The Bad Boy Is My Legal Guardian?

Chapter 2

When I finally wake up, the car is parked, overlooking the ocean. Roman is eating a burger from In-n-Out. He notices that I'm awake and tosses a paper bag into my lap. I open it and find another cheeseburger.

"Where are we?" I ask before I take a bite.

Roman doesn't bother to finish chewing before he answers me. "Scenic route to Stinson Beach," he says.

"Shouldn't we be going home?" I question; the word home feels odd in my mouth. I have a new home. Well, at least I have a new place to live. And if Roman's there, it won't feel very home-y.

"Well, I'm deciding."

"Deciding what?"

"Listen, kid," he says. I don't like being called kid. He isn't that much older than me. At most, he's 19. "Technically, you're under my care. But I don't live with your uncle, I've got my own apartment. Either I have to give up my place and move in with you at your uncle's house, or you move in with me."

"Why can't I live alone? You can just check up on me every so often."

"No way!" Ronan objects suddenly. "You're not living alone."

"Okay, so I'll just move in with you," I reason, slightly touched that Ronan is so concerned about me.

"Naw, man!" he says. "What if I try to bring a chick around and you're there? You can't be my sister, you're Chinese! And you're nowhere as hot as I am!"

Not touched anymore. "I'm Korean," I say, annoyed.

"Whatever," he says. "I owe your uncle. I guess I'll have to take girls to Theo's house instead."

"So I'm living with you?"

Roman nods. Then he starts the car again and we drive down the winding roads towards his apartment.

I watch the ocean as we go. The waves crash into pearly sea foam on huge, monolithic rocks. I roll the window down and let the salty air blow my hair away from my face. Roman turns on the radio and for a few minutes I feel like a girl in a picture perfect music video, and all of my troubles are blown away with my hair.

Roman laughs and I look back at him. The sun, setting now, casts lovely golden rays onto his face, painting him into art. The mellow acoustic music floating from the car radio makes the moment so beautiful that I want to stop time and pretend that this is my life; car rides along the Pacific coast, with attractive guys and not a worry in the world.

But then I remember real life and my mood falls.

Ronan chuckles again. "You're like a puppy," he says, smiling brightly. "It's cute." He glances at me and his striking brown eyes meet mine. "Maybe it'll be kinda fun having a little sister for a while."

Sister? I groan inwardly. Just as things could have been looking up in the slightest, I've been family-zoned.

Roman pats my thigh. "Don't worry, kiddo," he says. "It'll all be okay in the end."

His voice sounds so sincere that it catches me off guard.

"I hope so," I answer.

As the sun finally slips behind the San Fransisco skyline, we pull into a driveway. It's one of those houses like in Mrs. Doubtfire- I think they're called Painted Ladies.

"I thought you had an apartment?" I ask.

Ronan shrugs. "Half the house is mine, half is Theo's. There's a curtain in between but we're friends from high school so we're in each other's hair a lot."

He takes my luggage and drags it up the steep stairs. The door opens before we're all the way up. A tall guy stands there, with blonde hair and sea green eyes. He's equally as hot as Roman.

"Theo, man!" greets Ronan. "Take one of these bags, will you?"

Theo folds his arms across his muscled chest and shakes his head slowly. "Roman, Roman, Roman," he smiles. "Who's this lovely little lady now? Another one? I just got rid of that Julia chick. She wouldn't leave until I told her you'd text her back."

We enter the house.

"This is Birdie," Roman says to Theo. He holds his hand out for me and I shake it. "She's officially my ward for a few months. Don't mess around with her, though. She's 17. Wait a till July."

Theo laughs. "You brought a teenager to live with two guys? How's she gonna explain that at school?"

My cheeks burn. "I think I can come up with something."

Theo and Roman look at me. Then they burst out laughing.

"You didn't say she was cute and funny!" grins Theo, his dimples prominent in his smooth cheeks.

Roman rolls his eyes. "Chill, Theo," he says. "You're almost 20."

"The average age difference between husband and wife is 5.5 years, man!" Theo counters jokingly.

I smile sheepishly. Theo's much friendlier and funnier than Roman. He seems like a really nice person.

Theo turns to me as Roman takes my bags towards the back of the house where a spare room is.

"Well, we're gonna have to show you around town while the night is still young!" he announces. "I know the best fish and chips place."

"You're not taking her anywhere!" yells Roman from the back.

"You're coming too!" he answers. "I'll buy your dinner!"

Roman hesitates for a second then replies,"Fine, whatever!"

Theo smiles. "Then it's time for a night on the town, Miss Birdie."