Good news bad news. Good news is I have to have surgery June 16th and I'll be in a cast all summer. Now that doesn't sound like good news, I know, but that also means I'll have plenty of time to write, so if you like my works… hurray. Bad news is now I must take finals a week early so I have to start studying and will probably not have that much time after this week…

Chapter 3

House of Family

Four surprised faced descended upon me before my rooted feet could make a run for it. "Eve, why don't you come in and let us explain?" a calm voiced Nina pleaded, but no way was I going into a secluded office with obvious crazies.

"You're nuts. You're all nuts," I told them backing away slowly. "Colton and I are not your children and you're not some weird superhero. You're all insane and Mr. Rutter please consider this my official withdrawal from Frobisher Academy."

"We can prove it," a desperate Claudia called, but my legs had finally begun to work and no way was I staying near these… psychopaths one moment longer. New hallways seemed to be familiar in my mind as I dashed through them and locked myself in the bathroom.

Before the nut cases could find me I dialed my mom and hoped that for once she might actually answer. To my dismay, however, it was her assistant, Kitty, who answered. "Sunny Ra's telephone who is it?"

"Kitty, it's me, Eve, I need to talk to my mom. It's really important."

"Eve, calm down," Kitty, who must have picked up the panic in my voice, reminded me. "Breath. What's going on? Your mom is in a meeting but I might be able to help." My mom was always in a meeting, so I'd gotten used to Kitty's 'help', but this was one thing I really needed my mom for.

"Kitty, there are people here claiming that I'm their kidnapped daughter and they know that because I'm some weird superhero they used to be! I need to leave here stat before they go completely insane and I don't know lock me in their basement or something!"

For some reason, Kitty found my predicament quite amusing, "Look Eve," she purred. "I'm going to go and see if I can find your mom so you two can talk. Don't panic. I'm sure there is a logical explanation for all of this."

"Yeah. The explanation is that they're nuts," I muttered after being out on hold. How was it that of all the boarding schools in the world my mom could have sent me to she chose the one with those kuku for coco puffs?

"Eve, you there?" my mom's distant voice questioned. Despite our… rocky history, it was nice to have her attention for once when I actually needed it. "Kitty told me what you said and well… there's a possibility they're right."

Wait, what? Had my mom gone insane now too? Was I the only logical person left on the face of the planet?

"I never planned on telling you because I didn't want you to be upset," she continued without a flinch of justified guilt. "But you were adopted. When I got you I was told they'd found you in a dumpster abandoned, in Liverpool. You were half dead. I always assumed your birth mom had just been a selfish teenager who didn't want a child and didn't care if you died, but it's possible. I'm not telling you to take them on face value, honey, but maybe you should talk. See if your birthday matches up with their child. Maybe even ask them to do a blood test. It's up to you honey. Just know I'd be very, very happy if you found birth parents who love you, but know they'll never love you as much as me. You're my world."

"I know, mum," I told her softly. "I know you're busy so I'm going to let you go but… quick question, do you know if there was a boy with me when I was found?"

"I couldn't tell you for sure," she answered after some deliberation, "But I did see another family leaving with a blonde baby boy same age as you when I got to the hospital so it's possible. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," I lied. (Hey if she can lie to me than I can lie back.) "Love you."

Fully conscious of the fact that she'd already hung up. I collected my breathing before stalking back into the office where chocked faces still lie. Slumping on a seat, I spoke. "I don't know if I believe you. I don't know if I should believe you, but apparently I was adopted, so let's chat."

"I know this must be very weird for you," Fabian Rutter, the headmaster who too looked doubtful, began. "And I'm sure much of what you overheard you didn't understand."

"I understood plenty, thank you." I told him reciprocating the patronizing smile he wore. "I get that your newborn daughter, Eve, was kidnapped along with his," I pointed to the silent blonde man, "son, Colton, from this house. I was found in a dumpster not far from here which does sound reasonable of a kidnapper who has a vendetta against you. What's your daughter's birthday?"

"June 6, 2018," all but Claudia (who was giving me a curious look) replied instantly. I'd always celebrated my birthday on June 7th, but if I'd been found being a few hours off was understandable.

Realizing I didn't have any other questions to ask, all I said was, "Look. This is just too big a coincidence for me to believe on basis of a birthday and a name…"

"Run a test," Claudia suggested. "Plain and simple if you're my sister then a simple parental test would prove it. I could do it myself in an hour."

I doubted that, but, catching my reluctant look, Nina explained, "Claud is a genius. STEM and she are synonymous. She knows what she's doing."

I wasn't so sure if I wanted to trust a sophomore with my future, but knowing that any lab tests would take days I agreed. A few cheek swabs and an awkward hour later, Claudia came in beaming with results. "The DNA points match. You have a lot of our mom in you, but considering that shouldn't be surprising."

"Considering what?" I questioned before remembering the other thing that made me think these people, my biological family, were insane. "Oh. Right. The superhero intuition thing."

"It might sound crazy," Eddie, who seemed the least happy (probably because he still hadn't found his son), told me. "But it's true and it all started here."