The Harper Brothers (Wattpad Version)

New friends

Leokadia

I returned to school with the black eyes fading.

"Are you feeling better?"

I glanced at Rowan, who was with another girl.

"Better than I was."

"I would have strung Sasha up by her fake c-cups. If you're getting a boob job, then go big or go home," the girl said.

Rowan laughed.

"I'm Sage."

I squinted my eyes.

Sage rolled her eyes. "I have hippy parents who sage everything. Your aura is bad. Let me sage you. They even saged me at my birth. Dad didn't want evil spirits to surround his daughter."

"Or your parents expected a boy and got a girl instead."

"That too."

I giggled. Sasha strutted by us with two girls. Sage lunged are her. She screamed and took off running. "Punk ass bitch."

"You've been hanging out with your cousins too much," Rowan said.

"I rarely see my cousins since they scattered. It didn't help my parents moved me to this godforsaken city to be closer to my grandparents."

"If it helps, I live with the Harper brothers," I said.

"Well, sorry about your luck." Sage shrugged.

"Ignore, Sage. The Harper brothers don't impress her," Rowan said.

"No offense, no one impresses me."

I couldn't help but laugh.

Rowan and Sage walked me to class. Well, I made friends that aren't male.

*******
Tori

I flipped through my notepad and searched the computer. I even signed up for genealogy sites, tracing Leokadia's last name. Different inquiries led to more pages of Kowalskies. Then I discovered a message board.

I typed a message, along with my email address, hoping someone contacted me. I leaned back in my chair and stretched.

Payton stopped by my desk. "How's the article coming?"

"Well, Kayden provided information on Leokadia's previous foster homes. I have a police report and a news article about her abandonment in the store. It's difficult when you hit walls in your search."

Payton sat halfway on the desk. "An interesting article starts with making the subject more human. Anyone can write about foster care, but it takes excellent writing to emphasize the subject. If you locate the mother, you'll understand why. Start with the five Ws and how."

I nodded. All writers ask why, when, where, what, who, and how. It's how we figure out a story.

Who's the subject? When did it happen? Where did it happen? What was the purpose? Why? And how could it happen or be prevented?

I started answering the questions, hoping to discover the answer. As I answered the questions, my email dinged. I opened it and read it.

Tori,

I came across your message on Ancestry.com regarding Halinka Kowalski. I traced my ancestry to someone with that particular name. It shows the person as a distant cousin.