"Mom, Dad! I'm home!" I threw my backpack onto the floor and Iggy rushed up to me. Iggy was my dog, a husky, like the ones you find in cold places. Biana insisted that he could take us up Mount Everest but I wasn't sold on that idea. He was an impish little fellow, with his pointy ears and toothy smile. He was absolutely adorable but cause a lot of trouble.I closed the door gently, taking in another small breath of fresh air from the plants and fruit trees before taking my shoes off and stepping inside fully. "Mom? Dad?" I patted Iggy's head before walking towards their study. It was empty. I mean, it was still as messy as ever, cluttered with useless papers and old magazines, but they weren't in there.

I heard whispering coming from a few doors down and a blade of light was hitting the wall softly. Jolie's room. "I'm just- they're so alike, Grady." I heard comforting shushes as Dad, most likely, combed Mom's hair with his fingers. She sobbed harder. "I just don't think we can keep her here. It's been over six months already but I- I just can't…" My heart fell to the pit of my stomach. "And when she calls us Mom and Dad? Oh…" They didn't want me anymore.

"Now, now Edaline…" They never did want me in the first place. I didn't stop listening though. As much as it killed me, I had to make sure I had all the pieces before leaving myself to my own thoughts. Maybe Dad would vouch for me. I was thinking in vain. He didn't. "I… I think we should talk to Alden and Della about this." I felt like crying. "This may be a rash and selfish decision, but… if we can't be the parents Sophie needs, well, it's better for her not to stay with us."

Mom sighed, "When do we tell Sophie?"

He was silent. "I don't know." I lingered for a while longer, but when nothing happened, no talking and no movements, I peeked in the door. My 'parents' had fallen asleep on the bed in each other's arms.

Frustrated, I stalked up the stairs. I crunched on wilted rose petals that have been on my floor since the day I moved in and fell on the bed, face first. The bed shifted and I looked up. Iggy began licking my face. I smiled slightly before standing up and sitting in my desk chair. I clicked on my best friend's name and chose to video chat. Dex answered quickly, "Hey, Sophie! What's up?" His strawberry blonde hair looked messy. He had grown his hair out since we first met over nine months ago. His face had a bright smile on it which showed his deep dimples. The freckles splattered across his nose and the tops of his cheeks made him all the more charming. And then his eyebrows furrowed and his periwinkle eyes looked sad, "What's wrong?" I could hear Lex, Rex, and Bex screaming in the background. Dex just rolled his eyes and smiled lightly, standing up to close the door. "You okay Sophie?"

I sighed, "We won't be cousins anymore." I saw conflicted emotions flicker across his features.

Dex was like an open book to me, he was easy to read. The first thing he felt was happiness, and then sadness. anger, disappointment, and- and then he spoke. "What happened?"

"Wow… Sophie, I- I don't know what to say."

I gripped the ends of my sleeves tightly, "Just tell me what you're feeling."

He sighed, "I- I don't know. I- I mean," Dex sometimes stuttered when he was nervous, everybody did, and I could tell he was debating between lying to me or not.

"Don't lie."

He smiled slightly, "You know me so well." We shared a smile and then he started speaking again.

"Well, first I was happy," he continued quickly at my confused and slightly angered expression, "because you know… that I, kind of, sort of maybe like you." I nodded, not looking at him. He cleared his throat, "And then I felt sad for you as I took it that Grady and Edaline…" He cleared his throat again, "And then I was disappointed in myself for initially happy and then having to let the news sink in for me to feel bad. I mean, I'd be a horrible friend if I was happy you're losing your parents."

I wanted to hug him so hard right then, so I told him, "Dex, you are the best best friend ever. I wish I could just give you a hug."

He smiled sadly, "I was angry, too… Sophie, you are such a good person, and for Grady and Edaline not to see that..? There's nothing wrong with you, only them." My heart clenched and I looked at Iggy, petting his head.

"No, it's not their fault." He gave me a look. "Okay, it is their fault, but… they said I was too much like Jolie. It's not their fault really. In a way, it's mine."

Dex looked at me. His expression, for once, unreadable. "Sophie…" His voice cracked.

"Dex! Lights out now! The triplets are coming back in the house and if they know, or even think you're up…" Juline's voice trailed off in warning.

He looked panicked, but looked at me again, "Sophie," he tried.

I shook my head, "It's fine Dex. Go on to bed before the triplets come for you," I half-heartedly teased him. He gave me a side glance, but when he heard the back door slam shut, he turned off his lights.

"Bye Sophie," he whispered, "Sweet dreams, okay? Whatever is going on right now is not your fault." And then he hung up.

I slept horribly last night, and I woke up in a fitful state. I got out of bed, bags under my eyes and hair looking like a rat's nest. I didn't cry. This wasn't something to cry about. What made them think I would take the news badly? Obviously, they were cowards too scared to tell me that they didn't want me. Were they scared of my reaction? Were there any lingering regrets in their choice? I wouldn't care either way. If they told me they didn't want me anymore, why should I care? They don't love me, so what makes them think I return the feelings. Leaving this household is going to be easy-peasy.

Iggy came up and nudged me. I smiled, running my hands over his body. My hands came back slightly orange and I laughed slightly, knowing Dex had struck again. I didn't bother getting ready. I threw on my school uniform, a tunic and your choice of school colored bottoms, and pinned my cape over it. Today, I hastily fastened the pin. Everybody got to design a 'family' crest the first year you attended Foxfire. If you had a sibling, you had to work together, and if your parent were alumni's you'd get the crest of the one who had gone, or only the father's if both had attended the school.

I hated the cape, but Foxfire thought it showed 'elite' status or whatever. Guys, it's the twentieth century. Chill. But they wouldn't allow us to wear anything else over our tunics except for our capes. It was really horrible in the winters. But I flung the cape off. So what if it was the middle of fall, it wasn't that cold. I was not going to wear that pin. I was not going to wear the pin Jolie designed.

I stalked downstairs, popping in a breath mint as opposed to brushing my teeth. I fixed my hair into a high pony so you couldn't see the endless amount of frizz that had yet to be tamed this morning. I sat down in my chair, slouching, but when I heard Edaline's oven go off, I realized I was never supposed to hear that conversation in the first place.

I sat up straight, "Good morning, Edaline." I made a point of calling her Edaline- a subtle point, but a point at that.

She looked at me strangely, her smile looking slightly forced. "Oh, good morning to you too." She yawned. She snapped her fingers and one of the housemaids came over with a tray of freshly baked custards. After they kick me out, no more of these for me… But, what do I care anyway?

"Aw, thanks, Edaline!" I fake beamed.

Edaline didn't notice this and smiled before walking away, "Dad and I have some business to attend to at the Vacker's. Would you like to come with us? You three could walk to school together."

I nodded, "Sure, I'll call Dex too."

Edaline nodded and walked toward the study rooms. I called Dex. "Hey, Sophie. How you holding up? Am I on speaker again? Because that wasn't funny last time. And if I am, can you put me off?" I smiled at Dex. He was just so… Dex.

"No, they're in one of their studies. I just called to ask if you wanna come over. My parents," I said that word with a hint of scorn, "Are going to the Vacker's because they apparently have some 'business to attend to'."

I knew Dex was wincing, "Sorry, Soph. Yeah, I can come over. Are we going to the Vacker's with them, or..?" I nodded, then remembered he couldn't see me, but we knew each other well enough at this point to assume the other's gestures. "All right. I'll be there soon."

We sat in the back seat. Grady and Edaline were talking about who knows what, while Dex was glaring at the back of their heads and I was sulking. We passed the big gates of the Vacker household and the car stopped. We got out and buzzed the doorbell. It didn't take long for Fitz and Biana to come running out, bright smiles on their faces as they saw us. We had about half an hour before school even opened, and even then, school started forty-five minutes later. The two looked like they were expecting a morning of fun. Yeah, right.

They opened the gates, Fitz greeting us with a smile, "Mr and Mrs. Ruewen, how nice to see you! Dex… Sophie." He smiled at me and it sent my heart into a slight frenzy. Since the beginning of my year, I'd like to say I've gotten my own feelings under control and stopped all of those stup¡d fluttery feelings. I just had to deal with the occasional skipped beat of my heart or rising heat to my cheeks. "Mom and Dad are waiting for you, come in, come in!" I envied them for a second. To be able to call someone your Mom and Dad. I felt Dex's hand on my shoulder and I realized I'd tensed up. I relaxed and shot him a grateful smile. Fitz gave us a curious glance and mouthed to me, 'we'll talk later'.

It wasn't even a question. It was a statement. My heart skipped a beat and I felt warm all over, knowing that he wouldn't take no for an answer and that he cared for me. "Come on," Fitz gestured to the house and grabbed my arm lightly. Sophie, stop, stop, stop. I fought down the urge to smile like a maniac and fell into step beside him. I'm just another one of his sister's friends to him. Sure, we're friends too, but he's like, almost two years older.

"Spill." I was shocked that Biana noticed too. She hadn't made any particular notions that would lead me to believe she had, but right now, we were sitting in Fitz's room in a circle. I was holding his dragon and dinosaur. One in each crook of my elbow. I'd gifted him the dinosaur and I'd delivered to him the dragon.

"I- um. Dex?" He nodded, knowing what I meant.

"Basically, Grady and Edaline don't want her anymore." I punched him in the arm.

We were outside Alden's large office. Biana and I on one side, the boys on the other. I could hear Alden talking, "I'm sorry you feel this way, but please, reconsider."

Grady spoke now, "We've thought it over and-"

"I thought Sophie would be good for you guys. Della and I would've been perfectly happy to take her as one of our own, we certainly love her like a daughter, but you guys needed her more. And she needed you guy's too."

"If you loved her so much, why didn't you keep her?"

"I just told you."

"You can have her," Edaline spoke.

There was a pause. "I beg your pardon?"

Edaline sighed, and I saw Grady take a step back, so I assumed she pushed him slightly. "We can't keep Sophie anymore. She's too much like Jolie. We- I- it's too hard having her around."

Della gracefully moved to Edaline, comforting her friend, "But you know we don't have space for Sophie anymore. We converted all the spare rooms into those for the kids. Biana has her own beauty area, Fitz has a room for his studies and accomplishments, we ordered new TV's for a game room, and we had some stuff in storage from our parent's that we hadn't had room for before and it's arriving in a few months. Plus, the kids… well, Fitz…" I saw him tense. I shot him a questioning glance but he only looked away. Biana shook below me and I saw her stifling giggles. "The kids have gotten used to having her as a friend. Having Sophie move in… Fitz doesn't exactly want another sister."

Edaline muttered an 'oh' and I tried to think. Does Fitz like me? I wasn't going to dismiss the notion, but I wasn't exactly going to say it was the most… realistic thing ever. Fitz only looked at me as another younger sister, but he doesn't want another sister..? Maybe he does like me… I'll keep that in mind.

I looked to Fitz, though, and he was only sheepishly smiling at me, and I knew what he meant by that. Moms, am I right? What can you do about them? I swear, it was like sometimes we could read each other's thoughts. Sure, Dex knew me well enough to be able to guess what I would want him to do, or judge by the tone of my voice how I was feeling, but with Fitz… it was different. Everything with Fitz was different.

"So what do we do?" Grady's voice was quiet. "We could put her back in the foster care system, though I doubt she'd care much for that." Alden was right. I would hate that. I just turned fifteen, who would want me? Alden was foolish enough to take me out of the system in the first place, but giving me to Grady and Edaline was an even bigger mistake. Now, I'm fifteen. Would they even take me back? I mean, sure, I'll be independent soon enough, three more years, but… They have a right to refuse, don't they?

Biana patted my arm comfortingly and Dex just looked at me and made a funny face. Good. I don't want any sympathy or pity. I was on my own for the longest time after Amy… after Amy went to a 'better place', and I was just fine. A part of me told myself I'm being stup¡d. I ignored that part.

I always made a point of listening to the entire thing before making assumptions, but what more was there to be said? "Juline might…" Grady shot her down, "With the triplets? Sure, Dex is a good kid and Sophie likes him," Dex beamed, "But it's too much for Juline and Kesler to handle." Dex deflated slightly, but so did Fitz and Biana. I guess they were just as intent on me staying here as Dex was. I didn't want to get my hopes up. I couldn't. "The Sencens?" Alden murmured a string of incoherent words after his own suggestion.

Grady spoke up, "I don't want him tainting Sophie."

And I don't want you to leave me.

I sighed in despair, I sounded so dramatic, but I couldn't help it. Things were just starting to look up. I pushed myself off the wall quietly and stood on my two feet. I sent them small smiles but looked at Fitz. Tell me anything important later, got it? He nodded, knowing exactly what I wanted.

I let my feet take me wherever as I mindlessly roamed the corridors. I stepped through into a room and picked up a familiar dinosaur and sparkly dragon and curled asleep on fluffy blankets that smelled very comforting.