I'm glad the dinner went well, but my mom's boyfriend just seemed...off. I personally don't think he likes me due to how he treated me last night. My mom forced us to carpool with Adam and Bree the next day and it only seemed to get worse, considering he almost refused to let me in the car, and when my mom got out there, he claimed that I was refusing to get in, leaving me grounded. We got to the school and I immediately got out after getting a unsettling feeling from inside, and it smelled like alcohol in there.

"Hey Chase." Reese smiled as I opened my locker.

"Hey." I mumbled as I put my stuff in while a tear ran down the left side of my cheek when I saw a picture of me, my mom and my dad and Leo facing me as I closed it and wiping it off before closing it.

"Something wrong?"

"No. Nothing." I told her.

"Hey, do you wanna hang out with me and some friends later? We're gonna hang out at the park, then watch a movie or two."

"I can't. I'm grounded cause of my mom's boyfriend." I told her.

"He's a jerk?"

"How'd you know?"

"I have 12 brothers and sisters. I know a thing or two about annoying "other halfs" and step parents." She told me.

"What do I do?"

"Just try and get along with him. Maybe he's not as bad as you think." She smiled as we walked to homeroom where everyone was waiting, but our teacher was no where to be seen, so Reese showed me a boy with pale skin, eyes and messy dark brown hair, and then a girl with tan skin, light brown hair.

"These are my best friends, Skylar and Oliver. Who, by the way, are TOTALLY into each other!" Reese insisted as Oliver laughed.

"No, we're just friends."

"Sure." Reese scoffed in good nature as she sat back down just as the teacher came in.

After class, everyone was laughing and pointing at me, leaving me confused.

"Reese? Do you know something?" I asked.

She immediately shook her head as I sighed.

"What happened?"

"Stephanie, Lexi, Marcus and Trent got ahold of your records..." She whispered.

"My adoptive records?" I hissed.

"And your school records."

Lexi and Marcus walked up to me as Lexi giggled.

"Well, looks like we know why your parents got rid of you. You're pathetic."

Marcus then sneered, adding.

"So are you always this stupid or are you just making a special effort today?"

My eyes immediately got watery as I looked down at my feet.

"Let's get out of here." She told me.

"We still have school."

"No way I'm letting you be in this environment." She told me as she led me out and we successfully left the school before stopping outside of the park.

"Thanks."

"I had to get you out of there, no one should-"

"I meant thank you for being so nice to me. I've never really experienced that in San Diego." I told her.

"You didn't have any friends?" She asked.

"Nope. Everyone was rude to me. Just like here. I guess I've always been kind of a loner." I told her.

"So, wanna play a game?" She asked.

"Like what?"

"Just go back and forth, learning about each other. You can go first." She told me.

"Favorite color?" I asked as she chuckled.

"Basic. I like black and blue. Favorite book series?"

"Harry Potter. Favorite movie?"

"Finding Nemo. Favorite place to read?"

"Under the giant willow tree in my grandma's backyard or my room. Favorite song?"

"Anything Christmas. It's what my grandma loved before she died."

"I'm sorry."

"Its fine." She told me.

We continued talking till it was almost time to start walking back home if I didn't want my mom to find out that I had skipped school.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yep. I have something I wanna show you if we do this again." She smiled.

"I look forward to it." I smiled as she hugged me before I started walking back.

I made it back just as the bus pulled up to our house and Leo got out.

"Where were you?!" He hissed.

"Reese and I skipped."

"I'm telling mom." He told me.

"Please don't. I'm already grounded." I told him.

"Then I'll feel grandma."

"Please don't, Leo. I'll do whatever you want." I begged.

"Fine. Once you are released of your grounding, you're gonna have to help me with my science class for a month." He told me as I nodded, it being the one class I enjoyed.

"Deal. Thank you SO much, Leo."

We walked in to see Bree and Adam standing at our table, making us confused as I deposited my bag in a chair.

"Why are you here ? Boise isn't big enough for you two?" I chuckled.

"Your mom and grandma are having a "girls night" and your mom asked our dad to watch you." She told us as I stood with my mouth open, thinking.

'Mom, what the heck? Leo and I are not only fifteen and fourteen, but I have been watching Leo every day since I was like ten.'

I decided to go do my homework, but I would talk to my mom about this later.