Hello Readers!! The second chapter is finally here! Sorry it took so long. First of all, I would like to thank my co-writer/best friend 6464MiniDiceofRandomness, and paranoidbychoice, for posting reviews. Also, it was 6464MiniDiceofRandomness that introduced me to Wally, who is from the Boys Against the Girls series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. I again ask that you PLEASE review, even if it's to criticize. It helps me to improve the story. So, without further ado, A New Spin On Things, Ch. 2.

11-year-old Wally Hatford tried to understand what his parents just told him.

"Adopted? How can I be adopted?" he complained. "I've lived here as long as I can remember!"

"You were three," Mrs. Hatford explained. "I had a friend, who worked at the adoption agency. She told me that your mother had just suddenly disappeared, and that you needed to be adopted, because the other kids were picking on you. It doesn't mean we love you any less than your brothers."

Wally thought about this. An awkward silence fell over the room. "Do Jake, Josh, or Peter know?" he asked softly.

Finally his father spoke. "Jake and Josh were there, but I doubt they remember."

"Do you know where I can find my parents?"

His mother shook her head slowly. "Your mother disappeared, and no one else lived with her. All we know is she had a small apartment in L.A."

With that, Wally walked away slowly, needing to clear his mind.

About half an hour later, Wally stood on the swinging bridge that goes across the river near his house. He always found the gentle waves relaxing. Soon, he saw Caroline Malloy approaching, from her family's side of the river. "You and your brothers aren't planning anything, are you?" Her eyes narrowed.

Wally shook his head slowly. The Hatfords and Malloys always played tricks on each other, and always got revenge. It was just their hobby- more like an art, in Wally's eyes.

Caroline could tell that something was wrong, because Wally looked like he was ready to cry. Her expression immediately changed. "What's wrong?" she asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"

He looked up. "I'm adopted. I just found out I'm adopted. And nobody knows where my parents are."

10-year-old Caroline was so stunned, she could only stare. " Really? Oh my gosh, I feel so sorry for you! How old were you? I mean, do you remember your parents?"

Again, Wally shook his head, looking down at the river. "I was only three" was all he could say.

Caroline got an idea. "We should find them! Together! It would make such a good storyline! Two children, on a desperate quest to find the one thing they desire most: their parents. And-"

"Caroline, they live in LA. At least, my mom did. In an apartment. No idea where."

"Come on! You can't seriously just give up! You should at least try to find them."

For a second, Wally thought he was crazy, but as he walked home, he actually considered the youngest Malloy's plan.

All that night, Wally was on the computer. When he finally looked at the clock, it was 5 in the morning. Monday morning. He looked at the two lists he created: one for people who went missing when he was three, the other a list of apartments in LA, and decided he should get to sleep.

It seemed like only a minute passed when his brothers were tackling him. It was their way of getting each other up: last one sleeping gets tackled. Wally groaned, and got up.

At school that day, he couldn't pay attention. It seemed like the minutes were longer than usual. After school ended, Caroline joined him on the walk home. "Are you alright?" she said, "You look tired."

"I was up till 5" Wally replied groggily. "I looked up missing people and apartments that were in LA when I was three." He handed her the sheets of paper, and watched as her eyes darted across them.

"You spent all night on this?" she asked, her voice filled with awe.

"That's not all. I looked up airfare for a plane from here to LA. It might take all of our combined money, but I think we can fly to LAX, and have enough money for food for at least a week."

Caroline made eye contact with him. "So the plan's on?" she wondered, with a hint of daring in her voice.

"The plan's on."

I hope you like the second chapter. Please, PLEASE review. I will try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can. In the next chapter: traveling to LA, and whatever else I come up with.