[center][IMG]http://i66.tinypic.com/o9ixis.gif[/IMG][/center] Remembering where every room was located was going to be a chore. The villa had four bathrooms, five bedrooms, two living rooms and one game room. Yes, they had a game room. It was still hard to believe that Casper was going to call this place home, now. Even if all of this was nothing but a ploy, an attempt to get attention and a reputation, it was written on paper that Casper Vaile was now part of the Everose family. Casper Everose? Was that his name now? It felt odd, but that was to be expected. "They're so good!" Freya closed her eyes as she bit into a chocolate chip cookie, enjoying the taste to the fullest. How many days had it gone since Casper's mother passed away? After she died he spent two nights at the police station as he was waiting for the paperwork to be filled out. After that the Everose family came and picked him up followed by another night's sleep. Three days, it had gone three days since he was orphaned. Admitedly, he expected this ordeal to take a [i]alot[/i] longer. Who had heard of a kid being taken in by a family of rich strangers just moments after his mother's death? It was almost as if they killed her, something which would have been much more likely if the woman hadn't clearly overdosed. "Do you like them, Casper?" [color=00aeef]"Yeah..."[/color] In truth, the boy had never eaten homemade cookies before. One could consider it sad, for it probably was, but given his situation, the boy never got the opportunity. Now that he managed to bite down into a savory piece of chocolate chip dessert, Casper understood quite clearly what he had missed out on. These pastries were heavenly. "I see you're getting along!" Donna's voice entered the scene before the well dressed woman stepped into the kitchen. Applying red lipstick, she offered the two a bright smile followed by a loving hug. Was she sincere? Was any of this? One couldn't blame Casper for his caution but perhaps it was a good idea to loosen the skepticism just a bit. "How are you liking it so far, Casper?" [color=00aeef]"I met Mr. Bottomsworth..."[/color] The boy returned, seeing how Freya burst out laughing and playfully punched his arm. "Ah yes, that teddy bear is fierce." Donna chuckled. "You'll be attending school starting Monday. It's an Evo school and I expect you to behave." She finished, smiling at the boy. Though her stern words could be considered patronizing, her voice was anything but. This woman was hard to place. [color=00aeef]"I will..."[/color] Given his incredibly weak position, Casper wasn't going to fight her on this. True, the boy was a rebel and he didn't take orders from anyone but he wasn't an idiot. He knew when he was out of options and when he needed to comply with those around him. This was one of those times. Later when he'd gotten settled and established, he'd have more free space to roam but as it was, he could only follow the stream. Indeed, it felt like he was a dog on a collar but there was a sense of freedom in it as well. It felt good to just lean back and let the world travel him by if only for a moment until he got his strength back. "Of course you will, dearest. You're an Everose now and we behave." Donna playfully ruffled her adoptive son's hair before grabbing her purse. "Well, I'm off to work. Don't exhaust Casper, Freya. He still needs his rest." "I won't!" The girl crossed her arms, glaring at her mother. "And let James study for his exams, you hear?" Dropping the lipstick in her purse, Donna hoisted the strap over her shoulder. "We've already said hi to him so there!" Freya shot back, seeing how her mother managed a soft giggle before leaving the house. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all, but there was still much to see. James showed his true colors as soon as he met Casper but Donna and Miles were both wolves in sheep's clothing. At least that was what Casper expected of them. "Hey, Casper." Freya continued, starting on another cookie. [color=00aeef]"Yeah?"[/color] "How old are you?" She tilted her head curiously. [color=00aeef]"Fourteen."[/color] "I'm nine! That means that you're..." She counted on her fingers, finally brightening up before she turned to him. "...five years older!" [color=00aeef]"That's right."[/color] If nothing else, Freya was sure to brighten the mood. It was unexpected mainly because Casper had never been around a little girl like her before. In fact, even though he was a kid himself, he had never spent much time with others his age or younger. [color=00aeef]"Freya, can we take a walk outside?"[/color] Now that it was daytime, perhaps it was good to get aquinted with the neighborhood. Casper had no clue how to orient himself in his new home, much less the exterior and he'd rather not get lost on his first day of school. "Sure! But we've got to get back before lunch time or James will get mad." [color=00aeef]"We will, I just wanna' know my way around."[/color] "Alright! Come on!" Freya jumped down from her seat before dragging her adoptive brother towards the hall. The girl was always in a hurry, that much was certain. Slipping into their shoes, the two found themselves outside quite fast. Now that Casper got a good view of the neighborhood, he could clearly draw the differences between this and his old home. They were worlds apart. [color=00aeef]"It's pretty..."[/color] The boy spoke, his quiet voice reaching Freya's ears before the girl giggled in response. "Before we go home, can we go to the park?" [color=00aeef]"Huh? Uhm, sure..."[/color] Taking his little sister to the park, this was turning out to be a life Casper never expected to have.