The Guardian

Chapter 1

Thirteen year old Lennon Stacey lay in her bed face down, crying her olive green eyes out. Her first boyfriend of 6 months had cheated on her and when you're only thirteen that's a big deal. A soft knock on the door interrupted her from her self thrown pity party.

"Lennon." It was Michael. Her Michael. Michael was a family friend, he was twenty five and wrote books for a living. Lennon loved him with all that she had. He was her best friend, the kind that wasn't right around the corner.

"Go away Mike." She sobbed.

"Len please let me in."

"No."

"C'mon princess, please?" He begged drawing out the E. Lennon smiled to herself, she loved when he called her princess. She got up and unlocked the door collapsing into a pair of tattooed arms. He ran his long ivory fingers down her back,

"Who do I have to beat up Lenny?" She looked up at his serious expression and let out a soft giggle

"No one." He smiled, "Junior high relationships are overrated anyway, especially for a girl like you." She giggled again as he ruffled her hair. It was more than obvious that she had the biggest crush ever on him, but she hoped he didn't notice.

"Your dad asked me to come check up on you, he said it's going to be another two hours before they get home." Lennon sighed to herself they were always gone especially on Fridays, which was "Date night" but Mikey always came to check up on her which made it better.

"Shocker." She rolled her eyes.

"Well I promised to stay with you until they got back so cheer up grouch." She laughed.

"Alright, Monopoly?"

"Why not." He smiled and went to get the game. Two and a half hours of monopoly later her parents still weren't home.

"I've called them three times and no answer, I guess I'll be staying the night."

"Oh okay." Lennon smiled, "So guess what happened at school today?" As soon as she was about to talk about her day the downstairs land line rang, and Mikey raced downstairs to get it.

"Back in a few doll." Lennon smiled to herself and climbed up in bed, suddenly feeling exhausted. Before she knew it She was fast asleep. Lennon woke up and looked at the clock on her beside table, four in the morning. She looked out the window and still didn't see her father's car. Confused, she headed downstairs to find Michael screaming into the phone pacing the room with tears staining his face.

"Mike?" He turned around and his face was red with tears falling all the way down, it was the most heartbreaking thing she had ever seen. He hung up the phone,

"Oh Len, I am so sorry honey."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your parents." He sniffled, "They got in a car accident, an eighteen wheeler flipped on top of them, I'm so sorry." He forced her into a long warm hug.

"So how bad are they hurt?"

Mike pulled away from her, tucking a piece of hair behind her ears; "Len you don't understand, they're dead."

Lennon collapsed into him, burying her face into his chest. He stroked her hair, "This isn't right you know, you don't have any other family other than your horrid aunt and uncle; and I'll be dammed if they put you in a foster home." Lennon cried even harder. "You know what? You're gonna stay with me, I'll take care of you. I'll be your guardian."