"Thank you, Lilith. These cookies are simply divine," Pretoria purred, shoving another chocolate chip cookie into her mouth, crumbs cascading down her dress as she chewed carelessly.

As usual, she took her time making herself comfortable.

After her dramatic entrance—cornering Ben and Lilly outside the doctor's office and insisting they bring her to the house—she had them attending to her every whim. Her demands only seemed to grow, yet Lilly, usually so outspoken, hadn't voiced a single complaint.

It was unsettling.

She remained quiet, doing exactly as Pretoria asked, like a dog waiting for a pat on the head or a scrap of attention. The longer it went on, the more it made my skin crawl.

Pretoria turned her gaze to me, eyes gleaming with mischief. "So, my dear, sweet girl, imagine my surprise when James of all people came to tell me you wanted to see me." Her words dripped with amusement, a knowing look glinting in her eyes.

I had the eerie feeling she already knew exactly how that conversation went. Still, I treaded carefully.

Gripping the cup of milk in front of me, I placed it deliberately on the table before answering. "I'd seen you with him before, and... well, I wanted to meet you. I didn't know how to contact you, so I asked him."

I kept my explanation simple, deliberately avoiding mentioning Emmaline. Something told me it was important to keep her out of this. I didn't know much about Pretoria's strange ability to make the entire town quake at the mere mention of her name, but I did know that Emmaline didn't want her or James knowing we'd spoken.

Pretoria hummed in response, eyes drifting to the lace doilies in the center of the table as she digested my words. "I was quite surprised..." she murmured.

Her gaze snapped back to me, sharp and calculating. "It wasn't long ago that you were this little thing, all shy and terrified. You practically screamed when you first laid eyes on me."

Her voice, soft but cold, sent a shiver down my spine.

Pretoria's presence was overwhelming, like a shadow lingering in the corners of the room.

Suddenly, she straightened up, her face lighting up with a wide grin. "Let's go somewhere fun. You must be bored out of your mind sitting in this house all the time."

Emmaline's warning echoed in my head: "No matter what she says, don't go anywhere with her. Understand?"

I met Pretoria's eager gaze, the refusal already forming on my lips.

"She really can't go today."

Both Pretoria and I turned toward Lilly, who stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room.

Pretoria scoffed, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. "And why is that?"

Lilly wiped her brow before speaking, her voice steady but polite. "Our new foster child is on her way now. She'll be here in about an hour."

Pretoria's enthusiasm vanished, replaced by a barely concealed scowl. The shift in her expression was almost comical, but the tension between them was unmistakable. Lilly's calm reasoning had clearly thrown a wrench into whatever Pretoria had planned.

Pretoria let out a sharp, exasperated breath through her nose, and for a moment, she resembled an angry dragon more than a frustrated girl.

"That's terribly unfortunate." She tapped her fingers sharply against her leg. She stood, not really bothering to say a proper goodbye as she walked toward the front door.

She turned her body only halfway out with a stretched smile, "I'll have to grab you another day then." and she was gone, although her presence lingered.

Before I could react, hands grabbed my shirt and yanked me to my feet. I gasped, my heart racing as I clung to the hands gripping my shoulders, unsure of what was happening.

"Are you alright, honey? Did she do anything to you? Say anything?" Lilly's voice trembled with concern as her hands frantically smoothed over my hair and face, searching for signs of harm.

I gently took her shaking hands in mine, offering her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. She didn't do anything."

Lilly stepped back, eyeing me with lingering worry, as if she wasn't quite convinced. Her gaze landed on the growing bump on the side of my head, and her worry flared all over again.

"What happened here?" she asked, her voice tight with concern.

I kept my face calm, but inside, panic stirred.

My hand instinctively touched the bump on my head as I backed away from Lilly, inching closer to my bedroom.

"It's nothing. I just fell earlier, that's all," I muttered, hoping to brush off her concern, but her frown deepened.

"You fell? Where?" she asked, her voice full of worry.

I stammered, "Uh, um... I'm tired. I think I'm just gonna go to sleep." Before she could say anything more, I darted to my room and shut the door behind me.

When I woke from my impromptu nap, the comforting smell of Lilly's cooking filled the air. From my spot in bed, I could hear the soft clinking of dishes and the occasional murmur of voices from the kitchen. When I walked in, there they were—Lilly standing in front of the stove, Ben behind her, gently rubbing her shoulders.

I cleared my throat to announce myself, sitting down at the kitchen table. Lilly jumped slightly, her hand pressing to her chest. "Oh, honey, you scared me!" she said with a relieved laugh.

Ben grinned from behind her, his tone teasing. "She's so wound up right now, everything's spooking her."

Lilly shot him a playful glare. "I can't help it. She'll be here any minute." She turned back to the stove, nervously rearranging dishes that didn't need rearranging.

A sudden heaviness settled on my shoulders. I glanced at Ben, who met my gaze with that knowing look. He always seemed to sense when something was on my mind.

"You're not worried, are you?" he asked gently. "Is there anything you're still not comfortable with?"

I paused, considering his words. Of course, I still had my insecurities, but at the same time, I knew these two cared about me, genuinely. 

That helped soothe the unease inside me, enough that I didn't feel the need to explain it all. Instead, I smiled and rested my head against Ben's arm, sliding my arm around his waist in a quiet gesture of comfort.

He pulled me closer, and after a moment, I felt Lilly join us, wrapping her arms around us both. We stayed like that for a while, wrapped in warmth and silence, letting the moment settle like a soft blanket around us.

Just then, a sharp knock echoed through the room, cutting through the peaceful moment. Lilly jumped from our embrace, her hands smoothing over her curled hair as she rushed to the door. "It's them," she whispered, her voice trembling with excitement. She paused for just a second before swinging the door open.

"Hello! Welcome to our home, come in!" she said, her voice bright and welcoming.

Standing in the doorway was a tall, lanky man, his face tight with discomfort as he flinched slightly at Lilly's greeting. He offered a quick nod and mumbled, "Thank you," before stepping inside. As he did, a young girl appeared from behind him.

Her hair was done in long braids that hung to what looked like her mid back.

While her clothes were simple, she had a piercing in her lower lip and a band of bracelets on her wrists. Her eyes were a misty hazel color that sparked with absolute annoyance as she scanned the room, lingering on each of us

She stood at the threshold, refusing to follow the man any further.

"Cass, come on," the man said sternly, his tone daring her to defy him.

With a roll of her eyes and a muttered curse under her breath, she finally stepped forward, coming to stand by his side. After a brief round of hellos, we all gathered at the kitchen table, cups of tea in hand. The man cleared his throat and began to speak.

"So, as you know, this is Cassandra. She's seventeen." He glanced at her, his voice firm. "Do you want to say anything?"

Cassandra turned her body away from him with a huff, clearly uninterested.

Unfazed, he continued. "As I was saying, Cassandra has been in the system for about five years. She'll need to attend therapy sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She also has medication for a kidney infection, which she'll need to take for the next ten days. You'll find it in her bag."

At that, Cassandra whipped around, her eyes blazing. "I don't want people going through my things!" she shouted, her voice shaking with frustration.

The man didn't react, simply leaning back in his chair with a sigh.

Ben, sensing the tension, coughed lightly before speaking. "Miss, why don't you take Cassandra and show her the room? Give her a chance to settle in."

I studied the girl in front of me, feeling a bit uneasy at the idea of being left alone with her, though she didn't seem to share my hesitation. She stood there, waiting, and I quickly got to my feet, walking past her and hoping she would follow without needing to be asked.

I was answered when a second set of footsteps could be heard right behind my own.

I opened the door to our shared room, stepping aside to let her go in first. She wandered in, stopping in the middle of the space, her eyes scanning everything.

"So, are you gonna tell me what's mine, or do I have to guess?" she asked, her tone sharp and impatient. Her boldness caught me off guard, but I pointed to the bed next to mine in the corner.

She slung her bag onto it before sitting down. Silence hung in the air for a few seconds until she let out a dramatic sigh, breaking it.

"Oh my gosh, the awkwardness is killing me. Say something," she groaned.

I blinked, unsure of what to say. "Like what?"

She rolled her eyes and began pacing, clearly frustrated. "I don't know... What's your name?"

I felt a twinge of discomfort. "It's complicated."

She stopped pacing, staring at me like I had just said something absurd. "What about a name is complicated?"

I almost laughed at her serious expression, but held it in. "I don't have one."

She narrowed her eyes, clearly not buying it. "Bullshit."

I didn't know what that meant, but from her accusing stare, I figured she didn't believe me. I shrugged and gestured toward the door. "Ask them if you want."

She crossed her arms, still skeptical, then turned to her bag to grab some clothes. "Whatever, Jane Doe," she muttered with a teasing smirk.

"Where's your bathroom? I wanna shower."