Silence.

Chapter Four

Myah

Saturday morning, I wake up having no clue where I am. Panicking, I sit up, running a hand through my hair before I realize where I am. I'm sitting in the Perez living room, with Romeo asleep on the chair and Shawna cuddled with Cassie on the loveseat. Sunlight is just starting to flood the large room, and I sigh, remembering the fun and love I experienced last night.

After dinner, Mrs. Perez had put on the new Romeo And Juliet, which caused a few angry glances from our very own Romeo.He and I had shared the couch with Shawna and Cassie. Mrs. Perez (who kept insisting that I call her Melody) sat on the loveseat with Tony, who cradled her as if she was a fragile antique.

The night went from a quiet, peaceful movie watching to a frantic popcorn fight. I've never had so much fun. Afterwards, Mrs. Perez had given us all blankets and pillows to crash with.

When she thought we were all asleep, she gave every one of us a small kiss on our cheeks or foreheads, whichever was exposed. I felt genuinely wanted. Loved, even.

While lost in my thoughts, I hear Shawna start to stir. Her frizzy blonde head pokes up, looking at me sleepily. "Good morning," she whispers, and I smile. She carefully extracts Cassie's hands, wrapped viselike around her waist, and sits up, rubbing the sleep from her big brown eyes.

"I love this family," she murmurs, looking at Romes sleeping form before turning back to Cass. I watch as love fills her eyes, and she pushes a lock of dark hair out of Cassie's face. "This family loves you too, you know. You're basically a part of us now. Even though we've known you for an upwards of sixteen hours." Sixteen hours? I feel like I've known these people my whole life.

Suddenly, I hear a loud noise from the kitchen, and both Shawna and I jump. Seconds later, Mrs. Perez pokes her head into the living room. "Sorry!" She says, "just making some breakfast. Myah honey, are your parents okay with you staying for breakfast?" I nod quickly. She doesn't need to know about my parents. Or my lack of parents, I should say.

By now, both Cassie and Romeo are stirring. Their faces are perhaps even more identical when they first wake up, with sleep filling their beautiful gray eyes and a pouting expression on their faces.

"Good morning sleepy head," Shawna murmurs to Cassie, who gives her a short kiss on the lips. "No, not good morning. I'm going back to sleep," she sits up, however, and lays her head against Shawna's back. The blonde girl smiles, looking happily content with the current position.

Rome stands up, his pajama pants twisted every which way, and runs a hand through his hair, which is laying off to one side of his head. "Let's go eat," he murmurs, his voice deep and rough. I feel a shiver up my arms.

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