Love so Hot (Misfit Millionaires #1)

Chapter 11Lawrence

Chapter Eleven

Lawrence

10 years old

I step onto the worn welcome mat, my ratty sneakers seemingly more tattered compared to the polished hardwood floor inside. The house smells like cinnamon and something else I can't quite place—maybe what a real home is supposed to smell like. I clutch my backpack straps tighter, wondering how long I'll get to stay this time before they ship me off again.

A blur of blonde hair and bubbly energy comes barreling toward me. "Hi! I'm Lauren. You must be Larry. We're gonna be best friends!"

I blink at her, not used to such an enthusiastic greeting. Her smile is wide and genuine, infectious even, but I can't bring myself to return it. Still, I think maybe this move won't be so bad after all.

"I can't wait to introduce you to all my friends at school," Lauren chatters on. "You won't feel lonely at all, I promise."

I nod slightly, not trusting my voice. The grown-ups are talking in hushed tones behind us, probably discussing my "troubled past" or whatever euphemism they're using these days.

Suddenly, Lauren grabs my hand. I look down, startled by the contact. Our fingers are intertwined, her warm palm against mine. It's been so long since anyone's held my hand like this, I'd almost forgotten what it felt like.

"Come on," she says, tugging gently. "I'll show you upstairs while they talk boring adult stuff."

As she leads me toward the staircase, I can't help but marvel at how easily she's accepted me. No judgment, no wariness—just open arms and a promise of friendship. It's almost enough to make me believe that this time might be different. Almost.

I trail behind her, my feet feeling heavy on each step. Part of me wants to bolt, to run before I get too attached. But Lauren's grip is firm, anchoring me to this moment, to this possibility of a new beginning.

"So," I manage to croak out, my voice rough from disuse, "you always this friendly to strays?"

Lauren giggles, the sound light and airy. "You're not a stray, silly. You're family now."

Family. The word echoes in my head, foreign and dangerous. I've learned the hard way not to trust it.

We reach the top of the stairs and Lauren pulls me towards a door covered in colorful stickers. "This is my room!" she announces, flinging it open with a flourish.

I blink, momentarily overwhelmed by the explosion of colors and... stuff. Every inch of wall space is plastered with posters of cartoon characters and stickers. Stuffed animals crowd her bed, and a bookshelf overflows with novels and trinkets.

"Wow," I mutter, not sure what else to say.

Lauren bounces on her toes, clearly excited. "Do you like it? Oh, I have so many toys we can play with!"

She starts pulling things off shelves, chattering about each one. I stand there, frozen, trying to process it all. When was the last time I was in a room with actual toys?

"And this," she says, holding up a glittery unicorn, "is Princess Sparkle. She's my favorite."

I nod, not trusting my voice. It's all so... girly. But I don't care. It's more than I've had in... well, ever.

"Oh!" Lauren exclaims. "I almost forgot. Let me show you your room!"

She grabs my hand again and pulls me across the hall. Another door swings open, revealing a smaller but still cozy-looking bedroom.

"This is all yours," she says, beaming.

I furrow my brow, confused. "All... mine?"

"Yep! Just for you. We can share my toys though, if you want. I know they're kinda girly, but?—"

"No, it's... it's great," I interrupt, my voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I've never had my own room before."

Lauren's smile softens. "Well, now you do. And we're gonna have so much fun!"

I nod, a lump forming in my throat. This is too good to be true. There's gotta be a catch, right?

Later that morning, I shuffle into the classroom, my stomach doing somersaults. Lauren's right beside me, her hand on my shoulder like she's about to introduce the star of a show. Except I'm no star. I'm just the new kid. Again.

"Everyone, this is Larry!" Lauren announces to the class, her voice way too chipper for this early in the morning. "He's staying with my family, and he's super cool!"

Super cool? More like super awkward. I force a smile that probably looks more like a grimace. Twenty pairs of eyes stare at me, and I swear I can feel my face catching fire.

"Thank you, Lauren," the teacher says kindly. "Larry, why don't you take a seat next to Lauren? We're about to start our math lesson."

I slide into the empty desk, grateful to escape the spotlight. Lauren plops down next to me, flashing a reassuring grin.

"See? Not so bad, right?" she whispers.

I shrug, unconvinced. "If you say so."

As the teacher starts droning on about fractions, I try to focus. But my mind keeps wandering. Will these kids like me? Will I have to move again soon? Will?—

Lauren nudges me, breaking my spiral of worries. She points to her notebook where she's doodled a goofy face. I can't help but snicker.

Maybe this won't be a total disaster.

The bell rings, signaling recess, and kids start pouring out of the classroom like it's on fire. Lauren grabs my hand, tugging me along.

"Come on, Larry! I'll show you the awesome playscape!"

We burst out into the sunlight, and I blink, taking in the colorful jungle gym and swings. It looks like something out of a movie.

"Wow," I breathe. "This is?—"

"Well, well," a sneering voice interrupts. "If it isn't the new charity case."

I freeze, my momentary awe evaporating. A group of kids, led by a boy with a mean glint in his eye, surrounds us.

"What's the matter?" another taunts. "Cat got your tongue? Or did your parents take that too when they dumped you?"

I feel myself shrinking, wishing I could disappear. But then Lauren steps forward, her eyes blazing.

"Back off, Jake," she growls. "Larry's my friend, and if you mess with him, you mess with me."

Jake scoffs. "Ooh, I'm so scared. What are you gonna do, sic his mommy and daddy on us? Oh wait, he doesn't have those!"

I clench my fists, tears threatening to spill. But before I can react, Lauren's voice cuts through the air, coming to my defense.

"At least he's not a jerk like you! Come on, Larry. These losers aren't worth our time."

She grabs my hand again, marching us away from the stunned group. As we head towards the swings, I glance back to see Jake and his cronies skulking off.

"Thanks," I mumble, still processing what just happened.

Lauren shrugs, but I can see a proud glint in her eye. "That's what friends are for, right?"

"Friends?"

"Yeah, silly! You're my friend! Now, race you to the swings!"

As we dash across the playground, laughing, I realize something. For the first time in forever, I actually feel like I belong somewhere. And it's all thanks to this weird, wonderful girl who decided to be my friend.

I push my peas around the plate at dinner, trying to make it look like I've eaten more than I have. The dining room is cozy, all warm wood and soft lights, but I still feel like a fish out of water. Lauren's parents exchange glances over their pot roast, probably wondering if they've taken in some mute kid who can't even manage a "pass the salt."

"So, Larry," Lauren's mom says, her voice gentle. "How was your first day at school?"

I shrug, my mouth suddenly drier than the Sahara. "It was... okay," I mumble, staring at my plate like it holds the secrets of the universe.

Lauren, bless her heart, jumps in like a conversational lifeguard. "It was great! Larry's super smart. He answered all the math questions right, even the hard ones."

I feel my cheeks heat up. Leave it to Lauren to make me sound like some kind of boy genius when I was just desperately trying not to look like an idiot.

"That's wonderful," Lauren's dad beams. “Was everyone nice to you?"

Before I can cobble together a response that doesn't involve admitting I'm the school's new punching bag, Lauren's off again.

"Well, there were these jerks at recess," she says, stabbing a carrot with unnecessary force. "But I told them off. Nobody messes with my friend."

I peek up to see Lauren's parents exchanging another look, this one a mix of pride and concern. Great. Day one and I'm already causing trouble.

"That was very brave of you, Lauren," her mom says carefully. "But next time, maybe tell a teacher instead?"

Lauren rolls her eyes so hard I'm worried they'll get stuck. "Sure, Mom. I'll just let Larry get picked on while I go tattle. That'll help."

I want to sink into the floor. Or maybe teleport to Mars. Anywhere but here, really.

"It's fine," I mutter. "I'm used to it."

The moment the words leave my mouth, I regret them. The pity in their eyes is worse than any schoolyard taunt.

"Well," Lauren's dad says, clearing his throat. "You're part of our family now. And we look out for each other here."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Family. It's a word that's always felt as foreign to me as quantum physics.

Later that night, I'm huddled under my covers, trying to convince myself that the creaks and groans of this unfamiliar house aren't monsters coming to get me. When a knock comes at my door, I freeze, my heart pounding like a jackhammer.

"Larry?" Lauren's whisper drifts through the wood. "You awake? I wanna show you something cool."

I let out a shaky breath, feeling silly and relieved all at once. It's just Lauren, not some creep from my past foster homes coming to... nope, not going there.

I shuffle to the door, opening it to find Lauren grinning like the Cheshire Cat. "Come on," she says, grabbing my hand. "You gotta see this."

She leads me to her room, flicking off the lights as we enter. And suddenly, we're surrounded by stars. Well, glow-in-the-dark stickers, but close enough.

"Cool, huh?" Lauren flops onto her bed. "I get scared of the dark sometimes, so Mom got me these. Makes it feel less... you know, scary."

I nod, mesmerized by the constellations on her ceiling. "It's awesome," I whisper.

"You can sleep in here if you want," she offers. "I know new places can be weird."

Before I can respond, she's darting out of the room. She returns dragging my blanket and pillow, throwing them on the floor next to her bed.

"There," she says, satisfied. "Now you've got stars too."

I settle onto my makeshift bed, feeling oddly safe despite being in a strange room. Lauren starts chattering about some dream she had about flying unicorns and pizza trees, her voice a soothing backdrop as my eyes grow heavy.

As I drift off, I realize something. For the first time in my life, I feel... safe. Protected. Like maybe I've found a place where I belong.

It's a good feeling. I could get used to this. And that's what scares me.