The pizza place is crowded. Great. What else is new. I wait in line.

Something catches my eye. I turn to see a boy, maybe seventeen or so, with gold hair and grass green eyes. He steps onto the end of the line. He must be having pizza, too.

Finally, it's my turn to order. I step up, order a pie and hand the guy some money. He tells me it will be a ten minute wait, so I sit at a small table, watching the world go by.

People come and go, eating, ordering, paying, doing what humans do. I start wondering what it would be like if I wasn't a foster kid, a real daughter with a real family who loved me. No foster parents. No mean foster siblings. No moving around every week. No selling art to make a little money. Maybe I wouldn't even have met Leon.

I'm so lost in thought that I don't even notice the blond boy come and sit in the chair on the other side of the table. I almost jump out of my skin when he plops down. It is the only open seat left in the pizzeria, so I guess I'm stuck with him while we both wait. I try not to look at him, but he's just so stunning and, I hate to admit it, but attractive. He must have a girlfriend.

His cell phone rings and he answers it. His voice is just as handsome and attractive as his looks. He talks about something with going to the movies with someone, most likely his girlfriend I bet, and going out for lunch next week. I'm so caught up in eavesdropping that I barely hear my name called and that my order is ready.

I shake my head to clear it grab the pizza box and make my way to the door, my eye still on the boy.

When I arrive at the house, I open the door and walk in. It's quiet, so I assume Toby is still in his room, or should I say MY room? Sure enough, when I open the bedroom door, there he is in the exact place I left him with Leon on the bed. His mouth turns up into a small grin as I present the box of pizza, but then turns back down as his eyes widen in surprise and a shadow looms over.

I turn around and find a woman. Her hair is back in a sloppy bun and streaks of brown hair poke through the frizzy gray ones. Nice looking glasses sit on her nose, magnifying her hazel eyes. Her pierced ears are adorned with hanging silver leaf earrings that seem to dangle and touch her neck when she moves. A ladybug necklace hangs around her neck and shimmers in the light. Her clothes are pretty casual considering how dressed up she is in all the photos I've seen in the house.

"You must be Tiffany," she says nicely. She isn't  overly sweet and annoying like the woman in the car, but she has an air of lovingness and kindness to her.

I put the box down on the bed, nearly scaring Leon. "Yes. I am."

She hold out a hand. "I'm Denise Roscia. You can call me Mrs. Roscia, but I think Denise will do."

I smile. "Okay."

We sit down at the table that night and eat pizza when the husband and the other son, Scott, come home. They laugh and talk. They all seem like a happy family. Well rounded.

I find out that I will be going to school. Oh god, no. This family seemed alright, until this:

"So you'll be going to school tomorrow," Denise says.

I nearly spit out my drink. "What?!"

The last experience with school that I had was when I was eight. I had a foster mother who sent me to the dreaded place. There bullies, essays, homework, textbooks, homework, essays, teachers, essays, homework, essays, homework, homework. Did I mention essays?

I shake my head. "Oh no no no! I will not be going to school, thank you very much!"

Instead of getting upset at the way I just talked to her, Denise grins and says, "It's a very good school. I know it's probably a different atmosphere than what you're used to, but it'll be good experience."

This is not helping at all.

"We've already bought you a school bag and supplies," Denise continues. "Everything will be ready for tomorrow."

I finish eating quickly and head up the stairs to my new room. Pajamas have been laid out on the bed. A light gray shirt with long red pajama bottoms. Leon still sits on the bed, looking up at me as I change and throw my clothes on the floor. I'm already a bad house guest and a pig.

I curl up on the bed, Leon next to me.

I awake the next morning to find new clothes on the bed, and a backpack that looks stuffed with supplies. It doesn't take me long to get dressed into the black leggings and white sleeveless halter top that are laid out. I pull my hair back in a ponytail and put my Converse high tops on again.

I emerge from the room and walk down the stairs with my backpack to find Scott, the older brother, holding my suitcase.

"I figured you'd want to take whatever you wanted from the suitcase to school with you," he says.

I nod and say "thanks" before grabbing it and heading out the door.

I realize that I didn't eat breakfast. Oops. My stomach rumbles the whole way to school. But I soon forget about it and stop dead in my tracks. The handsome boy from the pizzeria is standing in front of the school, looking at me.