noise of the classroom. The morning sun slanted through the large window, casting a warm, golden

ents onto the low circular table in front of her. Hundreds of brightly colored, thick puzzle piece

en who had been hovering nearby instantly presse

m across the table toward the boy with the messy brown hair who had asked about her key

He scrambled to pull up a green chair, sitting directly ac

her fingers twitching in her lap. She desperately wanted to play, but the lingering humiliatio

of her eye. Finley paused. She dug through the pile, found a piece that clear

. But her hand shot out. Her fingers snatched the puzzle piece from Finley's grip. She pulled her chair clo

center of gravity in the Bear Class. Six children were crowded around, pa

. His back was straight, his eyes fixed on the pages of his book. His long, pale in

voices pitched upward in a whine-Hartley's finger would stop tapping. He would slowly lift his head.

would drop their hands, look down at the table, and quietly resume playing. Once the quie

of the room. She blinked, looking at the puzzle table. The Bear Class was notoriously difficult to manage, usual

d out and gently patted the top of Finley's blonde head. "What a wo

ned her head, and pointed a small finger directly at the boy sitting

vanished entirely. He widened his eyes slightly and offered the teacher a flawless, polite,

to her chest. "You are a very lucky girl to have s

The children waved goodbye to Finley,

precision. He aligned the zippers perfectly at the top center of the track. He smoothe

air. The black Maybach was idling at the curb. Preston Evans sto

hed herself forward like a small mi

up, tossing her an inch into the air before catching h

lapels of his coat. "It was the best! I ha

irl. You've always had a gif

ll because Hartley is the best!" She pointed

jaw tightened. A sharp, ugly spike of pure, fatherly j

ay. He met his adoptive father's hostile stare. Hartley didn't flinch. He simply gave

his free hand-a nervous habit when he felt his cont

on the seat, detailing exactly how Hartley had used the "f

tion. Preston was a ruthless businessman; he instantly recognized the simpl

red the expensive steamed broccoli on her plate, talking only

e wore yellow pajamas covered in tiny cartoon ducks. She ran barefoot a

, soft bed. She stared up at the g

crack in the logic of the day, suddenly surfaced in her brain. She sat up