She drops her head back to stare up at me, still smiling.
“Welcome home,” she says.
Home? I don’t think so. I don’t have a home. It’s better that way.
Too bad my new sister can be as stubborn as I am. I’m not going anywhere.
For now….
1
Whitney
Years later
I sit in the school office wanting to be anywhere but here. I’m still not really sure how I even got here. For the last month of my life I’ve been living at Healing Homes. I was even there over most of the summer. At seventeen, soon approaching eighteen, they haven't been sure what to really do with me. My mom and her new husband are still missing. She usually pops up after a few weeks, but nothing so far.
So here I am finishing out my senior year of high school in a place where I do not fit. All because Kennedy, who helps run Healing Homes, thought this was the place for me to be. I received a scholarship to be here.
I’m not sure if Kennedy pulled some strings or something, but one of the stipulations of my scholarship is I have to participate in choir. I grabbed at it in hopes that it would open more doors for me. I need all the help I can get when it comes to my future since I have no plans as to what I’m going to do after this year.
“Sorry, sorry.” Faith comes rushing into the office. She’s Kennedy’s daughter. We’ve hung out a handful of times at the center. She’s sweet. A lot like her mom. I was actually surprised when she told me she was adopted. “My brother made me late.” She rolls her eyes. “Are you ready for today?”
“I guess?” I shrug one shoulder.
“Well, the uniform looks good on you.” I stand up, smoothing out the plaid shirt and buttoned up white shirt. “Do you hate it?”
“No.” I say honestly. If I had to wear my own clothes, I'd stick out way too much around this fancy school. I prefer to blend in and go unnoticed if I can.
“That’s good. Can I see your schedule?” I reach into my backpack, pulling it out and handing it over. “Damn, no classes together, but we do have the same lunch block.” She hands my schedule back to me. “Miss Coolie, will you let Mr. Barks know I might be late this morning? I'm going to show the new girl around,” she says to the woman behind the desk.
“I’ll send him a quick note now.”
“Thanks.” She gives her a bright smile. I’m not surprised when we exit the main office to see Ace standing there. He’s around a lot at Healing Homes when Faith is there.
“Hey, Whitney.” He gives me a chin lift before his attention goes to Faith. “You’re not riding with him anymore.” Faith lets out a sigh. Ace is clean cut, reminding me of the type of boy all moms wish their daughters would bring home.
“I thought it would be easier since he’s headed here too.”
“It’s never easy with him, and you know it. Not that it matters, babe. You’re my girl. I will take you to and from school.” I can’t help but smile at them. I wonder if Faith knows how lucky she is. Everyone around here loves her to pieces.
“Okay. Okay.” She drops her head back, and Ace takes her mouth in a kiss. “That’s enough.” She pushes at his chest.
“Never enough, babe.” I don’t miss him giving her ass a squeeze before he heads off.
“The men in my life are all bossy.” She says it with a smile. “Come on.” She locks her arm with mine as she shows me around the school.
“This place is crazy.” I shake my head as we exit from the massive indoor pool.
“We have a killer swim team.”
“I would hope so.”
Faith pulls her phone out, checking the time. “I think that covers it for now.” I walk beside her, checking my schedule again to see where I’m going first. The hallways start to fill up with more and more kids as it gets close to the time for class to begin.
We both stop walking when we hear the loud shouting coming from down the hall. Two boys are arguing with another one. At least I think the other one is a student. He has a uniform on, but his shirt is partly unbuttoned. The sleeves are rolled up, showing the tattoos that run up his arms. From this far away I can’t see what they are.
He too looks out of place next to all the clean-cut kids moving around the hallways. But unlike me, he doesn’t look as though he was trying to blend in. If he was, it wouldn’t have worked anyway. There is no missing him. He has a presence about him. There’s also the fact that he’s handsome as hell. Everyone’s focus is now on the three boys, watching what is happening.