The Bad Boy Is My Legal Guardian?

Chapter 4

The next morning I'm still a little embarrassed about sobbing like a little kid. (I can't say I'm sorry I got Roman to hug me, though.)

I get dressed and I eat a quick breakfast. After checking in on both Roman and Theo to find that they're both snoring loudly. I guess I'm walking to school.

I leave the house and head towards the school, which is only a few blocks away. It takes about 15 minutes for me to get there, and I'm only three minutes late. The classroom's eyes all turn to stare at me the minute I walk in. I feel my cheeks heat and I hurry to an empty seat in the back.

The girl next to me smiles warmly at me, her dark brown eyes twinkling. She flips her black braids expertly over her shoulder and says, "My name's Mika."

"I'm Birdie," I answer.

"Cute name!" she compliments.

"Thanks," I say awkwardly.

She leans closer to me."So are you new?"

I nod, not wanting to talk now that the teacher has begun to instruct.

Mika slides a torn piece of paper onto my desk. I glance at her then look at it.

"U can eat w me and my squad at lunch," it reads. I mouth okay to her and she nods. We don't talk the rest of class.

At lunch, Mika finds me in the surging crowds of teenagers and drags me outside to a table where three other girls are sitting. They look up at me and smile sweetly.

"Everyone, this is Birdie. She's new, be nice," introduces Mika.

The girls smile at me.

One with light purple hair introduces herself as Etta. One with thick brown curls and an eyebrow piercing tells me her name is Jackie. The last girl has green eyes and wavy black hair and her name is Cora.

"So, where you from?" asks Jackie, while doing the homework for her next class.

"New York," I reply.

"You don't have an accent, though!" says Etta, whose voice is soft and dreamy.

"I walkin' hee-ya!" laughs Cora, imitating a New York City accent.

I smile, but I'm still feeling down.

I finish lunch with them without saying a word.