Home? Did he say he's here to bring me home?

Wait. Henry Mills?

This is the kid. What does he want with me? I didn't do anything... that I know of. But home? I don't have a home.

"This is my home." Sure, that sounded convincing.

"No, it's not. I know you think you're an orphan, but your parents are in my hometown." He's bluffing. I've never been able to pinpoint their location. I tried and tried and tried. They don't want to be found. It's like they don't exist.

"And where's that?" I say with a hand on the doorframe. "Because I've tried tracking them. No luck."

"They're in Storybrooke, Maine. You haven't found them because it's not on a map." I'd understand if it's off the grid in the middle of the country, but Maine? Come on. How stupid does he think I am?

"Why not?" You know what? He knows nothing. "Kid, you're wasting my time." I try to shut the door, but he holds it open.

"Please listen. You don't belong here."

I don't belong anywhere. "You don't know me," I say with a slight shake of my head.

His cheerful countenance falls away. "No. But you have to believe me. I know this will sound crazy, but you're Queen Anna of Arendelle." Anna? It must be a coincidence.

"What's Arendelle?"

"It's a kingdom," he says like I'm dumb.

"Yeah, I got that part. I meant I've never heard of it."

"That's because it's not in this world." Is he talking about space? That or he's mad.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Have you gone completely insane?"

"I warned you it would sound crazy. But I thought you liked crazy."

"Dude, what's your point? And, besides, my name's not Anna."

"Well, it was. And my point is—your whole life is a lie. You're not who you think you are." Alright. I'm done. This kid's lying. His town isn't on a map? Me, a queen? A kingdom out of this world? This is just some lousy prank.

I pull at the cuffs of my sweatshirt. "You have some nerve making those assumptions."

"But it's true."

I look away, smiling at how he thinks he can continue this nonsense.

"Your parents are Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora."

I almost burst out laughing, but a part of me stings from how desperate he thinks I am for a family to believe this. Who sent him here?

"Like from 'Sleeping Beauty?'"

He scratches his eyebrow. "Sure."

"You think my parents are Disney characters?" I say, resting my head on the doorframe.

"Fairytale characters."

"Same thing, dude. But are you listening to yourself? Might want to keep it down before someone other than me thinks you're crazy."

He sighs. "Fine. Don't believe me. You will later."

"So sure? Who are you, anyway?"

He narrows his eyes and says, "I told you. My name's Henry."

"I got that, but who—"

The neighbor across the street fires up his lawnmower.

"Who—" I say over the buzzing. I take my head off the doorframe and yell over Henry's. "Could you shut that off?"

The neighbor grimaces at me and pulls the cord on the lawnmower, powering it down.

I say to Henry, "Who are you? My long-lost brother?"

"No. Just someone hoping to be your friend."

"Don't you have any your age?"

He droops his shoulders. "I do, but he's a bit preoccupied at the moment. He will be for a little while." He shakes his head, getting back on track. "Look. I want to reunite you with your parents. Once I found out where you were, I knew I had to bring you home." There's that word again.

"And you came here all the way from Maine?"

His positive face returns. "Of course."

"Just to bring me to your small town?"

"Yeah. Now, come on." He steps back, ready to go.

I don't believe for a second this kid put himself in danger to help me find my parents. He doesn't know me, and I'm sure he doesn't know them. No one's that kind, not even a child.

"I don't believe you," I say at last. "Have fun going back home." I try closing the door again.

"Please agree to go to Storybrooke with me," he says with a hand on the door, keeping it open.

"Can't you go back the way you came?"

"I want you to come with me."

"Why? I'm nobody. Why would you want a stranger..." I take in a breath, "an orphan, like me, to go with you?"

"Because I believe you'll find your family. Wouldn't you do anything to have them back?"

He hit the nail on the head, and my heart aches. I do want my family, even if I never had them in the first place to get them "back." If my parents are in this unknown town by any chance, I have to go. I guess I am that desperate. Plus, I want to leave this place so much. This is my ticket, whether I search for my family or not. I can escape to another state. If this town isn't on any map, like Henry said, how will Curt and Diane find me? They won't. Not for a while.

But what if my family isn't how I expect them to be? What if my parents did hate me enough to abandon me? They must not want to be found. They don't want me. Besides, if I leave, not only will Curt and Diane send the cops out to look for me, but they'll also call the system. If the system knows I left, there's a chance they'll send me to a new foster home again. Do I want to risk getting put into a home worse than this one?

I turn my attention to inside the house, where Agatha sits on the couch, texting. Max and Chrys play checkers without me.

"Honestly, I would," I say to Henry. "But I can't."

He seems confused. Like, how could I ever pass up the opportunity to find my parents? There's so much keeping me here. One of those things is uncertainty. Another is fear. Two more are Curt and Diane. They don't care about me, but they'll find me to look good to the system. They'll pretend to care.

Henry says, "Why not? What's there to be afraid of?"

"A lot of things. You're talking about me spontaneously leaving this place. You don't know the parents here."

He stands taller. "Adults don't scare me."

"It's not because they're adults."

He puts a hand on his stomach and says, "You got anything to eat? I traveled so far to get here."

"Can't your parents feed you?"

"They're at home."

"You came here all by yourself?"

"It was worth the risk, but I'm starved." He walks into the house like there's no problem.

"Hey. Kid," I say, closing the door. "That's dangerous to do."

"Coming here by myself or coming into your house?"

"Both."

"Who's he?" Agatha says, watching Henry while scrolling on her phone.

I put my hands on my hips. "No idea. He just showed up."

"Is that the kitchen?" Henry makes a move toward Area 51.

"Stop. Wait." I rush over and spread myself out in front of the kitchen door. "You can't go in there."

"Why not?"

I try to find an answer, but I can't. "I don't know. None of us can."

"Except her," Chrys says, looking at Agatha.

I drop my defensive pose. "Why can't we go in there?" I ask Agatha.

"Because Diane said so." No. Really?

"You got anything in there I can eat?" Henry says.

"Sure. I can get you something." Agatha gets her butt off the couch.

Max, Chrys, and I try to peek in when she enters the kitchen, but the door shuts.

"You're playing checkers?"

"Want to be on my team?" Max says.

"Sure." Henry sits and joins in.

"Now, wait a second, kid. I can't let a stranger into this house and make friends with my—" Max looks at me, "foster brother."

"I'm a kid," Henry says.

"Who I don't know."

"I introduced myself, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but—That's not the point."

This kid is insane. Who appears out of nowhere and invites themselves inside to eat and play checkers? I don't know who he is. What if Storybrooke's a bad neighborhood? What if he's a spy for the system? Or the government?

What if Henry's my brother? That can't be. One: He's crazy—believing that I'm a queen with fairytale parents. Two: He looks nothing like me. I don't care if he thinks he knows where my parents are. I want him out of this house.

"Here you go," Agatha says, handing Henry a plate with a sandwich.

"Great. Thanks."

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Agatha and I move to the archway. "Who is he?"

"I told you—I don't know."

She peers into the living room to watch Henry. "What's he doing here?"

"How should I know? Because I lost 'Not It' and had to open the door?" No way am I telling her the truth. Are you kidding me?

She looks at me, not buying it. "So, he just waltzed in the second you opened?"

"Not the second."

"Oh, man. Great move," Max says.

Agatha and I lean in to see what's going on.

"Thanks," Henry says, collecting pieces. "I love games."

"He didn't say why he's here?" Agatha says, still watching.

"I assumed he's a new addition to our," I clasp my hands, "lovely home."

"Please," she says, shooting me a scowl. Then, she walks into the living room, and I follow her.

"This sandwich is amazing," Henry says. "Did you make this?"

"It's just something that was wrapped in plastic."

The alarms go off in my head. "What? You know that's Curt's lunch for work."

"But we don't have anything else," Agatha says, shrugging me away.

"You are so gonna get it," my voice shakes. My hands go in my hair, then squirm around, adjusting my clothes. I don't know what else to do with them.

Curt's going to kill us over a sandwich. He would. He most definitely would.

Agatha says in a casual tone, "No, I'm not. You are. You take the blame for everything."

"No, I don't."

She tilts her head back. "Max burning your book?"

"That was one time."

"My hangover."

"Diane still won't let me out after eight. But I get your point." I turn my body away from her and cross my arms.

"The burnt book, getting suspended, Curt's sandwich. My, oh, my, have you been a troublemaker?" What I wouldn't give to slap her across the face?

"Shut up."

Two car doors slam outside.

"Shit." I hurry to Henry. "Kid, you have to leave."

He looks up at me from the floor and says, "But what about—"

"There's not enough time," Agatha says.

"Come with me." I grab Henry's wrist and pull him to my room. "No matter what happens, please stay here."

He's not frightened, as I thought he'd be, only concerned. "Why? Who's here?"

"Not it"s come from the living room.

"Can you please tell them I had my finger on my nose?"

Henry looks at me, confused, and I groan.

Maybe Curt won't notice his sandwich is missing. Maybe he'll grab something at work or on the way. I can only hope, which is something I say I have, but do I?

Every day is the same as the last. Except for today. Henry made it different. But different doesn't mean lasting change. It's just an anomaly. And it could either be good or bad. So far, things are bad. Because Curt's going to kill us. And by "us," I mean me.

I open the front door. Curt and Diane stride in, arguing again. Since they're distracted, I go back to my room.

"What's going on?" Henry says with apprehension.

"The parents are here. Don't make a sound."

He turns to view the mess I made last night and looks toward the window. "What happened? Did someone break in?" Why does he care?

"No. Can you stop asking questions?"

"Why?"

I grunt in irritation. "Be quiet," I say in a loud whisper.

"Where's my sandwich?"

"Shit." I lunge forward and push Henry backward. He stumbles to the ground, and one of my boxes conceals him.

Stomping quakes the floor as it gets closer, and my door swings open so hard it hits the wall.

"What did you do with my sandwich?" Curt shouts, knocking boxes over.

I take a step back. "I-I—"

"You what?" he yells.

There's nothing to say except, "...Ate it."

He growls and leaps forward, shoving me to the side, and I fall on my bed, screaming.

"Stop! Stop," I exclaim as he approaches and gets on top of me.

He grabs my wrists, and I can't get up.

"Get off of me."

"You bitch. Don't you know to not take what's not yours?"

"Leave me alone. Stop."

"I'm gonna teach you a lesson." His hands move to my neck, and he strangles me.

I try to get them off, but it's like fighting a lion when you're a deer. I see stars from the lack of oxygen.

Curt continues to shout and curse.

But it stops.

His hands release me, and he rolls to the floor.

I spring up, gasping.

Henry stands before me with a thick brown book in his hands.

"What's going on in—" Diane screams when she sees Curt's unconscious body on the floor. "What have you done?" she shouts at me.

I can only stare at Henry. I wipe my tears, and a smile begins to form.

Diane notices him. "Who is he?"

"Who I've been waiting for," I utter.

"What?"

"Get out," I say, looking at her.

"Excuse me?"

I hop off my bed and march to her. "Get out!" I push her out of my room and lock the door.

Diane slams it with her hands, trying to get in.

Boy, what a rush this is? I've never done anything like this. Ordering Diane out of my room, shoving her, locking her out? Defending myself without worrying about the consequences? What is this? What is this feeling right now? It might be... courage. No... It's freedom.

I'm free.

My heart could soar into the sky.

I'm free.

This. Is. Exhilarating.

I rush to the window and use my textbook to shatter the remaining glass, so Henry and I can jump out unharmed.

I'm going with him. I've had enough abuse in this dysfunctional household. I'm done. I'm finding my family, no matter where it takes me. I've had a taste of freedom, and I want it. Maybe even more than a family.

"Go and wait for me outside."

"You want me to jump out the window?" Henry says, surprised.

"It's fine. I've done it before. I'll meet you on the stoop in less than two minutes."

"See you on the other side." Henry grins, his eyes twinkling with mischief and adventure.

Then, he leaps out.

After rolling over Curt's body, I hustle and pull a packed Vera Bradley duffel bag from under my bed. It doesn't hurt to be prepared.

When I step over Curt, I get an impulse to do something to him. Writing "Loser" on his forehead with Sharpie seems too cliché for me. It doesn't amount to what he's done to me over the years and now.

He still has me blocked in.

Before I exit the room, I catch a glimpse of my nightstand. I do a double-take and stare at the cubby. I leave them—my Grimm Brothers book and the rest of my Harry Potter collection. They gave me hope when I needed it most. I'm too old for them.

It's time to say "Thank you" and "Goodbye."

I toss my bag and jump out the window. Then, I throw my duffel strap over my shoulder.

"Alright, kid," I say when I get to the stoop. "Take me to Storybrooke."

"Really?" he asks, eyes bright.

"I need to find my family. I'm done living here."

"You deserve better, Bella."

"I know. And that's where you come in. Get in the car." I move toward it.

"You drive?" he says behind me with amazement in his voice.

"Yeah, do you?"

I want to leave the foster home as fast as possible. There is no way I could've waited two more years. Two more years of Hell. The end came early. It's here. It's now.

Two more years is now.

And I'm gone. I'm out.

I'm going home.

And Curt's car is not going to stop me this time.

"Hold on, kid," I tell Henry after we buckle our seatbelts.

I set my car in reverse and step on the gas.

Our heads jolt from the collision.

Curt's car lifts and flips to the driveway's edge, landing on its tires. The impact smashed the windshield and windows and dented the front inward.

I back into the street and find my bumper in the driveway. At least it's nothing too important.

Driving down the hill, I catch Henry with an excited smile. "Are you okay?"

"That was incredible. It was exactly something a pirate would do."

"I hate that guy. I hope he has car insurance... No, I don't."

Henry chuckles. "Serves him right for attacking you."

I laugh for the first time in forever.

"I can't believe this is happening," he says. "I hoped you would come with me, but I didn't think you would."

"I'll take any excuse to leave that place. I don't care if my parents are in this Storybrooke town or not. I needed to get out of there."

"I see." Henry opens his mouth to speak, then closes it. Finally, he says, "Does that happen a lot?" in a gentle voice.

"You wouldn't believe the things they've done."

"Try me."

I look at him after I stop at the first traffic light. "The foster mom thinks anything entertaining is nonsense. She burned my songbook, thinking it was my real one. She's slapped me and called me names on multiple occasions. The father, who you witnessed, is extremely violent. But it's not just them. It's everyone else, too. No one knows me there... No one loves me."

"You sound lost. You're a lost girl, Bella."

"Don't call me that."

Henry's face softens. "Someone will love you. I'm sure someone already has... does."

"I wish that were true, kid."

The light turns green.

After a couple of minutes, Henry says, "Can I turn the radio on?"

"Knock yourself out."

I'm not sure what station my radio is set to or what the conversation is about, but when Henry pushes the button, the host says, "Next, we're going to talk about how to let go and be happy. It's easier than you thi—"

I shut it off and tighten my grip on the steering wheel. I can feel Henry's eyes on me. "No radio. All they do is lie. It's not easy. It's goddamn hard."

"It is easy. All you have to do is let yourself have it."

"And what do you think I'm doing? I'm driving us to your town, where my happiness awaits. Probably not, but it does if my parents are there. Oh, and they're not Disney characters."

Henry shakes his head. "You didn't come with me to be happy. You did it to run away." Before I can protest, he says, "You can be happy anywhere, with or without anyone. But you have to accept yourself first."

"I don't need myself to be happy. I've lived with myself for sixteen years. I would know if that was the case. I need a family to be happy. Also, you asked me to come with you."

"To find your happy ending, not run from yourself." Running? He thinks I'm running? I'm chasing after my freedom and happiness. I'm not running from anything. I'm running toward something.

"I'm not running from myself," I say. "I left to be free. You have no idea what it's like living with those people." I glance at him. "Are you sure you know where my parents are? You're a kid. How would you know?"

He shrugs. "I just do."

"How? I've been trying to find them for years. There're no records. I don't even know their names. Either they don't want to be found or they're not in this world."

Henry's silent.

"Did you hear me?"

"I heard you," he says, looking straight ahead.

"How do you know they're in this Storybrooke?"

"People mention them. They wouldn't do that if they're not in town." He's got a point.

"I guess not. Although, I don't believe they're Disney characters. Just because they're coincidentally named Phillip and Aurora doesn't mean they're part of a fairytale."

"You'd be surprised what makes you part of a fairytale. You never know you're in one."

I look at him and find him turning to me at the same time. He grins, then stares out his window.

What have I gotten myself into?