"Song and dance!" Hope repeats as she tosses her stuffed frog in the air. Kim giggles as the other girls from the orphanage start to come down the stairs.

"You guys are funny, come along let me show you to your room," said Kim as she makes her way up the stairs. Kim starts to gesture with her hands, so the Hart sisters will follow. Lynn continues to carry Hope as they make their way up the stairs following Kim. The other girls move along side of the walls as they make their way down the upstairs hall.

"Here we are," said Kim as she reaches the last door on the left.

"Not bad," said Lynn.

"Give me a break Lynn, this place sucks," explains Nicole.

"Sucks, this place sucks!" shouts Hope.

Nicole walks over to one of the four beds and flops down on it. Lynn follows after her.

"Nicole must you bad mouth everything?" Lynn continues as she walks over to Hope. "We have to keep a positive attitude for Hope's sake."

"Why?" Nicole asked as she got up from the bed. She walks over to Hope's stuffed frog and begins playing catch with it, tossing it at Hope who tosses it back. "Hope can see that this place sucks." Nicole catches the frog and then chucks it at one of the beds. "So what time is dinner Kim?"

"Six o'clock."

Lynn carries Hope over to the bed and starts to take off her jacket. Kim follows and starts to play with Hope on the bed.

"So Kim, how long have you been in for?" asked Nicole.

"Two years this July."

Nicole walks over to where Kim and Hope are playing. She is greeted with an evil look from Lynn. "So Kim do you have a boy friend? Nicole asked.

"Nicole!" Lynn cried.

"I'm only ten," Kim answered looking down at the floor as she blushes.

Hope starts to make kissing sounds as Nicole grabs the frog from the bed and starts to kiss it. "You know in some states girls are divorced by ten," explains Nicole.

"Stop lying!" said Lynn.

"It's true I seen it on the Disney Channel," said Nicole.

"No way, let me go over the rules with you guys," said Kim.

"Yea I would like to know them before I break them," replied Nicole.

Lynn walks over to Nicole and stands directly eye to eye with her. "Nicole stop it, you heard Mrs. Conner. This is it; if we don't make it here we could get separated," explained Lynn.

"Relax Mom and Dad will be back for us soon," said Nicole as she flopped down onto the bed.

Lynn thought to herself if that she can accept the fact that her parents are not coming back. Why can't her sister Nicole do the same? I'm tired of giving out false hope; it only hurts longer in the long run. She pauses for a minute to think of what to say about Nicole statement. How to sugar coated it so she won't get hurt. Nothing came to mind so she just blurted out.

"Mom and Dad are not coming back!"

Nicole gets up and walks over to sit next to Hope on the bed. She starts to comb Hope's hair with her fingers, trying to evade eye contact from a staring Lynn. "Now who's being negative?" she said looking up at Lynn. Lynn looks at Nicole and Hope, and then takes a deep breath.

"So what are the rules Kim?" Lynn asks.

"OK, so there are 37 girls here, you three make 40," Kim says as she paces around the room. "There are ten rooms and 4 girls to a room."

"Great we have a regular math genius," said Nicole.

"You guys are sharing this room with me," Kim continued. "On the other side of the building we have the boy's dorm, we are not allowed over there. Besides you don't want to go over there, it stinks. Breakfast is at exactly 7:00 a.m. if you are late you don't eat."

"Where is the TV?" asked Nicole.

"There isn't one, Ms. Dillenbeck doesn't believe in young kids watching TV." Kim answers.

"What?" asks Nicole as she walks over to the window in the room.

"Usually we eat lunch at school but since we are out for the summer lunch is at 12:00 o'clock," says Kim.

"Wait...please go back to this whole no TV thing," asked Nicole.

"There's only one TV in this building and it's in Ms. Dillenbeck's room," explains Kim.

"Does she keep her door locked?" asked Nicole.

"Nicole!" screamed Lynn.

Kim scrolls over to Nicole and places her hand on her shoulders, Nicole quickly moves it. "We never enter Ms. Dillenbeck's room unless we are invited, said Kim. "During the day we work in the backyard in Ms. Dillenbeck's garden."

"I'm not growing any stupid vegetables!" replied Nicole.

"What do we do for fun?" asked Lynn.

A bright smile comes across Kim's face as she stares at Lynn. "You'll see!" she said.

"Give me a break," Nicole said.

"Guys its 5:55 it's time for dinner, let's go," said Kim.

"My God I'm a senior citizen," said Nicole. Kim walks out the door and directs with her hands for the girls to follow. Lynn picks up Hope and starts to walk out the door behind Nicole.

"Behave Nicole," Lynn whispers as they make their way out the door.

Chapter Two

Princess Star

The cafeteria is filled with the children of the orphanage as the boys sit on the right and the girls fill the left. Some children are still waiting in line with their trays for the lunch ladies to serve their food. The sound of children talking and laughing echoes through the cafeteria.

Kim leads the way through the cafeteria with her tray of food in her hands as the Hart sisters follow. Lynn carries her own tray as well as Hope's tray. They sit down at the last row of benches on the girl's side of the cafeteria.

"What is this?" Nicole asks as she holds up a dry piece of meat with her fork. Nicole takes the meat and sticks it close to Lynn's face.

"It's Poop," says Hope as she starts to play with her food. She grabs the meat and also sticks it in Lynn's face.

"Okay can we just eat," said Lynn as she tries to cut her meat with her plastic fork. The fork breaks into pieces as Nicole starts to laugh.

"Tender isn't it?" asked Nicole.

Lynn tries not to laugh but could not fight it anymore and joins Nicole. The sound of Kim chewing takes Lynn and Nicole's attention away from the dry meat. The Hart sisters look in amazement as Kim rapidly swallows down the food on her tray.

"Try it, it's good," Kim says as she shoves some bread into her mouth. Lynn starts to take small bites of her food as Hope plays with hers. Nicole wants nothing to do with what is in front of her.

The double doors to the cafeteria fly open as a bright red headed girl runs into the cafeteria and screams.

"She's coming, she's coming, Princess Star is coming!" the red headed girl yells.

"What the fudge— asked Nicole.

"Lynn, please stop eating and put your head down," says Kim. "Man I can't believe I forgot to tell you about Princess Star."

Silence creeps upon the whole room as two girls hold open the swinging double doors of the cafeteria. The red headed girl quickly looks for a place to sit but no one will move over to give her a seat.

"Hey, there's room down here—" says Lynn.

"Lynn, no be quiet," whispers Kim.

A tall, petite, white-blonde haired girl with big blue eyes and real pale skin, slowly enters the cafeteria. She observes the cafeteria as her eyes lock onto the red headed girl who is still standing frozen in her tracks. Everyone in the cafeteria tries to avoid eye contact with her as she walks over to the red headed girl.

"Tell me Red?" she asks as she glances around the room. "Why are you still standing in my presence?"

"I'm sorry Princess Star," Red says nervously as she plays with a button on her shirt. The children in the cafeteria slowly start to lift their heads and stare at Red. They begin to whisper to each other as they point at her. Princess Star walks over to the boys' side of the cafeteria.

"Danny!" Princess Star calls out. A short, freckled face kid with glasses gets up from the boys side of the cafeteria and walks over to Red. He reaches in his back pocket to pull out a note pad. Princess Star walks over to Danny as Nicole and Lynn look on.

"Danny please read to her, rule number 134 in the guide," commands Princess Star. Danny lifts his note pad closer to his face and takes a deep breath. He flips through the pages looking for page 134. Minutes go by as Princess Star starts to become restless. Red stands there waiting as if she is about to get the gas chamber.

"I found it!" Danny says.

"Then read it you geek!" screams Princess Star.

"Ahem, rule number 134, those in the presence of royalty should be sitting or kneel down before them," Danny reads.

"Is she serious?" whispers Lynn to Kim.

"So if I take her down do I become top dog?" Nicole asks.

"Guys keep it down," whispers Kim.

Princess Star walks over to the Hart sister's table and leans against it. Danny quickly follows behind Princess Star. "Danny please read her the penalty for breaking this rule," Princess Star says as she turns around and faces the Hart sisters.

"Those who break this rule will not be allowed to enter," reads Danny.

Red starts to cry and runs out of the cafeteria. Filled with anger Nicole bends and breaks her plastic fork. Nicole starts to get up but Lynn grabs and jerks her back down.

"Why don't you leave her alone!" shouts Lynn as she stands up.

"All right Lynn, don't worry I got your back," Nicole says as she stands up next to Lynn. Kim's jaw drops as she can't believe the sisters were standing up to Princess Star. Kim drops her head avoiding eye contact as Princess Star approaches the sisters.

"What did you say to me?" asks Princess Star.

"You heard her," teases Nicole.

"I'm sorry my lady, I haven't had time to fill them in," explains Kim.

"Princess Poop!" yells Hope.

The children in the cafeteria start to laugh. "Is there something funny?" squeals Princess Star. The laughter in the cafeteria quickly fades. Kim stands up and walks over to Princess Star.

"These are the Hart sisters—" says Kim.

"I don't care for names...Did you tell them?" questions Princess Star.

"No, your highness," answers Kim

Princess Star turns around to address the children of the cafeteria. "Attention!" Princess Star yells. "These new comers have disrespected your princess….. Danny please write this down." Danny grabs a pen out of his back pocket and begins to write.

"The Hart sisters are not allowed to enter or know the secrets of this orphanage, states Princess Star. "Those who tell them will be banished!"

"Got it my lady!" says Danny as he closes his note pad. Princess Star walks back over to the sisters and comes face to face with Lynn and Nicole.

"You better learn the ropes around here," says Princess Star. "Or I'm going to make your stay a living nightmare!"

"It can't be as bad as your breath," says Nicole. "Try a mint would ya?"

Princess Star responds to Nicole's words with a sinister smile as she exits the cafeteria followed by Danny. The silence of the cafeteria breaks as soon as Princess Star is out of sight.