Adopted by Billie Eilish

21

I finish packing up my stuff, which isn't a lot, swing my backpack over my shoulder, and walk down the stairs, seeing Billie standing there with my folder in her hand. When she sees me, she gives me a smile.

"You ready, baby?"

I shake my head. "Just one more thing I need to do."

I run back upstairs and into Melissa's room. She looks up from telling some of the little kids the story of Cinderella, even though they've heard it from her a million times. She's a natural-born storyteller, so it's no wonder that they like hearing it that many times.

"Brooke! What's going on?"

I smile. "I got adopted."

She smiles back and stands up, pulling me into a tight hug. "You deserve it, Brooke. Go out there and make me proud. You won't have to worry about your father anymore."

"Thank you, Melissa. Bye!"

I walk back into the hallway, only to be shoved to the ground by somebody. One of the new kids. Leon. A real jerk to everyone. I've only seen him once, but he didn't touch me. Now he is. I let out a small cry as my head hits the floor.

"Leon! What do you want?" I snarl at him.

"You do realize that I'm the one getting adopted and not you, right? I mean, who would adopt such a skinny stick like you?" he says, making a disgusted face.

"Well, who would adopt such a ruffian like you?" I snap back at him.

Someone better call the fire department, 'cause these burns are HOOOOOOOT! (Aight, I'll stop)

He snarls and begins to punch me over and over again. In the eye. In the nose. In the jaw. Back in my eye. In my other eye. In my stomach. Blood everywhere. Pain engulfing me. Fiery sensation. Just pain, pain, pain. That's all I feel.

"Who's gonna save you now, twig?" he says. Twig is the nickname that really enrages me. I sit up and let out a loud warcry, sweeping his legs with my ankle. He falls to the ground on his chin, and I hear a loud crack! I think I broke his jaw, but who cares? I get my freedom from him. 

I grab my backpack and rush down the stairs, the front of my shirt covered in my blood. Billie looks at me with wide eyes.

"Woah, what happened to you?" she asks, beginning to survey the damage.

"I'm fine. This ignoramus just beat me up in the hallway. Leon's new and hates everyone's guts. But I got revenge and might've accidentally broken his jaw," I add quietly.

"Ummmm . . ." I don't think she knows what to say. "We'll take care of this when we arrive at the house. Kind of can't now. I'm proud of you for getting the courage to fight back, but breaking his jaw was wrong."

"I didn't do it on purpose," I mumble. "I kind of swept him to the ground and he fell on his chin."

"Well, in that case, I'm proud of you one-hundred percent! Let's go home."

We hop in her Dragon and begin the ride to her house.