Four Years Ago…
Andean "Pinky" grew up in a large family, crowded in a small house. She had five brothers and three sisters, rooming with half of them. She had gotten used to not getting her individual time to shine. At age ten, she and her sisters were sent on four separate "vacation homes" – and hers happened to be the group home. She was there for half a year before accepting she had been disowned.
Roy was a kindhearted child who never had a bad thing to say about anyone. Both his parents worked, but he had thought he was living good. At age seven, he was suddenly disowned and sent to a foster home in Kansas. At age nine, he was adopted by a couple heading to Broadway. With built-up aggression from abandonment, Roy – now renamed Reggie – became a little harder to deal with. He tried to be a perfect kid to keep his second chance family. A year later, at age ten, both parents had been given shots as extras on an off-Broadway musical – but not Reggie. He had been dropped off at the Central Park Group Home.
Three Years Ago…
Skipper, Kowalski and Rico grew up as best friends. Skipper's mom was a drill sergeant, Kowalski's mom was the nurse on deck, and Rico's was an explosives expert. All three were single parents, knowing each other from the Naval Academy. When Skipper was eight and Kowalski and Rico were seven, they caught some older boys bullying a four-year-old British boy who was abandoned by his parents (who were very poor and thought he'd have a better life without them). Skipper, Kowalski and Rico leave ship before it sets off, so they can help the young kid. Having a terrible/long name, Skipper brands him the nickname Private. From ages nine, eight and five to twelve, eleven, and eight, the boys relocated from place to place. They wound up in New York and sent to the home at age nine, twelve and thirteen – with seventeen-year-olds Alex, Gloria, Melman and Marty. The latter four leave for Africa the following year.
Marlene lived all her life in hiding. She supposedly died in a house fire with her siblings and dad when she was almost two. Instead, her mom created a new identity for herself and kept Marlene captive in the cellar. The girl was shackled to a metal pipe that rusted and got replaced every few years. She was given leftovers to eat with tap water. At age nine, she was almost caught out by a neighbor. Her mom killed said neighbor and promptly threatened Marlene to "be more careful." Two years later, however, evidence in the neighbor's death linked to Marlene's mom. She was hastily arrested following a complete house search, revealing her eleven-year-old "dead" daughter.
Mason grew up in a high-class household. He lived with Mother, Father, mute Chauffeur, and British Butler. Mute Chef came in promptly at seven am, eleven-thirty am and six pm for thirty minutes at a time. His parents never believed in first names unless it's earned. They want their son to follow in their footsteps and begin an arranged marriage at fourteen. Mason, however, has had different plans since a transfer moved just outside of the rich neighborhood. Just past the wall when Mason was seven, a boy his age named Phil moved in. While Phil's mother didn't want her son to be bullied by Mason, Phil's mom could see something else happening. Mason showed that he knew sign language, and the boy latched onto one another. After a year, Mason's parents discovered how 'poor' Phil's family is, and the parents forbid the kids to see each other. They began to meet up in town, hanging out at the arcade or even climbing trees in the narrow playground. At age eleven, Mason grew to understand what sort of wife he was scheduled to meet. He helped Phil escape his safety-guarded house, and they ran away to the group home under false identities.
Two Years Ago…
Joey grew up with his dad in underground fighting rings in Australia. He was entered into a children's ring at the strong age of three, moving up against teenagers when he was eight. He fought not just for the money, but mostly for the promise of food and shelter. When he lost a particularly bad fight – after hours of work and malnourishment – at age twelve, his dad sent him on a cargo ship to live with his godfather in San Fran. Joey's godfather, however, didn't want any kids and attempted to kill him one night by lighting and tipping over a candle in Joey's makeshift room. The man was billed for damages since Joey had grown accustomed to not being home at night. The man was a con artist and took Joey in the RV with him around the country, so the man could con people out and Joey could back him up. At age fourteen, the con artists had been conned in New York, so the man had booted Joey out. He wrote him off the custody chart, and the boy was sent to the home.
Last Year…
Burt lived a humble life on the farm with his older brother, mom, dad and grandpa. He did his chores – milking the cows, sweeping the barn floor, grooming the horses. When he was nine and his brother was twelve, a gas fire started in the horse shack. Burt's brother ran inside to save the horses, but he and the smallest filly were killed. The fire had also spread to the corn hedge and the milking station. The poor family didn't have the money to keep with their lifestyle, so they sold the farm to pay for the damages and gave their eldest child a decent burial in a pine box. The family travelled in their old station wagon, with Burt picking up odd jobs here and there. After his grandpa had a heart attack a year later, his parents were talking of a divorce. By age twelve, Burt and his mom were living on the streets and begging for short change. At age fourteen, there was still no luck. Burt's mom sent him to the group home to give him a better chance.
Bada and Bing are muscular twins. Throughout childhood, they were raised by their gym rat aunt and uncle. They work the twins hard, giving them barely anything to eat with only green smoothies and water to drink. The boys exercise and run themselves sick from sunrise past sunset. They run away to their Chicago streets when they're eleven, though they look like high schoolers. Finally free of their family's reign, the twins attempt to make friends and live their lives, but they're too intimidating. For the next three years, the boys travel around through empty threats, winding up in New York and sent to the home at age fifteen.
This Year…
Julien grew up as a prince in France. He and his parents, Barty and Julienne, lived in the largest mansion. They occasionally hired and fired the people of their surrounding village to serve them. Julien grew up abused with his only friends hired by his parents – Julienne hired Maurice [at age six, when Julien was seven] to be Julien's adviser, as Maurice had already been taught various languages and thrown into the trading game by his parents. Barty hired Mort [at age five, when the boys were eight and nine] to be Julien's friend, after Mort's family was killed. Maurice and Mort had been tormented through the holidays, though never to the extent of Julien. Julien's aunt – who was banished from the family – gave Julien a jungle crown and his own holiday where he didn't have to be perfect – King Julien Day. When the boys were ten, thirteen, and fourteen, they relocated to Canada and attended a French-English private academy. At age twelve, fifteen, and sixteen, the boys were abandoned in New York and sent to the home.
