Chapter 1

It was mid-July, the hottest day of the summer, most kids my age would be enjoying thier summer vacation hanging out with thier friends most

likely partipating in some sort of water related activity but me, I was stuck sitting in some non-airconditioned office with my butt sticking to the

leather chair reading some out dated gossip magizine awaiting my beloved social worker.

I had yet again gotten into some "unfortunate misunderstanding" and my current foster parents were giving me back, didn't matter I didn't like

them anyway. I looked up from the magizine and noticed that the secratary was starring at me from behind her geeky glasses, her hair was done

up in a messy bun and she had sweat marks under her fat arms, gross. I starred back at her. She looked away

embrassed, I smiled with sweet satisfaction. I loved making people uncomfortable, though I understood why she had been starring at me so

strangely, who in there right mind would be wearing all black on day like this. I tugged at my braid and groaned in fustration, this was ridiculous, it

was obvious they didn't want me and I sure as hell didn't want them, so why was this taking so long. I examined the famliar office, the cracked

dirty tile floors, the cheaply painted walls covered with chessy pictures of foster kids who had found "happy familes".

I could be doing more productive things with my time right now, like programing my labtop back to the way I liked it before my "foster parents"

screwed it up with Parental locks. Don't get me started on computers. I know to much and I proably wouldn't shut up.

I heard the

phone ring and watched the sweaty secratary awnser it, "Hello, Riverdalle Social Services" she said in a nasely voice. I was suddenly glad she

hadn't tried to make small talk with me I might have stabbed my ear drums to spare myself the horrible agony.

Suddenly her tone completely changed and she spoke with sudden respect. "Hold on Sir, I'll put you right

through" she said pressing a button on her phone, "Millie," she said in a hushed tone into the phone turning her back to me. I was strangely

intriuged by her actions. She contiuned talking in a hushed tone so low I couldn't hear, that annoyed me it was as if she had meat and was

keeping it from the lion.

"Right," she said and pressed the red button hanging up the phone. She walked to the office door, my "former" foster parents exited. I waved at

them sarcasticly as they hurried past without a second glance. The secratary returned to her desk ,she bit her nail and starred at the phone

slowly she reached for it, picked it up and slowly brought it to her ear. I small smile broke out across my face, yay, a golden opprotunity to screw

with this lady.

Quietly, I crept across the room, I tiptoed behind her and yelled out. She screamed throwing the phone into the air, it clattered patheicly onto her

desk. I howled with laughter, it was the fall on your a**, tear inducing kind of laughter. I pounded the desk with my fist. She picked up the phone

and slamed it on the ringer giving me what I imagine she thought was a most terrifing glare.

"Lily" came a sigh from the office door. My social worker Millie Lopez stood leaning against the door frame, she had the phone pressed against

her shoulder and her hand on her hip, she jerked her head in the direction of her office. I stood hung my head in a mock pout and shuffled into her

office trying my hardest to muffle my laughter. I saw Millie shake her head and close the door behind me. I flopped down in the oh so familiar

chair by the window and put my feet on the table. Millie leaned back in her chair and returned to her phone call. "Ryan, if you'd like to come up

and meet her, she's in my office" she said.

I looked up at her and mouthed, "What do you want with me?". Millie waved my question off. " Okay, see you in a mintiue." she said hanging up

the phone. "Hello?! I'm sitting right here?!" I said to her. She ran her fingers through her short black hair and looked over at me clearly pissed off.

"For a smart kid you sure are dumb" she said looking at me sideways her dark eyes searching as if trying to find something.

I rolled my eyes."Oh please, i'm not smart i'm a super genious planned on world domination!" I tossed my hands in the air to add that dramtic

effect "Lily, putting someone in the hospital, isn't a joke" she shouted slamming her fist on the desk. I remained quiet starring her straight in the

eyes.

suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Come in," called Millie. The door was opened by an elderly man in military uniform. His face was

hard and set like he had never smiled a day in his life and ate nails for breakfast, however I wasn't intimatdted. I looked at Millie, she had turned

her attention back to the man in uniform. "Please have a seat Commander Chief Ryan" she said motioning to the chair in front of her. I caught the

way she had empizised Commander Cheif as if it were a signal to behave or afraid, guess she forgot I don't fear anything. I turned my attention

back to the Ryan guy as he took a seat, I noted that he didn't acknowledge my presense in the room however Millie did. "Commander Ryan is

here to help find a suitable punishment for you since the state has put me in charge of you," she explianed. I starred at the man and suddenly it all

clicked.

"Miltary School" I screamed jumping up from my seat. "I'd rather go to Juvie!" I yelled at her. She stood, "Calm down, Lily" she said. "With your

backround it would be best, your smart Lily" she said softly. The Commander sat as if nothing was going on and I was freaking out. "The world

just hasn't been kind to you." she said. "Wake up Millie, The world is never kind to anyone, you just live with the illision that it is!" I yelled. Millie

looked as if I had slapped her in the face, slowly she sat back down into her chair. "I'll take her!" said Commander Ryan standing, he held out his

hand to millie who shook it. "What am I something to be bought!?" I yelled at them, Millie looked over my flie pulling out the paperwork.

Commander Ryan then turned to me. 'Get your things and report down stairs in two mintues" he said. I was so beyond any discription of angry, I

stepped in his path blocking the exit. "Listen here G.I Joe and listen well, I'm not going to miltary school and i'm not taking orders from you or

anyone else!" I said poking him in the chest. I could have sworen he had smiled before he grabbed my arm pulled me forward and lifted me into

the air by my shirt. I looked him in his grey hard eyes and he looked back in to my blue ones, " You will get your things and you will meet me down

stairs in two mintues" then he dropped me to the ground and stepped over me. I looked up at Millie who stood and helped me up. "Your papers"

she said handing me my file, then she pulled out a camera from behind her back. "Smile" she said taking the picture, out came a polirod of me.

We walked out of her office, as I picked up my things she walked over to the wall and put my picture up. I looked at her as she held the door for

me slient words passed between us, and I knew I would never see her again. I had been adopted. I, Lily Sarah Mattews, age 15 after 9 years of

foster care had been adopted.

END OF CHAPTER 1