ven after he ended the call with Charlotte. He

ealing with this," he gestured vaguely towards the door of the

ey," my mother said, though

she ruins the press conference about Javon's scholarship offer

s an empty threat,

family portrait two years ago. I was standing slightly apart from the others, my smile forced. Javon had his ar

button. It went to

over. You have caused this family enough stress. You will call me back within the hour, or you will n

then hung up with

is," my mother muttered, shovi

ere a prophecy. I was rotting.

ked between them with an expression of deep sadness. "Courtney, Dian

, looking for my daughter who's just hiding out at a friend's house?

I wandered away from a street fair. It took seven years for them

orker told me my parents had found me. I imagin

ty was...

at me. I was twelve, scrawny, with tangled hair and a

tight, her eyes critic

is Kelsie," he said to the social worke

ten, sat between them. He had been adopted two years after I disa

nd smirked. "So y

they had tried to move on from. They had built a new, perfect family o

avon. He was the son they were proud of. I was the daught

area. "Sir, we've run checks on recent missing person

," another officer chimed in. "Or her famil

report me missing. Because they had already decided who I

ing genuinely weary. H

orry for them,"

" she

unknowing pity. "Whoever they are. To find out this is how th

ey were living in it. They