Chapter One
~Alyss~
"Get offa me!" I snarled, trying to crawl away. The boy straddling my back laughed excitedly.
"Whatcha gonna do for me, chica?" He asked, leaning closer so I could smell the alcohol on his breath. "Ya gonna apologize?"
I snorted. Even on my stomach, in the snow, with bruises, I was as stubborn as a burro. "For calling you a lazy pig? Sorry, Rico, I was taught not to apologize for telling the truth," My reward was getting my long dark brown hair pulled.
"Sorry, chica didn't quite hear that," Rico sneered. "Could you say that again?"
"I'm…." I rasped.
"Si?"
"I'm sorry that…"
"Go on,"
I twisted so I could grin up at him. "…that you're such an asshat," I would have said more if it were for the fact my face got shoved into the snow. I snarled to myself as my hand enclosed itself onto some snow, a tiny plan formulating in my head. I felt him lean closer to me to whisper "Wrong answer, chica. Wanna try that again?"
Thanks to the fact he wasn't holding m arms down, I was able to flip over and shove the snowball I had made one-handed into his face. Rico fell back in shock and that allowed me enough room to slide out one leg and shove the heel of my beat-up, black classic converse where it would hurt worse. The guy was not getting up for a while. I smirked as got up and ran as far away as I could before he could even try crawling. I was around the corner when I stopped to catch my breath, laughing so hard it hurt. Rico and I have been butting heads since I became part of the foster care system. It started with him, this big twelve year old Spanish dude, trying to shove little ten year old me around. Idiot didn't realize I bit back. Literally! We've hated each other ever since. I walked down the street to the main foster care building, still giggling excitedly. I always won our little one-on-one battles. He rarely brought anyone with him in fear of people finding out he gets the crap beaten by a girl whose only 5'2''!
The thought made me smile as I walked through the door and heard my name.
"Alyssanna! Alyssanna, is that you?" a rather annoying, stern voice called from the den.
I groaned and stayed silent. Please don't…
"I heard that! Get in here!"
I snarled internally. "Hyper-sensitive bitch…" I breathed as I hung my thick jacket onto the hook and stepped into the den.
=Jack=
Jack Mercer was sitting in the den of a foster care home with his mother. Jerry was watching the girls and couldn't come. The other two just didn't want to be a part of it. To be honest, this place made uncomfortable and he just wanted to get the fuck outta there. But Evelyn had gotten a call from one of the staff there, saying there was another lost cause. Hopefully she could find him a new home quick, before things got ugly at home. He figured it was a "him" because most girls actually made it more than boys. Boys from fucked up lives were more rowdy and people didn't want them.
Evelyn and one of the staff, Lisa was her name, were talking. He wasn't even really listening. He just stared out one of the windows, watching the snow. He heard the door open and close and wondered if it was their new delinquent.
"Alyssanna! Alyssanna, is that you?" Lisa called, using an awfully stern voice.
Alyssanna? Jack thought. Sounds like a chick's name. He grew confused. Was their new addition really a girl?
There was a small groan and then silence.
"I heard that!" Lisa snarled. "Get in here!"
He heard someone whisper "Hyper-sensitive bitch…" as a girl came in and leaned against the doorway, arms crossed over her chest.
She wasn't tall, maybe around 5'2". Her dark hair was long and straight and since it was down, he could sort of see that it fell just slightly past her ass. She had a curvy figure and a trim waistline. Her almond shaped, chocolate brown eyes looked him and his mother, her full lips twitching slightly. She clearly didn't want to be here. Her clothes were a black button up blouse, black pants and black gauntlets with buckles. The classic converse she wore barely peeked out from under her too-long pants.
Jack recognized her from school. She was a new sophomore this year, meaning she was about two years younger than he was. He'd never talked to her nor did he know much about her at all. Rumor had it that she was a trouble maker that came to Detroit with some other kids at the beginning of the year because she killed someone. Seeing her up close, Jack couldn't believe this tiny thing could pack much of a punch. He always took rumors with a grain of salt but she always kept to herself and never really hung out with anyone. He never saw her wander about the school except during the little breaks between classes. She always seemed to never really be around.
Lisa glared at the girl, who just glared back. After a few moments of silence, the girl said in a flat tone "You wanted something?"
"Yes, could you sit down please?" Lisa said. Jack could hear strained politeness in both their voices. So these two hated each other, eh?
The girl looked at the remaining chair next to Lisa and said "I'd rather stand,"
Lisa mouth twitched. "Now, now, Alyss," she said in an almost sickly sweet sort of way. "You wouldn't want to be rude to our guests, would you?
Alyss' eyes narrowed. "Standing isn't rude,"
"But it's a little hard for Ms. Evelyn to see you all the way over there. And she's come so far just to see you," Lisa gave Alyss a look that meant business.
Alyss glared at the woman as she carefully stepped into the den and slowly sat into the chair.
"Now that's better, isn't it?"
Alyss "humphed" and stared on the opposite direction.
Lisa sighed. "Evelyn, this is Alyssanna Cromwel-" the girl in question twitched at her full name "-our new arrival. She's been here for a few months but things haven't quite worked out, have they, Alyss?"
Alyss stayed silent, looking away.
"Alyss," Lisa growled.
"Yeah, sure," She answered in a clipped tone. "Can I go now? I promised Lexi I'd play with her,"
"But you haven't even said two words to this woman! She's here to take you in,"
"Doubt that'll last…"
Lisa smacked her upside the head and Jack couldn't help but wonder what this girl's problem was. She acted as if she'd been adopted before. It was possible. He'd been bounced from family to family many times before meeting Evelyn. He'd had the same attitude when he first met Evelyn but after she caught him with his pockets all full and tried to impress on him what it means to be adopted. He changed that tune real quick. If this girl stayed long enough, she would too.
Alyss flinched when she got smacked but didn't hit back. Actually, she just sat back and sighed. "Fine," she breathed.
Lisa nodded. "Now I'm going to leave you alone while I get some paper work for you, Ms. Evelyn," As she left, she shot Alyss a glare, which she ignored. There was a long pause when the woman left. Jack and Evelyn sat there in silence, waiting for the girl to speak. She looked down at her gauntlets, playing with one of the buckles.
Finally, Evelyn decided to make the first move. "How old are you, dear?"
Alyss looked up a little to answer shyly "Sixteen,"
"Do you go to the local highschool?" Evelyn asked, glad to have her speaking.
She nodded. "I'm a sophomore,"
"So you go with my son, Jack,"
Alyss titled her head in confusion. "Jack?"
Jack raised his hand to get her attention. "You're in my Spanish and English class,"
"Oh," Alyss said, biting her lip sheepishly. "Thought you seemed familiar. Sorry, I still have really gotten to know anybody yet,"
"You haven't?" Evelyn asked. "Why not? You seem like a nice girl,"
She chewed on her lip uncomfortably. "I…just don't…get along with people well, I guess,"
"I see," Evelyn said, almost to herself. "Well, you'll get along just fine in our house,"
Jack shifted uncomfortably. He didn't really like the thought of this girl living with him and his family.
Evelyn noticed and sighed then looked back to Alyss. "So what are you interested in?"
Alyss ran her fingers through her hair and Jack noticed her nails were long and uneven. Each nail was a different length.
"Well, I'm a pretty good writer. Kind of why I'm in the senior class," She said.
"Hey, kid," Jack said, looking a little curious.
"Hmmm?"
"What are you doing here, anyways? I mean, ya don't see a lot of lost causes who are girls,"
Alyss twitched again. "Ummm….well, uh, ya see…"
"Sorry it took so long," Lisa chimed in sweetly, holding lots of papers for Evelyn to fill out. She placed the papers on the coffee table that sat between all of them. As Evelyn filled out the papers, Jack noticed Alyss was looking away again. But instead of looking away in boredom or annoyance, she looked nervous.
"Alright, you're all set," Lisa said a little too perkily. "Alyss, why don't you go pack up your stuff?"
The girl looked back at her outraged. "NOW?"
"Yes, now. So you can leave and get settled with your new family,"
"Bu-bu-but-"
"But what?" Lisa asked, looking annoyed.
Alyss frowned and said "I promised Lexi I'd finish reading Coraline to her. We only have three chapters left and that's the only way she sleeps,"
"Someone else can read her to bed, now go,"
"But-"
"Go!" Lisa pointed up towards the stairs to emphasize her point.
Alyss scowled at the woman as she got up and trudged up the stairs. Jack wondered who this Lexi person was and why she meant so much to this girl.
~Alyss~
The moment I got out of the den, a little excited squeal greeted me and I was almost knocked over by a little girl trying to hug me.
"Alyss! You're home!" she squeaked, happy to see me.
I hugged her back and said in a slightly hollow voice "Yeah…I'm home,"
The little girl was about half my height, with dark blonde hair that fell in ringlets. Her eyes were round and bright sky blue and she had fair skin.
"You gonna read Coraline to me?" she asked as she followed me up to my room.
I swallowed. "Sorry, honey. Mean old Lisa's sending me away again,"
Her eyes grew round and her mouth flopped open. "Why?" she whined.
"Cause she's mean that way. Doesn't get that I have all the family I need right here," I bent down and picked her up, hugging her close. "C'mon. You can help me pack,"
"Okay," she mumbled without enthusiasm.
We went into my attic bedroom and I set her down on the single bed before I fished out me duffle bag and suit case from the closet. There was a knock and I looked up to see Jack standing in my doorway.
"Hey, uh, Ma wanted me to help you pack, if you don't mind," He said, looking a little uncomfortable.
I nodded. "Sure, thanks. Could you put the books off the shelf and fit them into the suit case as best as you can? Whatever won't fit in there I'll stuff in my duffle bag," He nodded and went to the bookshelf. He raised his eyebrow at the amount but then shrugged and carefully put them in the suit case. I went to my dresser and stuffed my clothes into it. After that I dug a small box of personal items out of the closet and put that in too. I help Jack pack the rest of my books and zipped my duffle bag shut.
"Why do you have to go, Alyss?" Lexi whined as she hugged my huge, thick wolf blanket close to her.
I sighed as I snagged my Jack Skellington messenger bag and stuffed my laptop into in along with I book I was reading. "Ask Lisa. But don't worry, I'll be back soon,"
"Promise?" she held out her pinky for me.
I smiled, hoisted the bag onto my shoulder and curled my pinky around hers. "Promise and to prove it – " I reached over behind her and snagged an old rabbit plushie dressed in a waist coat and carrying a fake watch from behind her. " – I'll give you a mission. I need you to take care of Rabbit for me. Can you do that?"She nodded and took the rabbit from me and I snagged the blanket then folded it over my arm. "Take care of him for me and don't fall into rabbit holes!"
Lexi giggled and nodded. I followed Jack who snagged my duffle bag and suitcase out of my room and back down stairs.
"Why'd you tell her not to fall in rabbit holes?" he asked, confused.
I laughed. "Cause I read Alice in Wonderland to her and she loved it to death. Swears up and down she'll find the White Rabbit and follow him,"
Jack laughed at that. I smiled. His laugh was nice. Deep but comforting. He was pretty good looking too. Then I blushed and shook my head when he wasn't looking. No going after guys, Alyss. Never a good sign. I sighed to myself and followed Jack into the umpteenth house I'd be staying out. However, I wasn't aware how different it would be this time.
Author's Note: Hi there! Hope you like this. I've had the idea in my head for a while but was too nervous to post it. Please reveiw and tell me what you think! sorry about all the grammatical errors if there are any ^o^" Enjoy!
TTFN, Ta Ta For Now!
