It doesn't matter, Charlie.

Hi! Are you ever going to write a Bryarlie (Bryarly/Charlie) Fanfic? Because I LOVE THEM! Love your fanfic, BTW!

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 12:19:29 -0500

I actually wasn’t considering writing another Charlie fanfic. I kind of wanted to write something else (an UP fanfic has been in mind, and I know they’ve been done before but it looks like fun… :)) It’s just, using the same characters over and over again can get a little boring and been there, done that, ish. I do think Bryarlie is adorable and while I’ve never read a fanfic of them, I don’t think it’s wrong or anything but like, I don’t think I will. That explanation was longer than intended :P haha, anyway, thanks so much and it’s sweet that you want me to write one and all, but it’s a no, but thank you anyway lovely ^_^

okAY CURBY'S CALLING WAS BRILLIANT AND HAD PERFECT DIALOGUE AND BELIEVEABLE CHARACTERS AND AAAAH YOU'RE PERF WELL DONE YOU

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:59:01 -0400

mmhmm okay well maybe so bUT I BET YOURS IS BETTER ima I read it now

CURBY’S CALLING IS NOW OFFICIALLY ON AN APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTH HIATUS I REPEAT JK NOT...

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:24:00 -0400

CURBY’S CALLING IS NOW OFFICIALLY ON AN APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTH HIATUS I REPEAT JK NOT REPEATING LOLZ BUT ANYWAY THERE IS A REASON WHY BUT I CAN’T TELL YOU IT WILL ALL MAKE SENSE WHEN THE HIATUS ENDS I PROMISE

IN THE MEANTIME YOU SHOULD GO READ NO DAY BUT TUESDAY BECAUSE THAT IS NOT ON HIATUS EVEN THOUGH I’VE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE UPDATIF RECENTLY THAT’S A PERSONAL THING

BUT YEAH GO DO THAT THANKS I LOVE YOU ALL AND SEE YOU IN A FEW MONTHS (UNLESS YOU SEND ME ASKS I’LL ANSWER THOSE THE BEST I CAN) YAY OR SOMETHING

I LOVE THIS FANFIC! let me please translate and adapt. Atte: Candelaria. PD: I don't speak english. So my english is horrible

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 17:41:45 -0400

I understood that you loved my fanfic and you don’t speak english that well. I didn’t get the rest :( Sorry! BUT THANK YOU! ^_^

Chapter 5 - Confessions

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 10:43:00 -0400

{Curby’s POV}

“Noooooowwwww will you sing me one?” I pleaded for the hundredth time.

The four guys took in their surroundings. There was only one person on the street we we’re on. ”I guess,” Charlie shrugged.

“Okay. How about Kiss The Girl?”

There was a series of “okay“‘s and then a count to three before they broke out in song.

“So for God’s sake, KISS THE GIRL!” they sang, yelling the last part. Liam tasered me as he finished and I screamed, laughing and applauding.

“Liam, never do that again! And the rest of you, uh, encore!”

“Yeah, right,” Liam chuckled, “to both of those!”

“Yeah, I think that’s enough for today,” Charlie agreed.

“Fine,” I sighed, giving up. “Question: what did monkeys have to do with anything?”

“WATCH DOCTOR WHO,” Alex yelled in my face and poking me on every word on the forehead.

“Invite me over to see it, then,” I said.

“Sure,” he said. ”Any time.”

“Awesome,” I said, grinning.

We began walking and eventually split up in two separate ways. Alex kept asking me questions about the group home. Charlie seemed unusually quiet. I mean, I didn’t know how he normally acted, but unusual from what I had seen. I wondered if it was something I had done.

Before I headed back inside my house, I asked Charlie, “Are you alright?”

Alex looked to Charlie with a sympathetic expression, which only confused me more.

“No,” Charlie said. ”I mean, yes, I’m fine. Just…tired.”

Alex looked back to me and shrugged apologetically. I had no idea what was going on, so I just said, “Okaaay, see you later,” and turned and ran into the house.

When I got inside, I was greeted by a frantic Jeanie and an annoyed-looking Mark. ”Curby!” Jeanie screeched, pulling me into a hug.

“Um, hi,” I said. I glanced to Mark. He nodded in a way that said, ‘I know how you feel.’ When she let me go, I asked, “What’s going on?”

“Jean has been worried sick about you,” Mark said. ”I kept telling her that you’re basically an adult and can manage yourself, but she wouldn’t listen.”

“So we bought you this,” Jeanie added, holding out a small box.

“A gift?”

“Open it!”

I felt uncomfortable but opened it anyway. Inside was a phone. ”I don’t need this,” I said.

“We can keep in touch, so I’ll know where you are,” Jeanie said.

“We,” Mark said.

“What?” Jeanie asked, turning to him.

“So WE will know where she is.”

Jeanie looked embarrassed, and rightfully so. ”Oh, right.” She turned back to me. ”Our numbers are already programmed in.”

I looked at the phone. I’d never had anything so expensive. ”Thank you,” I said quietly.

Jeanie shuffled on her feet for a minute before saying, “I’m going to work on the garden.” She brushed past Mark, who watched her with a strange expression on his face.

The moment she was out the door, Mark said, “I’m sorry about, well, her.”

I turned the phone around in my hand. ”It was a car accident.”

“What?”

“You asked how they died.” I looked up from the phone, to him. ”I should have died with them. But my brother saved me. I was going to my school play. After an hour of yelling, my brother had convinced my mum he had too much homework to be able to go. He was fifteen at the time, I was ten. We were pulling out of the driveway when the car stopped. Suddenly the engine caught fire and the car exploded. My brother had seen the car’s hood catch fire and had run outside, and he had pulled me out just before. He covered me with himself, and has some scars on his back because of it. After my brother was released from the group home, he took me in, and for my fourteenth he had taken me out to dinner and some drunk guy approached me and started…touching me…and he got into a fight with him. He lost his ability to take care of me after that. I only see him a few times a year, now.”

Mark was silent. My eyes felt heavy, but I wasn’t crying. ”Thank you for telling me,” he said after a moment in a quiet voice. ”And I’m sorry.”

I turned and went upstairs to my room. Later, I heard him telling Jeanie. I heard her crying, and she never even knew them.

**************

I knocked on the door. No answer. I knocked again. No answer. I knocked harder, pounding my fist against the wood. Suddenly, without warning, the door swung open and I flew forwards, accidentally punching whoever was in front of me in the face.

When I stepped back, it was Charlie. I couldn’t help but let out a little giggle at my clumsiness. ”What, are you mad at me?” he asked, rubbing his cheek.

I bit my lip. ”No, it was an accident.”

“Did they ever teach you door-knocking etiquette wherever you came from?”

“Nope.”

“Explains a lot.”

“Hey!” I gave him a light shove.

“Stop beating me up!”

“Stop giving me reasons to!” He couldn’t think of a comeback, so he just smiled lopsidedly. ”We should probably get some ice for your cheek,” I said.

“Uh, right.”

I waited for a moment before reminding him, “You have to let me in, though.”

“Uh, right,” he repeated. He turned and led me downstairs. I told him to sit and he did so, at the counter. I got a plastic bag from where Charlie directed me, went into their freezer, filled the bag with ice cubes, and then wrapped it in paper towels. I then sat next to him and placed it on his cheek. He stared at me with this uncomfortable expression on his face. ”I’ll do it,” he said, pulling my hand away and replacing it with his.

“Okay,” I said. ”Just helping.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled. Something was definitely wrong.

“Are you okay? Do you feel sick?” I asked. He shook his head. ”Then what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“You can tell me.”

“There’s nothing wrong. My cheek just hurts, that’s all.”

He was keeping something from me, but he obviously didn’t want me to know. This angered me, but I tried to ignore it. ”Are you sure?” I regretted saying that the moment I said it. I should have just said, “Okay,” and moved on. But no, I had to keep pushing it.

He slammed the ice down on the table, and his slight look of surprise told me he hadn’t meant to do that. But he didn’t apologize. ”I barely know you. If there was something wrong, what makes you think I would tell you?”

I choked on my own breath. Swallowed. ”Sorry,” I wheezed.

“Tell that to your boyfriend, for flirting with me behind his back.”

“What?”

“Please, go.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Your boyfriend! The one in the pub!”

My mouth dropped open. ”That was my brother!”

He looked utterly shocked. ”What?”

I stood up. ”Don’t make assumptions about me.”

“I…but…”

I backed away a few steps. ”And you know why I asked you? If everything was alright?” I kept backing up, to the bottom of the stairs, and then stopped. He hadn’t responded, so I said, “Because after my brother, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had. And my brother has his own life now, so I can barely call him a friend. He doesn’t even try to contact me, and then acts like it’s my fault. He’s changed, and I hate it. And then I met you. And over the past three days, you’ve been more of a friend to me then anyone else in the past five years.”

He still didn’t say anything. I turned and left.

[I AM SO SORRY I’VE BEEN ON VACATION FOR LIKE A MONTH AND ALSO HAVE BEEN DOING A FEW OTHER WRITING THINGS SO I HAVEN’T UPDATED IN FOREVER AND I FEEL SO BAD AND OMG I’M SO SORRY. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter and omg cliffhanger and thank you for reading AND I AM SO SORRY]

Guess who feels very awkward writing fanfiction now? THIS GIRL. I mean I’ve known about...

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 23:50:51 -0400

Guess who feels very awkward writing fanfiction now? THIS GIRL.

I mean I’ve known about Charlie’s non-singleness for several months now and assumed that it was Bryarly and I’m totally happy (superduper happy really) for them but like

It’s different when it comes out of his mouth, yaknow?

I don’t know. Awkward feelings. But I’m gonna keep writing because I have nothing better to do with my life. Okay. Yeah.

PS I’m going away for a week and there won’t be wifi but I will probably write a bit so expect a chapter as soon as I get back!

dude dude dude omygosh. i saw chapter 4 on my dash and i yelled "WHAT" because i didn't know you'd gotten that farrrrr. NOW I HAVE TO CATCH UPPP. WOOOOOOOT. thankyouthankyouthankyou. i love youu <3

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 21:44:25 -0400

THANKS SO MUCH DUDE XD hope you liked it :3

Chapter 4 - In The Restaurant

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:27:00 -0400

I followed Charlie, twisting my body from side to side to squeeze my way around chairs and people and anything else in my way. I was greeted by three smiling faces at the table.

“Curby!” Alex called to me. “This is Liam, aka Little Radge, our Scottish, David Tennant look-alike, which probably doesn’t make any sense to you.” I laughed and shook my head.

“Nice to meet you, Curby,” Liam nodded to me.

“Greetings,” I replied.

“And this is Ed, known on the Internet as Eddplant, who isn’t Scottish and doesn’t look like David Tennant,” Alex finished. We nodded to each other and then took our seats. I sat between Ed and Charlie. “I was just explaining why you were here,” Alex told me.

“I’d like to know, too. Enlighten us, Alex!” I laughed.

“Because,” Alex said, putting on a fake, deep voice, “according to Sir Charles here, we can get special advice from non-band members, even though they don’t know the first thing about Doctor Who.”

“Sounds legit,” I joked, nudging Charlie.

“Hey, you never know,” Charlie pointed out, “it may be of use. It can’t hurt.”

“You make a good point,” Ed agreed.

The waitress came over then and I ordered my soda, and then took the few free seconds I had to give the restaurant a look-over. A table of somewhat disruptive guys in the corner caught my attention as they yelled about getting soda in their eyes. One of them in particular had me stunned.

“Hey, Curby,” I heard. I turned my head to see the four guys staring bewildered at me. “What’s over there?” Liam asked.

“Um…uh…” I sputtered, unable to concentrate on my words. “Just…someone…I think…”

I didn’t think. I knew. Nearly instantaneously, I stood up, mumbled, “Be right back,” and headed right over to the table of obnoxious males. I marched straight up to the one with the tattoo of a lizard on his shoulder and tapped the lizard’s head, like I always did to get his attention. He spun around, jumping a bit with surprise.

I smiled at his perplexed face. “Rory!” I cried in delight, with a hint of surprise still lingering.

It took him a minute to process who I was, but as soon as he did he face lit up with a smile bigger than I had ever seen on him before. “Curby!” he cried back at me. He immediately jumped up and pulled me into a big bear-hug.

“I’ve missed you so much,” I cried into his chest. My eyes were welling up with tears as I was so overwhelmed.

“Not as much as I’ve missed you. What have you been up to? What the hell are you doing in London?”

I pulled away from him, a little reluctantly, and then dragged him over to a quieter, more private corner of the restaurant. “I was adopted yesterday,” I said, just getting it over with.

“You’re kidding!”

“Nope, not at all.”

“No offence, but, why would someone adopt a seventeen-year-old?”

I shrugged. “You got me there.”

He ran his hair through his raggy hair and gazed over the restaurant. “Are they here now?”

“No,” I sighed, “and I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to meet them.”

“Do they know about my-“

“Yeah,” I interrupted. “I told them you beat up a bad guy, but they seemed uneasy about the whole thing.”

Rory nodded. “Then who are you here with?”

“Next door neighbours and some friends,” I said, pointing to them.

“They look older than you, like, my age,” he said with a tone that worried me.

“They are, but they’re all nice. Really nerdy, to say the least.”

Rory gave me a look that told me his fatherly instincts had kicked in. “Why don’t you hang out with kids, I don’t know, you’re age?” he asked.

“When I go to school and meet some. Until then, this is who I’ve got,” I sighed.

Rory stared at the table for a second before pulling me into a hug again. “Email me this time. Let me know where you are,” he told me.

“You got it,” I said, hugging him tightly back.

He gave me a kiss on the top of my head and then I walked him back to his table. I then proceeded to walk back to my own.

**************

{Charlie’s POV}

“A coke is good, thanks,” I told the waitress, but I was distracted by the fact that Curby seemed to be looking at something interesting.

As the waitress walked away, I turned to the guys and nodded towards Curby. Liam nodded, as confused as I was, and said, “Hey, Curby!” She turned to him, but she kept her gaze off past the table. “What’s over there?” he asked.

“Um…uh…just…someone…I think…” she mumbled. “Be right back.” She pushed out of the table and stood up, then ran around off to another table of some rowdy men, probably about our age. I watched as Curby tapped one on the back, his look of confusion, and her look of delight as they hugged. She then pulled him over so that they were basically out of sight and definitely out of earshot.

“I wonder who that is?” I asked to no-one in particular.

“Yeah, we shouldn’t let her run off with strangers, we’re technically her guardians,” Alex said jokingly, but at the same time he was serious.

They began walking back to the table. “Maybe he’s her boyfriend?” Ed offered.

“No, she never mentioned one,” I denied, shaking my head.

“Did you ever ask her?” Ed questioned.

I thought. “Well, no…” I trailed off as The guy kissed Curby on her head.

“Definitely her boyfriend,” Alex nodded. “Seems like she likes ‘bad guys’,” he chuckled.

She headed back over to the table and sat down, her face beaming. “Who was that?” Liam asked.

“Oh, his name is Rory. I love him more than anything, and I haven’t seen him in forever!” she exclaimed.

No-one asked anything else. It seems as though Curby’s heart had nearly exploded, while mine sank to rock bottom.

[I had to write this twice because I’m an idiot. Whoo. Alright, sorry for the long wait, but it’s here! Thanks so much for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave feedback :)]

THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME SO MANY TIMES OMG. I usually end up slamming my laptop shut and cursing at it.

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 23:25:51 -0400

I’ve had a really awful day (well…week. But this has been the worst day all week.) and now I just feel like crying tbh. idk. I’m on an iPod so I can’t really do anything to it, even mildly harsh.

I had a chapter for you guys. And it was finished. And decent. And then the half of it I wrote...

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 23:19:25 -0400

I had a chapter for you guys. And it was finished. And decent. And then the half of it I wrote today got deleted permanently. And now I’m really sad and pissed and ARRHHHHJJGGGGGG I HATE HAVING TO REWRITE CHAPTERS.

I’m sorry. I’m falling asleep so I’ll have to post it tomorrow if I can find time to write it.

I’m so angry right now. Fuck.

Hiii! Again(: Well (and I'm sorry, I REALLY don't want to be annoying), but I posted my first chapter of my fan fiction of Charlie. I know you were probably just being polite, but I would seriously love it if you read it, and told me what you thought, because I love what you write, and it would be great to know if you thought it was good/bad/terrible/great. So thanks! Whenever you have time(: it's on wewillgetthroughthischarlie. So.. yeah, thanks(:

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:54:54 -0400

Haha you’re not being annoying ^_^ And I mean, I guess that was nice, but I do really want to read it! I love reading other people’s fics :). I’ll read it tonight!! :D

OhMyGosh I LOVE YOU! Well.. I don't really KNOW you, but I love what you write, and I'm sure you're a thoroughly (how do you spell that?!) awesome person. Anyway! I love you're stories! You're really talented. Like, really, very talented, and I admire you so much! I write alittle, but you're stories are SoMuchMoreIntersting interesting. Anyway! I think I might start writing Charlie fanfiction now and posting it to Tumblr? Maybe? I don't know. Anyway! I love you're stories!

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 16:39:16 -0400

Thank you thank you thANK YOU YOU’RE LOVELY XD

and I would totally read it omg make sure you let me know what it is :D

I posted the new NDBT but it’s untagged due to the lack of Charlie is this chapter. Please go...

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 23:19:21 -0400

I posted the new NDBT but it’s untagged due to the lack of Charlie is this chapter. Please go check that out :)

I updated the sidebar, so go check that out~

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 18:58:15 -0400

I updated the sidebar, so go check that out~

Apparently I was just confused. haha Can you put all the chapters in order like you did for IDMC?

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 17:53:52 -0400

Oh I just got this message xP haha. Like I said, I DEFINITELY will, I just need a laptop ;)

I see chapters 1 and 3, but no chapter 2. Is there one or am I just very confused? :-)

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 17:52:58 -0400

I’m not entirely sure what happened, but for some reason Chapter 2 was pushed down. So it goes 2, 1, 3. Just scroll down a bit more :). Sorry about that, I’ll put the chapters together in order the next time I’m on a legit computer and not just an iPod :P

Chapter 3 - The Underground

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 17:25:00 -0400

I woke up with a headache. I looked over to the tiny alarm clock next to my bed and saw it was ten in the morning. Groaning, I rolled out of bed and slumped downstairs, where Jeanie and Mark were reading the paper and drinking tea.

“Hello, darling,” Jeanie said, beaming up at me from across the room. “Tea?”

Rubbing my eyes, I nodded and mumbled a, “Morning,” to them. Jeanie hopped up and prepared it as I liked it. I took the mug into the living room and plopped myself down onto their couch. I sipped the tea silently, trying to not think about last night. Only, that just made me think about it more. I finished the tea and went back in the kitchen, where Jeanie and Mark were silently waiting for me. “I have a headache,” I said.

“Do you want something for it?” Mark offered.

“Um,” I said thoughtfully, “no…I think I just need some fresh air.”

“If you say so,” Mark said looking back down to the paper. I spun around on my heel and headed to the front porch.

It was overcast outside, and sort of sticky. The way I liked it. I sat down on the stairs and crossed my arms on my knees. I stuck my face in and sighed deeply. I sat there for what felt like an hour before I heard someone say, “Curby?”

I peeked my head up so that my nose up was showing from behind my arms. Charlie and Alex were standing there, awkwardly staring at me. “Oh, hey,” I said, my voice muffled.

“You okay?” Charlie asked.

I sat up straight and nodded. “Yeah, just…I don’t know. First day wasn’t as hard as the second.”

The two nodded. Then Alex spoke up, asking, “What are you doing today?”

I shrugged. “I haven’t gotten further than sitting here.”

“You want to come to lunch with us? We’re meeting our friends Liam and Edd in some pub in the city to discuss Chameleon Circuit things. You’re welcome to come.”

“Charlie…” Alex whispered with uncertainty in his voice, but Charlie ignored him. “It might be good to have a non-band member’s opinions.”

“She doesn’t even watch the show,” Alex pointed out.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I’ll probably just be a burden.”

“No, not at all,” Charlie insisted. “Really, you should come.”

Alex looked slightly pissed off, but Charlie looked so hopeful I couldn’t say no. “Okay, I guess. Let me write a note for Jeanie and Mark,” I said.

I scribbled down a note that said, “Went to lunch with Charlie and Alex. Will be back soon. -Curby” and hopped down the steps. I followed the two silently down to the underground station, where I stopped short.

“You coming?” Alex asked, glancing back at me as he started down the stairs.

“Are they safe?” I asked.

Alex gave Charlie a look that read, ‘is she serious?’ Charlie turned to me and asked, “Haven’t you been on the tube before?” I shook my head. “It’s completely safe. Come on,” he assured me, reaching out his hand. I took it and followed him down to the crowded station. People swarmed around me, making me feel self conscious and slightly nervous. I gripped Charlie’s hand and did exactly what he told me to do, and soon enough we were in a train zooming under the streets of London. I sat between Charlie and a little boy with a red nose. He sneezed on me at least six times before getting off at his stop by himself. He was probably about eleven. “Sick kid,” I mumbled into Charlie’s ear, and he laughed as I wiped my arm on my shirt as hard as I could. The next stop was ours, and I literally ran off the train. Alex and Charlie strode after me a few seconds later, chuckling at my childishness. “Slow down there,” Alex nudged me as he went ahead.

“It stopped there longer than other stops,” I said as an excuse.

“Sure it did,” Charlie said, grinning and ruffling my hair. I slapped his hand away and marched ahead, so he had to run to catch up. We climbed the steps into what seemed like the centre of London. I remembered coming here on a school trip when I was younger, before the accident. Back when I could afford school trips. Charlie and I caught up to Alex and he explained how it was on some street he and Charlie were familiar with but I had never heard of, obviously. Charlie began explaining how there was another band member who wasn’t coming, named Michael, because he was currently in America dealing with family issues or something. He also explained how Liam actually lived in Scotland and how no matter what people said, the guy named Tom is not in the band. I nodded, keeping mental notes of everything, until we got to the restaurant. We walked in and were overcome by the lovely air conditioning and the sudden dryness. Alex stood on his tiptoes, scanning the restaurant, found what he was looking for, and ran off. “Shall we?” Charlie asked, waving his arms in the direction Alex had gone.

“We shall,” I nodded, and we walked into the pub towards my potential new acquaintances.

[So, um, I was just on vacation for like, a month. Actually three vacations back-to-back. The first week I had wifi, but no time to write. The second one was all camping, I didn’t even have a car (we biked everywhere) and we rarely even had mobile phone service, let alone internet access! I also wasn’t allowed to have my iPod or a laptop, so basically I couldn’t update. I’M SORRY BUT I’M BACK NOW. Sorry this chapter was crap but I’m still working on the story itself so there may be quite a few filler chapters before it gets somewhat interesting. I missed you guys so much, thank you for not giving up on me while I was away! You’re all awesome! Thank you! And thanks for reading and I hope you liked it and please please PLEASE leave feedback C:]

I think I will call the new story Curby’s Calling (CC for short). I’m not sure why yet....

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 17:03:00 -0400

I think I will call the new story Curby’s Calling (CC for short). I’m not sure why yet. But I like the sound of it so…I’ll make it work.

New part up sometime today, hopefully in the next hour! :D

140 followers! Yay! You guys rock ^_^

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 18:41:47 -0400

140 followers! Yay! You guys rock ^_^

Chapter 1 - Adopted

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 23:31:00 -0400

“Curby? Curby? Miss Metson?”

“What?” I asked, looking up from the floor. I scowled at Mr. Hindberg, who was scowling at me. “You’ve made me lose count on which carpet thread I was on,” I complained.

“That’s a shame, so does that sound good to you?” Mr. Hindberg asked, basically ignoring my comment.

I searched his face for the question he had asked, and then the couple behind him’s faces, but couldn’t find it. “Uh…sure, I guess.”

“Excellent! Now, if you’ll both just sign here…” Mr. Hindberg said, turning his attention away from me.

“Sign for what?” I asked, now curious.

Mr. Hindberg just scowled at me again. “You are very good at making first impressions,” he spat sarcastically, but the couple giggled.

“You are very good at answering questions,” I said in return, sinking down further into my seat.

Mr. Hindberg rolled his eyes and shoved some packets into the couple’s faces. After about twenty long minutes, Mr. Hindberg spoke to me again. “Congratulations, Miss Metson. And good riddance!”

“I am still horribly confused about what is going on,” I reminded him.

“Curby!” the woman of the couple squealed. She ran over and pulled me up out of my seat and into a hug. My eyes widened at the man who was gleaming at me. He chuckled.

“What the hell is going on?” I yelled this time, wanting an answer.

Mr. Hindberg sighed heavily. “You’ve been adopted. Go get your stuff together.”

************************

The light suitcase bounced behind me over the gravel driveway. The couple, who I now learned were called Mark and Jeanie, led me to their minivan. I was told to climb in the back and I did so, placing the suitcase on the seat next to me.

“So, tell us about yourself,” Mark said as he started the car.

“Can I ask you something first?”

“Anything, dear,” Jeanie said in this high-pitched tone that made me want to puke.

“Yeah, um, you’re aware that I’m seventeen, to be eighteen in like, six months, right?”

Jeanie and Mark both seemed a little perplexed. “Uh,” Mark said, “it was in the papers, yes.”

“Oh. Then why’d you adopt me?”

This question hung in the air for a moment before Jeanie said very quietly, “Because we’re too old for anyone younger.”

I nodded. “Figures.” I could tell by the reflections of Mark and Jeanie’s facial expressions that they were unhappy. Maybe they would bring me back to The Office, where Mr. Hindberg would throw a fit at me, and then I can go and finish my last six months of childhood captivity at Happy Meadows. I never thought I’d miss Happy Meadows, but I admit I kind of wished I was there right now. Sure, no-one talked to me and, to be quite frank, I wanted to punch everyone there in the face, but it has been my home for the last seven and a half years. “Anything else you care to know about me?”

“No, no I think we’re okay,” Jeanie said with a sharp voice I hadn’t thought her capable of making.

I sunk down in my seat as I always did and watched out the window. I had a feeling this would be a long six months.

****************

“It says here you have an older brother?” Jeanie said as she waltzed into my new room. It was pretty big compared to my old one that I shared with May, a preppy fifteen-year-old I had always despised. It was also empty due to my lack of personal belongings.

“Oh, yeah,” I nodded. When Jeanie just stared at me, I continued, “Rory is twenty-five.”

“Don’t underage siblings live with of-age siblings normally?”

“Rory was arrested for beating up a guy.”

“Oh, well-“

“He’s out now. But he did it for a good cause. There was just no proof. But I believe him.”

Jeanie looked at me with uncertainty. “Good cause?”

“Long story. Am I aloud to go for a walk?”

Jeanie looked almost sad, but she smiled and nodded. “Just around the neighbourhood. I don’t want you getting lost on your first day here.”

I stood up and began to head out of the room, but then turned and asked, “On second thought, am I allowed to play your guitar? The one that was in the living room?”

“You play?”

“The staff had one, I taught myself, yeah.”

“You should ask Mark, but I don’t see why not.”

I nodded and said, “Thanks.” I found Mark in the kitchen and it turns out he was thrilled I played, so I took it outside and sat on the porch step.

I started to play ‘Blackbird’ by The Beatles. It was the hardest song I knew but I played it so often the notes just played naturally from my fingertips. I closed my eyes as I played, a habit I got into three years ago.

As I hit the final note, someone said, “That was beautiful.” I jumped and opened my eyes, then scanned the area for the owner of the voice. “Uh, over here,” he called from my left.

I turned my head and saw a guy of about twenty standing there. His brown hair flopped over his forehead and his shirt held a reference to Harry Potter and some other character I couldn’t make out, and he wore black khakis and Vans. I gave him a lopsided grin and said, “Thanks.”

He nodded and then scanned the house. “Doesn’t a couple love there? Are you like, their daughter?”

“Oh, uh,” I stumbled over my words, trying to find the right ones. “They just adopted me. Like, four hours ago.”

“Wait, are you serious?”

“No, I’m actually just some random girl with a guitar that sits on strangers doorsteps and talks to their neighbours by calling to other front porches.”

“Very funny.”

“You learn to be in a group home.”

“What’s your name?”

“Curby.”

“Curby? That’s an interesting name.”

“You don’t like it?”

“No, I do. Mine’s Charlie.”

“Ew, Charlie. That’s a horrible name.”

“What?”

I laughed. “Just teasing you. So like, how old are you? I assume you live there.”

“Twenty one. And yeah, with my friend Alex.” I raised an eyebrow at him. He sighed. “NOT like THAT, my GOD,” he said dramatically.

“Get that a lot?”

“All the time!”

“Is that your housemate, there?” I asked, pointing to a lad running up the street and yelling, “CHARLIE CHARLIE CHARLIE!”

Charlie peeked over his shoulder and nodded, “Yeah, that is.”

I accidentally let slip a little giggle. Alex was dressed in this shirt that seemed to resemble Tarzan, zebra-printed skinny jeans and shoes literally covered in spikes. “Can’t really blame them, can we?” I laughed as a breathless Alex climbed the stairs up to Charlie.

“Charlie, you’ll NEVER believe-who’s that?” Alex asked, getting distracted by my existence.

“I’m Curby, seventeen, recently adopted, your new neighbour,” I explained.

“Nice to meet you, Curby,” Alex said, still panting.

“Uh, why don’t we all go in for some tea?” Charlie offered.

“Okay,” Alex and I nodded in response, and I ran inside to tell Mark and Jeanie where I was going.

[ERRR welllll did you like it? I’m suddenly scared you didn’t oh god oh god. AHHH. Well, if it’s not good just say so and I can try a different story. Hmmm. Well, I HOPE you liked it and thanks so so much for reading! Okay, bye and ahhhh]