I looked at my mother as she quickly packed up our things. I watched as she and dad worked hastily. They seemed almost afraid. They didn't leave anything behind in the places they rummaged through. I turned in circles as I watched them with a deep fascination. Why were they moving so fast? What was going on?

My mother looked at me and stopped packing. She kneeled down to my height and gently grabbed my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye. "Honey, we have to go now."

"Where are we going?" I asked softly.

"I can't say. We are going somewhere far away from here, but you can't come." My mother said sadly.

"Why not, mommy?"

"Because, where we are going, you cannot come. It's too dangerous to take you with us...you have to stay here. We will make sure you have a good family that will take care of you. I promise we will come back someday."

I felt tears in my eyes. I didn't really understand, but I had a bad feeling that was gnawing at my stomach. I could feel that I would never see them again. My mother was saying goodbye. She had promised me that they would come back, but I didn't know how long it would take for that day to come.

My mom kissed my cheek and stood up. She walked over to my dad and he quickly took their bags. My father stopped and gave me a quick hug and kiss then stepped out the door. My mother went to follow him, but turned back to me. She looked at me sadly and mouthed, "I love you." She blew me a kiss and I saw her eyes glisten with tears. As she walked out, my whole world exploded with light.

I woke up with a start. What the hell was that? I didn't really remember that, but I knew it was buried somewhere in my subconscious, along with the other memories I didn't want to have. I looked out the window and saw the light shine through the cracks of the blinds. I rubbed my eyes and looked at my clock to see it was 8:24 in the morning. It was way earlier than I normally woke, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep anytime soon. I took the covers off of me and sat up. When my mind cleared, I remembered the box underneath my bed. I dropped to the floor and looked for the small, blue box Alice had given me. I sat back on the bed and stared at the momentum I held. I was almost afraid to open it. What if I saw something I would wish I hadn't? After taking a deep breath, I slowly opened the box and looked at what was inside. There were pictures of me and my parents, cards I had made for holidays, gifts my parents had given me, and a few things from Alice and my other foster parents from past years. Each time I went to a new home, I would collect one or two things and put them in this box so I would have something of my past to remember. It was another thing I had to show where I had come from. I didn't take anything out. I just lifted them, studied what I held, and gently put it back. I didn't want to lose anything. When I was finished picking through my past, I put the box back underneath my bed and went downstairs.

It was quiet and I thought I was the only one awake. I took advantage of the quiet to tour the house a little more. I looked at the walls. There were pictures of Hayley and the kids. One picture was of her and all of them; Hayley and Aliyah; Hayley with Jade and Aliyah; Hayley with Jason and Cameron; and Hayley with a man I didn't recognize. They all were side-by-side on the wall in order by age. I walked to the unfurnished room with the things hanging from the ceiling. They looked like paper crafts a kid makes in school. One of the arts was a painting of a rainbow and another was a small hand with, I wove wu mommy, written on it. I guessed that the work was Aliyah's.

"How long have you been up?"

I gasped and spun around to see Hayley looking at me with curious eyes.

"Um, not very long. I just wanted to take a look around. Where is everyone?" I asked breathlessly.

"They have school. I kept them out when I found out when you were coming, but I had to send them back before we all got in trouble." Hayley giggled.

"Oh, well, what will we do today, then?" I asked, frowning.

"Well, here's the thing, I actually enrolled you in school with them." Hayley admitted.

"Today? Now? Where? Why?" I asked. School? What business would I have there?

"All kids under 18 need to go to school or I would be incarcerated, Kassey. I think you know that. You are going to Chesterway high. It's the same place Jason and Cameron go. I enrolled you in 10th grade classes." Hayley explained. I could tell that she wanted to say, "It's the same place your brothers' go," but she held herself back.

"I already got you everything you would need. You just need to get yourself ready and I'll take you there." Hayley continued.

I stared at her for a moment before nodding and heading to my room to get changed. I sat in my room pacing back and forth. Why would I have to go to school? The last time I did, I got expelled for getting involved in a fight, and it wasn't even my fault! I settled with faded, blue ripped jeans and a plain black t-shirt. When I was finished, I ran down the stairs to where Hayley waited with my schoolbag. When she made sure everything was situated, she hauled me out the door and to the car. Hayley got into the driver's side and me in the passenger's side. My foster mother started the car and we both headed for the school.

It was a huge school. It was big in height and length as it seemed to wrap around a whole block. The parking lot was just as big and filled with cars of different sizes and brands. Hayley drove up to the front of the school and left the car in idle.

"So, are you ready? Do you have everything you need?" Hayley asked.

"Yes, I have my bag, papers, and other things you gave me." I said while reaching behind me for my schoolbag.

Hayley smiled then pulled me into a hug. It didn't last very long. When she pulled away, I got out of the car and headed towards the front doors. I looked back and saw her car driving out of the parking lot.

It took me a little while to find the front office, but when I did, they couldn't find my schedule. I have never been more irritated in my life. It took them 15 minutes to find my schedule, check me in, and go over the map to find where I was supposed to go. When I got out of the office, the hallway was filled with students trying to get to their next class. I had to push my way through the tsunami until I reached my math class.

I was one of the first kids to come into the classroom. The teacher was sitting at his desk reading a book. I walked up to him but he didn't seem to notice me. I knocked on the desk and he lifted his head to look at me with a bored expression.

"Yes?" His voice was scratchy.

"I'm new here. I was told to let you know." I said. The woman in the office told me to let every teacher know I was new so I could be in the system.

He looked at me for a moment before checking his computer. "Oh, yeah. Here you are...Kassey?"

"Yes. I'm...Kassey." I said awkwardly. I looked at his desk and saw that his name tag read Mr. Felix.

The teacher, Mr. Felix, checked me in and sat me in an empty seat close to the back of the classroom. I unpacked my papers and books that Hayley gave me and spread them on the desk. I heard the chair move next to me and I lifted my head to see a girl that looked to be the same age as me, maybe a little older. She had hazel eyes and her hair was pitch black with red highlights. She had a soft face that was purely feminine and young. She smiled at me when I caught her eye.

"I don't think I've seen you here before. Are you new?" Her voice was kinda low but still had a high pitch.

"Um, yeah, I just got here today. I'm Kassey." I said.

"Brianna. Nice to meet you. I hope we can be friends." Brianna smiled and turned towards the front of the room when the teacher started instruction.

"So, how are you liking your first day?" Brianna asked as we walked to her locker.

"Well, I almost got trampled in the hallway and it took forever for them to find my schedule and give me ideas of where to go." I said remembering the struggle I went through about an hour ago.

Brianna laughed. "I've been there, but you survived! And you get to go to lunch now since you kinda missed your first class. After lunch, do you want me to tour you?" Brianna asked me as she switched out her things.

"Yeah, I think I need that. Thanks." I said relieved.

"No problem. What are friends for?" Brianna said, shrugging. I smiled. I made my first friend.

"Kassey?"

I turned around to a familiar voice and found Cameron staring at me with a look of confusion. I blinked and it took me a moment to remember who he was.

"Cameron! Hey. I can explain."

"Hayley enrolled you in our school, didn't she?" Cameron said matter-of-factly.

"Y-yeah. Um, Cameron, this is Brianna. Brianna, this is Cameron." I introduced them.

"Hello." Brianna dragged the word out. When I looked back at her, I saw her looking at Cameron with a weird expression. "Kassey, I'll meet you in the lunchroom, alright?" She slammed her locker shut and left without giving me a chance to respond. What was that about?

"Don't worry about her. She doesn't really like me. We used to date and I broke up with her because she was too much drama." Cameron said snickering.

"You dated? Wow...well, she doesn't seem to be someone for drama." I said looking at the direction Brianna had gone.

"Well, trust me, she is. I'm not going to tell you not to hang out with her. Just one piece of advice: Don't bring your dates around her. She tends to act differently." Cameron said with a frown.

"Thanks for the advice."

"No, problem. Let's go. I usually sit with Jason and the guys. I want to see his face when he sees you come in." Cameron nudged me towards the cafeteria.

It was really loud and there were long lines of people buying food. I didn't even want to waste the energy to partake in that. Cameron saw my face. "I'll buy you lunch."

"Cam--"

"Look, you can't keep skipping. Plus, I doubt mother gave you any money, so I'll buy you something. If you don't like it, give it to the guys. They'll gladly take it." Cameron pressed.

I didn't know what else to say. I was stuck on the part that Cam had called Hayley "mother." I don't think he even noticed. I decided to stop arguing with him and let him buy my food. Cameron showed me where the table was and I made my way past the crowded tables to where Jason and his friends were. They all looked up at me and Jason's face showed multiple emotions. The only one I caught was shock.

"Kassey? What are you doing here?" Jason moved his things so I could sit down.

I put my things down next to me as I sat down. "Hayley enrolled me in school. I woke up and saw that no one else was there."

"Sorry about that. It was a normal schedule. I would've told you but I didn't think you were up yet." Jason said apologetically then asked, "Where's Cam?"

"It's fine, and um, Cameron's buying me lunch." I must have sounded horrified because Jason's face turned into a frown that was kinda identical to the ones Cameron gives me.

"You worried he'll poison you?" Jason said jokingly.

"No, not really."

"Hey Jace, are you going to introduce us or pretend we aren't here?" One of the guys cut in sounding irritated.

"Oh, right. Kassey, these are my guys: Jessie, Daniel, and Jett. Guys, this is Kassey. Hayley adopted her a few days ago." Jason explained.

I looked at him sharply and I saw him recoil. Why did he openly say that? I never told people I was a foster child and Hayley didn't adopt me! Not yet, I thought. Well, I wasn't letting myself get my hopes up. I just didn't like the reactions I got when people found out I was a foster. It was the type of reactions that made you wish you hadn't said anything.

"Kass--"

I jumped up from the table and started walking towards the doors of the cafe. I felt my skin get hot as my temper flared. I felt like, telling people you were a foster child, was like putting a label on yourself. Jason telling them so easily and fast was like a slap in the face for me. I preferred to keep my personal life to myself and think of excuses later.

"Kassey!" Jason grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. His face showed sadness and regret. I sat there fuming at him with my arms crossed, trying to calm myself down.

"What?"

"What happened? Why did you run off like that?"

I huffed for a second before answering. "I don't like telling people I'm fostered. I never have. It gives unwanted attention." My voice turned to a near whisper as I explained.

Jason stared at me for a moment. "Has something happened?"

"I lose a lot of people when they find out I don't have what they have, a stable family. All I have are court papers and a box filled with valuables." I felt prickles behind my eyes and I bit my tongue to hold the tears back.

"You have us, Kassey. You're not by yourself. Hayley will adopt you."

"No she won't! No one ever has. I just move somewhere in the world with new hopes of staying and then having them crushed all over again! I don't belong anywhere!" I yelled. By now, people were beginning to look at us.

"Shh...that's not true. Not everyone is like that. You don't move forever. I can't say I know what it's like, but Hayley isn't the type of person to turn someone away. I promise you that." Jason said confidently. He searched my eyes in hopes that I believed him.

I didn't know how to feel at that moment. Many memories and thoughts came to the front of my mind that I didn't want to remember. The things I had buried over the years threatened to tear free and be seen. My tears escaped despite me trying to hold them back. Jason's confusion turned to alarm and he moved towards me but I stepped back.

"Hey, what's going on?" Cameron walked over with two trays of food in his hands.

I looked at the two of them and wiped my face before turning on my heel and leaving the cafe. I heard the brother's call my name, but I ignored them. I needed to be alone.