Chapter Two

There were three things she was absolutely sure of. One, it was going to be the hottest summer she had ever experienced in her whole life. Even in blue jean shorts and a black tank top she was melting. With it being the middle of July, nothing but heat filled her days, and today was no different. She thought at as the day came to a close, it would get cooler, but even with it being 4pm, the temperature was still at one hundred degrees. Good old Georgia, nice and painfully hot for the child who preferred the cooler weather.

Two, Powder Springs, Georgia was going to be a completely lame town. It was nowhere near the size of Atlanta and definitely not as busy. She knew life there would be boring and desperately wished she was elsewhere.

And three…she absolutely, positively hated anything that had to do with family. In being shoved in and out of foster homes her entire life, she didn't even know what the concept of family was. All she knew was that it wasn't worth her time. Family was, at least in her mind, a mere illusion of happiness and love adults told foster kids about in order to give them hope that one day, they would be part of one. She wasn't one of those foster kids who believed that though. She was the smart one. She was the one who knew family didn't exist…that happiness and love would never come from an adult. Perhaps there was once a time in her life where she did have hope, but those days were long gone. Constant rejections and endless placements took that hope from her. Well…almost. In reality, there was still a small part of her that believed her life could change, but that part was so small and so deeply hidden away that she herself didn't even realize it was there.

"And now I am going to be stuck in yet another placement…great."

She was not looking forward to this at all. She was perfectly fine staying at the group home and despised the fact that she was going to stay with someone else again. Why couldn't life just leave her alone for once?

"Harlyn?"

The ten year old snapped from her thoughts at the sudden sound of a voice, but made no reply to it. Instead, she kept her baby blue eyes locked onto the passing scenery, her dark brown hair occasionally getting in the way as the wind hit her face.

"We're almost there. Should arrive in another few minutes or so."

Harlyn still said nothing, ignoring the woman completely. Most adults would find this to be rude, but not Cassidy Radford. Oh no. The auburn haired woman had been the girl's social worker for the last six years and was all too used to this kind of treatment. It never bothered her though. She would just simply ignore it.

"She seems really nice, you know. She was really taken by you that day and is really excited to have you stay with her. I think you're going to like it there."

"You say that about every placement you throw me in." the girl replied, finally speaking. She had been an orphan all her life, and, according to Cassidy, she was apparently going to like the last three placements she was in, but did she? No. So why would this one be any different?"

"Well, she did catch your eye when you first met her…"

She silently cursed at the little voice in the back of her mind. As much as she hated to admit it, there was something about the woman she interviewed with two weeks back, but she was trying her hardest to forget it and let it go.

"Harlyn, don't be like this…"

"I can be however I want. You know it's true. I've never liked any of the placements I've been in."

Cassidy let out a sigh.

"Look, I know life has been tough for you, and I know you haven't had much luck with foster families either, but you can't go into every new placement thinking it is going to end badly."

"Why not? They always do."

"Because not every adult is the same. Not every adult is out there to hurt you. You have a family out there somewhere just for you, and I'm not going to stop looking until I find them. Who knows, maybe this one is it."

Harlyn just sighed and shook her head. Due to her lack of sleep the night before, and due to the ridiculous heat, she was tired and not in the mood to argue. She hated the whole "you'll find a family" speech and just learned to ignore it at this point simply because it was a bunch of bull.

"And if you want to get technical, you are the one who agreed to be placed there, so that tells me you will like it."

Now this pulled Harlyn from her quiet mood.

"I did not! That woman tricked me!"

Cassidy burst out into laughter, which only angered the child more.

"Stop laughing! It was her fault! She was crazy!"

"If you say so." She said teasingly. "I saw that look on your face that day. She got to you."

"Shut up! She did not! I had no look!"

Cassidy just laughed again, shaking her head.

"I think that woman was brilliant if you ask me."

"I think she's brilliant if you ask me." The girl mocked in a high pitched tone before crossing her arms over her chest and looking back out of the window. It wasn't so much the teasing that ticked her off, but more of the fact that Cassidy was actually right. How she even ended up being here was a little brilliant on her new placement's part.

"She really was crazy. It's not like I actually meant to agree to this move…" she thought to herself, that moment now playing in her head. It had been visiting day for those who were looking to foster, and before she got a chance to run and hide, she was dragged into Cassidy's office for an interview. When she walked in, she found a golden haired female sitting in a chair. Harlyn actually found her to be pretty, but she would never admit that out loud.

"Here she is!"

Cassidy took a seat at her desk while Harlyn grumpily sat down in a chair next to the woman, arms crossed over her chest as she plopped in it.

"Oh my gosh…"

The girl let out a sigh. She was so not in the mood for this.

"Aww, look at you. You're so adorable!"

There was sincerity in her voice, but the child merely rolled her eyes and ignored it.

"She is the suck up kind of foster parent." She thought. "I can already tell."

"No, really. Look at those eyes, you have those big ol' baby blues. I love them!"

Yeah, no. Definitely not in the mood.

"Whatever. What am I? Some side show freak? Quit staring at me!"

The female was a little taken aback by the remark, but dismissed it, smiling nonetheless.

"I'm sorry. I just really thought you looked beautiful, that's all."

Harlyn, whose eyes had been on the floor, brought them up and locked them with the other. As she did, her thoughts came to a standstill, the softness the other pair had taking her off guard slightly. It wasn't something she was used to seeing. She had done a ton of interviews in the past, but this one…this woman carried a warmth in her gaze that no previous adult had.

"It's almost like she actually means what she says. Her eyes…their soft, and they tell me that she means it…but…"

No. No, no, no. Definitely not. She had never been one to be softened up by a few compliments and she never would be. It was not her thing, and in the end, she knew the words were lies. So, despite her hearts ever so minor flutter, she paid no mind to whatever was coming from the woman's mouth.

"I said stop staring…" she finally told her, looking away as a bit of heat drew to her cheeks. Weird thing to say when she was the one who started the whole staring thing in the first place.

"Harlyn…" Cassidy started. "This is Aubrey Posen. Aubrey, this is Harlyn Locklear."

"Hello, Harlyn." Aubrey greeted, holding out her hand to shake. "That's a really pretty name. I like it. It's nice to meet you."

Harlyn just looked at the hand and yawned, leaning back further into her chair. Cassidy gave her that "be polite" look, but the girl just shrugged it off, looking down and fiddling with the strings of her black knit shorts.

"Ms. Posen here is looking to foster a girl." Cassidy told her. "I thought you were a perfect candidate. I told her all about you and she wanted to meet you."

Harlyn snickered at this, tucking some of her deep brown locks behind her ears.

"You told her I was the perfect candidate? And here I thought you knew me…"

"Well, I really am glad to meet you."

"Ok…"

"Mhm, really glad. I love kids and I look forward to taking one in."

"Right…"

Sitting back in her chair, Aubrey crossed one leg over the other, her gaze still upon the stubborn ten year old. While most adults were turned off by this attitude, she was not. She was actually intrigued. In fact, she received a warning about this before it even started. Prior to this meeting, Cassidy had pulled her aside and briefed her on how she would be. She was told that the girl had a few hard knocks early on and wasn't nice to any adult she met. She also said that, despite being hard to get through, she really did want a family. Cassidy had known her long enough to know this fact. Harlyn wanted what every other kid did, but her trust level was so low she'd never let herself have it. No family has been able to get through to her, the girl therefore never getting adopted. It was a heart breaking thing for to hear. No child deserved to be shoved off to the side, and she would make sure, at least for this girl, that it would not happen again.

"Well then, I take it you're not interested in staying with me?" Aubrey suddenly asked, all eyes on her now."

"Not really."

"Well, that's a shame. I would really love having you."

"Such a shame." Harlyn replied sarcastically.

"Not a family person, huh?"

"No way."

"Just not your thing?"

"Nope."

"Ok, I understand that. I mean, families can be such a pain, right? Always nagging, always in your business…"

Harlyn's brows furrowed as she listened. This wasn't the normal conversation she had with someone during an interview, at least not so causally.

"Very much so…I just don't need a family, ok? I can take care of myself, so this meeting is a waste of time."

"Oh, there's no doubt in the fact that you can care for yourself. You seem like you can. Well, it's too bad you're not interested. I know I'd be able to change your mind."

"Change my mind?"

"Yeah, about the whole family thing. Staying with me, I think you'll learn that family is not all so bad."

Harlyn scoffed at this. She couldn't believe what the woman was saying.

"No way. You couldn't get me to believe that crap."

"No?"

"No! Anyways, you would get tired of me so quickly that you wouldn't even have the time to make me believe."

"Oh really?"

"Yep."

"Wanna make a bet?"

Up until now, Cassidy had no idea what was going on, but in that moment, she caught onto it, and knowing how Harlyn liked to play into challenges, she couldn't help but be amused.

"A bet?"

"Yes. I bet that I could get you to love the whole idea of family. I bet I could change your mind about it all and that I wouldn't get tired of you."

Harlyn smirked. Was this woman that stupid?

"And I bet that within three months you would get so sick of me you'd send me back. I bet you wouldn't be able to change my mind about anything."

"Well, I guess we shall see."

"I guess we shall."

After, Aubrey stood up and looked at Cassidy with a victorious smile.

"Well, now that we are all in agreement, is taking her in two weeks good?"

"It's perfect!" Cassidy replied.

"Wait, what?" Harlyn asked, suddenly confused. "All in agreement? I never agreed to-"

"You said that you bet I couldn't get you into the whole family thing and that I would get tired of you, did you not?"

"Well, y-yes, I-"

"And I bet that I could get you to believe and that I wouldn't get tired of you."

"I know, but-"

"So, in order to see who wins that bet, you would have to come stay with me, correct?"

Harlyn sat their dumbfounded, just now taking in what had really happened. Cassidy, who had picked up on what was going on, was trying hard not to laugh. She was right. With Harlyn's stubborn and competitive nature, she knew she would fall right for it. Poor Harlyn was the only one who didn't catch on, but now…

"You…You tricked me!"

Cassidy lost it at this point, bursting out into laughter.

"Tricked you? Not at all? I'd never do that to you. Anyways, I can't wait to have you stay with me. I really think you'll have fun."

"But…I…"

"I think she will, too." Cassidy chimed in. "I can get the paperwork started right away. You said two weeks?"

"But-"

"Yep! I will have everything ready by then."

"Stop!"

Harlyn stood up from her seat, a series of gawking noises and squeaks escaping her system.

"C-Cassi!" she shouted, still in shock from all of this happening so quickly. "You seriously can't be considering…this!"

Cassidy threw her hands into the air.

"I'm not considering. It's already decided. She wants to take you in Harlyn, and I am not going to say no."

"But-"

"Hey now…"

Before Harlyn had a chance to react, Aubrey was right in front of her, the woman's hand under the girl's chin. After gently lifting it, their eyes locked, and the soft, sweet words that followed couldn't even make the stubborn Harlyn act up.

"Hey, it's ok. You don't have to worry, I promise. Nothing bad is going to happen there. I'll take good care of you during your stay, and I mean that. I think you'll like it there. Well, at least I really hope you do."

She then pulled her hand away, that warm smile still on her face.

"You have a lovely way about you, Harlyn." She said in a motherly tone. "I look forward to taking you in."

It was in that moment something strange happened…something Harlyn never experienced before. It was like…an exchange of emotion took place…as if a sudden pull could be felt between them and only they alone could feel it. If Aubrey felt it, she didn't show it, but Harlyn's worried gaze and inability to answer proved she felt something happen…it proved she felt some form of warmth for the other. That motherly tone had hit her hard, and while she tried to fight everything she was feeling…a part of her couldn't shake it off…a small part of her couldn't forget.

"We're here!"

Harlyn snapped back from her thoughts once more when the horn went off, nearly groaning when she saw they were pulling into the drive way.

"Do I really have to do this?"

"Yes, you do."

"But this whole thing is going to suck."

"Harlyn, really?"

Turning off the car, she leaned back in her seat and sighed.

"You really need to stop thinking like that. This isn't going to suck."

Harlyn said nothing in return, the girl simply sighing and looking back out the window.

"You know, I really think this is going to be great for you, and you can sit there and think "you say that every time" all you want, but it's true. Let me ask you something. Out of all the families who you have interviewed with, how many wanted to take you even after seeing that attitude of yours?"

Harlyn's heart clenched a little, her eyes falling to the floor.

"You have been into six different foster homes since you were born, and four of them were my choosing with no interviews between you and the guardians. The amount of actual interviews you have had is much higher than that, and I know because I have been to every one of them from the moment I took you on. I also know that in each one, you give attitude and push them back just like you did two weeks ago, but out of every single one, who still wanted you when the interview was over?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, she brought her gaze back up and out the window.

"This one…"

"Exactly. She sees so much good and love in you like I do and wants to give you a chance. You should give her a chance, too. Now come on."

With that, Cassidy got out of the car, Harlyn unmoving as she was still stuck on the woman's words. She was right. She had gone through many interviews in the past, and at every one she purposely caused trouble, leaving her untaken in the end. Her attitude with Aubrey was no different, however, unlike the previous families, she wanted to take her in regardless of how she was.

"Even though I still think she tricked me…I just don't get it though. It worked on everyone else, why didn't it work on her?"

She didn't understand it.

"Well I don't care what she says. This stay is going to suck and it won't last, I know it."

But then why, despite thinking this, did she hope she was wrong?

"I'll take good care of you during your stay…"

Aubrey's gaze and warm voice suddenly made its way back into Harlyn's mind, her heart freezing as she remembered. It had caused her heart to flicker in a way it hadn't in a long time…and that feeling…that connection like feeling…what was that? Could this finally be her break? Could she really find a family in Aubrey?