fec329f98df1afd025eb10e7d">"Awesome. That's Zayn," he pointed to the dark haired one, "and Liam. I don't know where Louis is. Come on, come play with us."

<p data-p-id="e835293c405d1bb06a07dabb7cc9ce93">"I'm not very good," Harry warned him.

<p data-p-id="9e482c1dce5c87b46036fae2a725a2a0">"Well, you're younger, obviously. You're allowed not to be. Liam!" he called, racing back onto the lawn. "This is our new brother, Harry!"