Revamped!

[Okay guys. School is coming back. Juggling fanfics and homework was probably one of the reasons my grades weren't that good. I will be more focused on school but will continue to update. I know what the next chapters will be so it shouldn't be that difficult]. [2019: That has been my mood ever since I started publishing stories].

[Old Chapter Title/Combined Chapters - Blonde to Black + Out of Place].

Courtney Brown: New Home

I am now Courtney Brown.

Courtney Brown.

Courtney Brown.

We finally arrive at the house and I can finally get out of the car. That five hour and twenty-minute car ride was the longest event of my life. My butt is now completely numb.

I will now be living in San Sebastián. I look at the gated house we drove up on and it literally looks like a mansion. If I were some sort of house builder, I would be able to describe every aspect using an extensive vocabulary. But no, you're stuck with basic and bland language from a girl with a basic and bland name. It's funny how things work like that. I'll just tell you that it's a big and white house with a flat brown roof. There's a courtyard filled with sections of various perfectly trimmed flowers with a bricked pathway throughout and a swimming pool in the backyard. The whole perimeter is surrounded by a solid grey fence. If you ask me it reminds me of a wall. There are four expensive cars counting the one we came in. I'm guessing one for Mrs. Brown, one for Mr. Brown, and the other two are owned by two of my three foster brothers.

Mrs. Brown leads me into the giant palace-like house. There's a swirly staircase right in the center which I can't wait to slide down. Although knowing these people, I'm going to have to get the 'it's not ladylike' lecture if I ever get caught doing it (unless, of course, Mrs. Brown considers that act as a way to be a real woman).

We walk into a family room where three boys stand up from sitting on their fancy leather couch. They all look pretty much the same except the difference in height, kind of like a flight of stairs.

"This is Fabian, our eldest at twenty-one." Mrs. Brown says. The tallest boy (also the most built) shakes my hand. "He's a star athlete."

He has a firm grip. I think my hand broke in that handshake and my arm is about to follow.

"Dempsey, our second eldest at seventeen." The second tallest boy shakes my hand. "He's a scholar."

Oh, wow. A smart-ass. That's great.

"And finally, Dominic, our youngest son at fourteen." The third tallest boy shakes my hand. "He's a musical prodigy."

An athlete, a scholar, and a musician. I wonder which one I'll be forced to be. Oh, right, ballroom dancing. I almost forgot. I'm now the youngest in this family.

After the awkward welcome session, Mrs. Brown takes me upstairs to a room which I could only assume is my bedroom. It's painted a light shade of pink and is completely furnished: a bed with fresh sheets, a bookshelf with books, a closet full of clothes, a dresser with antiques on top, and a jewelry box full of - well - jewelry. Wow, she's spoiling me already. I place my backpack on my bed and look back at Mrs. Brown.

"I'll let you settle in," she tells me.

I nod my head as she walks out. The first thing I do is plop right onto my bed. I can't help but wonder how in twelve years of my life, I went from being a SHIELD orphan to the most powerful sorceress in all the realms, and now a foster daughter of a rich family.

-o-

Later in the day, I walk through the hallways. For some reason, I find myself to be walking slowly as if I don't want to be heard. It's most likely because I feel like such a stranger in this beautiful house. As I pass by a bedroom, the door opens and I suck air into my lungs as I jump back in shock.

One of the brothers walks out and removes his headphones when he sees me. I think it's Dominic only because of how young he looks. We sort of just stare at one another for a bit.

I walk down the hallways and pass by Dominic's room. He looks at me and takes out his headphones from his ears. We sort of stare at each other for a bit.

"Has Mom told you about the upcoming gala?" He asks me.

"She mentioned that I would be taking ballroom dancing."

Dominic nods. "It's for that event. It has a lot of dancing so if you're going to be expecting something: you'll be up for the worst future ever."

"How lovely," I say as a sour taste fills my mouth. "You tell all your guests that they'll have a bad time here."

He gives a small laugh. "Sorry, it's just that when big events like that come around, every mother in the city gets psyched. And now that you're here, she'll have someone to put in a fancy dress and fancy jewels."

"Can't wait." There's now a bitter taste in my mouth. "I've always wanted to be a princess."

"Mom doesn't tolerate sarcasm. Neither does dad. All they can handle is success."

I scoff a little. "Why am I not surprised?"

He nods his head. "Hey, do you want to go see the neighbourhood for a bit? I mean, you came from Madrid, right?"

I'm at that point where I have no idea where I came from but I nod my head in response to both his questions.

-o-

Dominic forced me onto a bike. I don't know how to ride a bike but I told him I did because I didn't want to feel babied into lessons. Also, I just got here and don't need them thinking I'm stupid (even though I've been biking for thirty seconds so far and I'm glad it's come to me naturally). If anything, I hope I crash into a tree and die. Besides, I might as well get to know the area I'll be living in for the next few months. It's better than lying on my expensive bed and looking up at my expensive ceiling.

"Did they have bikes in your orphanage?" Dominic asks me.

"Why?" I ask. My next answer depends on what he says next.

"You're a great biker."

"Yeah, there were plenty of bikes," I lie casually. "I biked all the time."

Apparently, I'm as good at biking as I am at lying. Is that something to be proud of?

"This is where Landon lives." Dominic points out one of the big houses on the street. "Landon will be your classmate in your ballroom dancing classes. He already knows a bit here and there. He's your age, maybe a year older?"

And now I have a dance partner.

"Are there any other kids in this neighbourhood?" I ask. So far, I'm the only kid here minus this Landon character.

Dominic thinks about it for a second before shaking his head. Wow. I came from a house with a high concentration of kids to an area with almost no kids at all. At least I don't have to be concerned about making friends. Besides, who would want to be friends with me?

"This is an old neighbourhood," Dominic explains. "Our family moved here two years ago from Monaco. Most of the couples here don't have kids. They just have cars or boats."

I crack a smile.

We're now about twenty minutes away from home and my legs ache. Dominic stops biking and I copy, hopping off my bike and walking it as he does. He shows me an assortment of rich stores filled with rich items for rich people to buy with their giant wads of cash. There's no school nearby which makes sense since there are no kids around (the Brown boys, and possibly Landon, as well are homeschooled like I sort of was back in the orphanage). I don't know why it's necessary to show me all these fancy places since I, personally, can't afford them without using my foster money.

Then, Dominic gets back on the bike and takes me further down the street. I hope he gets to his point soon because this bike seat is hurting my butt. Thankfully, we arrive at a café at the edge of San Sebastián. We park our bikes again and walk inside.

The place is a diner which seems out-of-place in an area like this. It's sort of like those diners you see in the '60s with records playing, cushioned booths, pictures of musical and theatre legends on the walls, and the smell of coffee, donuts, and fried food.

"Did the place get lost in time and location?" I ask Dominic. "Are people like you allowed to eat at places like this?"

"People like me?" He questions, raising an eyebrow at me.

"You know, people who don't have a worry in the world because they have all the money they want."

Dominic sighs. "Actually I'm not allowed. This place is too cheap and fattening which is why I can't be in here."

"Then why show me?"

"It's a safe house with good music," Dominic explains. "This diner is called 'Forward to The Past'. It runs all day and all night. The reason it's called a safe house is that you can come in whenever you like and just hide, even at those ungodly hours at night."

That was the most useful piece of advice I have ever received. I would like to this that this diner is basically me. Not in some narcissistic or metaphorical way. This diner is out-of-place, but still surviving, just like me. It was an escape, just like the name and life of Courtney Brown.

-o-

We bike back to the house and Mr. Brown asks us where were. I stand silent because I don't remember any place Dominic showed me except the diner. Dominic lies and tells his dad that we were at the antique shop. I nod my head agreeing. Mr. Brown looks doubtful but goes with it. I don't even remember an antique shop.

I walk around the house and see Fabian and Dempsey reading. Either they have no life or no choice. Possibly both.

"What do you do for fun around here?" I ask them.

They both look up at me in sync.

"Read," Fabian replies. "You should probably get a book out."

I scowl at him because I think he just called me dumb. Well, I'll show him.

"Or we practice," Dempsey replies vaguely.

"Practice what?" I ask.

"Whatever it is we need to."

I roll my eyes. "You know, for a smart guy, you don't know a lot of words."

I walk away. I doubt this family knows what 'fun' means. If they need me to, I will tell them. Practicing and reading aren't fun. Fun is literally anything else.

Sometimes I wonder what my life would've been like if Crystal Hepburn or Amber were adopted at a young age. Would they have had a better family? Or what if her real family found her? I highly doubt it even though I've been told in a dream that I have one. Crystal had hope, Courtney doesn't.

I'm still feeling out-of-place. Nobody around here can help with that.

What would have happened if I stayed in the orphanage for just a bit longer?