Adopted By The Hemmings (mgc)

Seventeen

"Luna! Hurry up or you're going to make us late!" Luke's voice drifted up the stairs as Luna rushed around her room. She couldn't seem to find her left shoe. She let out a frustrated scream just as Liz walked through her bedroom door.

"What's keeping you? We've got to get you to school."

"I can't find my shoe." Luna's voice was a high pitched whine as she began searching through the bottom of her closet, causing an even bigger mess.

"You mean this one?" Twisting around, she found her left shoe dangling from Liz's fingertips.

"Where was it? I've been tearing my room apart!" She quickly began sliding it on her foot, hopping in place.

"It was under your desk, Lu. Please, sit down to put that on, I don't want you to miss your first day due to injury." Liz chuckled softly as Luna perched on the edge of her bed.

"To be honest, I wouldn't mind missing it." Luna mumbled before standing.

"Oh Lu, you'll be fine. Your schedule is in your bag, and you will have the boys to guide you. Norwest isn't so bad."

"I know, but there are going to be a lot more people to deal with, and being new is going to be hard. That's just a universal truth."

"It'll be okay. How about I make you're favorite dinner tonight so you have something to look forward to?" Liz began ushering the small girl out of her room and down the stairs.

"I mean, I suppose that would make my day better should anything go wrong."

The two reached the bottom of the stairs to find Luke leaning against the wall pretending to snore.

"Luke, enough of that let's go." Liz pushed the two out of the house and to the car, sighing in relief as they made their way down the road.

"How are you feeling, Lu?"

"Like impending doom is looming over my head."

"Hey, don't worry, the boys and I are going to be looking out for you."

"I know." Luna's leg bounced up and down rapidly the closer they got to the school. As Liz pulled up to the sidewalk she parked and turned to face the two kids.

"Okay, so if you need me the school has my number. Luke, look after Luna and Luna don't worry, you'll be just fine. Have a good day, I love you both."

The two nodded as Luke made sure Luna was behind him before walking through the front doors. Luna stared around her trying to take everything in. All of the people she saw were loud and excited, not for school obviously, but to see their friends once more.

"C'mon, you're locker is near mine." Luke made sure Luna was walking in front of him this time, so as not to lose her. Luna felt eyes watching her as she was steered to her locker, she tried to shrink just a little bit more. Luke began opening his locker so she naturally did the same, just to make sure she had the combination right. With her tongue between her teeth in concentration, she jumped as someone touched her shoulder. Spinning around she found the boys standing there, grinning.

"Easy there, Lu. It's just me," Michael chuckled softly as she rolled her eyes.

"Sorry, there's just a lot going on already." She shut her locker, and fidgeted with the ends of her sleeves. Ashton moved forward and wrapped his arm around her in a tight hug. Luna sighed before taking a deep breath. She squeezed his middle with all of her might before Mikey cleared his throat.

"Thanks for the hug, Ash. I really needed it."

"Here, let us see your schedule." Luna handed Mikey her schedule, and all of the boys gathered in a huddle around it. She tapped her foot as the four of them conferred, she also took this moment to take another look around. Down the hall, she noticed Lane standing with what seemed to be a group of his friends.