Page 21 (1/2)
Chapter 1
Lyric
16 years old…
The couple that lives next door adopts children like puppies No joke The Gregorys are bringing home kid number four today The adoption process has happened so frequently over the years for them that it’s beco away in their sedan, and then late in the afternoon they return with a s about as scared as a little puppy getting yelled at
While I do feel sorry for the little boy or girl, the sympathy quickly wears off Because within a couple of et over their fear and turn into their own person, who more than likely will take it upon themselves to annoy the crap out of me
I’d be fine with this After all, they are hbors’ kids, notThey are kind of like the little brother or sister I never had, since the couple next door are my parents’ best friends and close to a second set of parents to me I even call them Aunt Lila and Uncle Ethan
“I wonder what this one will look like,” I remark as I , but we’re late risers, so we’re just starting breakfast, even though it’s past ten “And if it’ll be a boy or a girl”
“Lila said he was a boy,”and takes a seat across froe, too”
“All their adopted kids are older Aren’t people supposed to adopt younger children?” I ask, reaching for the butter “Like when they’re babies?”
She sips the coffee then places theon the table “Lyric, there are a ton of kids out there that need hoe Even older You should realize just how lucky you are to have a roof over your head and parents who spoil the crap out of you Some children don’t have it so lucky”
My est moms ever, but in the best way possible She uses phrases like, “spoil the crap out of you,” and dresses cooler than I do half the time Plus, she has fantastic taste in music
“I kno lucky I a to let me paint my room purple and black”
“Let uess Purple walls and black skulls”
“Hey, how’d you guess?”
“Because it’s exactly how e You’re sosometimes”
“Well, there goes my theory that I was secretly adopted”
I don’t really have that theory I resemble my parents too much to ever believe I was adopted I have ht they solance And I have the same shade of blonde hair my dad does They’re both tall, too, and passed that trait to me At sixteen, I round in at five foot nine and tower over all of my friends at school I inherited some of their talents as well, that is, if talents can be inherited
Like h she is way better than I aallery and has sold a lot of her paintings Her work is usually described as raw, emotional, and realistic
Then there’s my dad’s talent of music My father is a musician who used to perform in a band, and then later on as a solo artist Now, he’s mostly retired and owns his own studio I’ out with him, or the fact that my parents namedand everything that has to do with it My favorite instruranted the violin is a close second Creating lyrics, though, that’s trulyto do musically
“It seeo out for a drive,” hts and back to reality “Maybe when Lila gets hoo for a drive It’ll give you soet to know him”
I stuff the rest of h, like Kale?”
Kale is the latest addition to the Gregory fao, and he still hasn’t given up his obsession with comic books And I mean obsession He frequently dresses up like characters, his favorite being Flash He also once wore a cape to school, which
Then there are the other two kiddos, Fiona and Everson At twelve, Fiona is the youngest and probably the chattiest She loves to draw and has a deep fascination with butterflies Everson is smack dab between Fiona and Kale at thirteen years old He’s quiet, loves sports, especially football, and is probably the most normal of the bunch They all have their weird little quirks, though, and shady pasts that I never really get to fully hear
It’s not like I have anything against weirdoes and shady pasts—heck, I can be a weirdo and sketchy soer sister, I constantly have to stick up for the
“Lyric, just because Kale’s different doesn’t mean he’s weird” My mom reaches for the coffee pot “Need I remind you of your little obsession with that boy band when you were his age”
“You pro that up You even pinkie swore that you wouldn’t”
Her lips curl as she fills her cup to the briive me reasons to break my promise”
“Fine, I’ll stop calling Kale a weirdo on one condition” I s a gulp of milk then wipe o to the concert on Friday with Dad”
Her cheeriness dio with him?”
I shrug “He didn’t not tell me I couldn’t”
She shakes her head, restraining a grin “You are way too good of a bargainer for your own good”
I perk up “So does that o?”
“Ho on a drive with lass to her mouth, but only to hide a smirk
“Touché, Mother I see where I getskills from”
I consider her offer Going on a drive within the world, but it kind of is Her andrace, and they still have soo for trips Both of theh I think they play it safe when I’h
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Whatto know the new Gregory part Like puppies, I never knohat the new addition’s personality is going to be He could be nice, or he could be a little weirdo who bites The youngest, Fiona, actually bit ht her home
But I want to go to the concert badly enough that the pros outweigh the cons
I chug the rest ofas you let o with Dad”
“Go where with uitar case
I scoot back from the table and stand up “To the concert”
My dad drops his guitar case to the floor and lifts his hand for a high five “See, I told you it’d be better if you asked her”
My mother’s head whips in his direction, and she scowls at him “Did you put her up to that?”