"Hey." someone said to me as I sat on the front steps of the school alone, slowly picking at my sandwich.

"Hi." I said, not looking up to see who it was. The person talking to me sat down next to me and I realized it was Vance.

"How are you holding up, Edie?" Vance asked. I sighed and said, "Please don't call me that, that's what Art used to call me."

"Oh, sorry."

"It's fine. You didn't know. Anyway...do you want the honest answer to your question?" I asked. Vance nodded and then I said, "Not good. I miss Art, obviously, and it just makes it worse that my dad hates her and thinks she's a horrible influence. Obviously, he's not happy that Art died, but...yeah. I don't know how he feels about this whole thing."

"Hold up-I don't mean to change the subject so abruptly, but did you just call Ben your dad?" Vance asked. I thought back to what I just said and gasped.

"Wait, you're right!" I said, letting a smile appear on my face and allowing myself to giggle a little. I had been so caught up in Art and school and trying to get used to living in a whole new country that I didn't even notice that I had started to have a family.

"You're smiling." Vance said. I sighed and said, "I guess you're right, I won't argue with you on that. It's just...it hurts that Art's gone."

"I know it hurts, Edison. I know." Vance said. "I'm always here if you need to talk or anything, you know that, right?" I nodded slowly, I believed every single word Vance was saying to me, but for some reason, the meanings of her words didn't click in my brain.

"Hey. Edison." Vance said, snapping me out of my daze and bringing me back to the real world.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I think I know just what you need. A distraction. You mentioned wanting to run track and field, correct?" Vance said. I nodded, not grasping what Vance was saying to me.

"Tryouts are this afternoon. You could try out!" Vance said. "I personally think you'd think a pretty good job at it."

"You really think so?" I said.

"Yeah. Why don't you text whoever's picking you up now, and say that you have tryouts and I'll give you a ride home afterwards?" Vance asked. I nodded and picked up my phone, ready to text Ben and tell him I'd be staying after school today.

Once the text was fully written, right before I was about to hit the send button, I turned to Vance. "Hey, Vance? There's something I need to tell you."

"Yeah?" Vance asked softly.

"Thank you. This has just been a weird, confusing time for me and I'm glad I have you." 

"Anytime, Edison. Now, lunch is almost over."