"The marks humans leave are too often scars."

- John Green

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"Young lady."

"Young lady?" A deep voice called again startling me awake.

I quickly open my eyes and looked over to see who it was that was calling me. I was surprised to see that it was the man in the suit, that was seated next to me.

"Yes?" I asked, still groggy from just waking up.

"Uh, the plane landed." He said, pointing to the now-empty plane that I just now had noticed.

"Shit," I mumbled to myself.

"It's impolite to swear, especially a child like yourself." He spoke sternly, furrowing his eyebrows at me.

"Sorry," I replied, not really sorry.

I stood up from my seat and grabbed my journal and Mrs. MacDymke's file when I looked back up the man was gone.

I honestly didn't expect to sleep the whole trip here. But I do have to say the plane's seats beat laying on the floor any day.

I carefully slipped between the seats, trying not to lose my balance to get to the main hallway of the plane. My legs felt like I was standing on water, probably because I've been sat down for so long.

I finally gain control of my legs and exited the plane. When I got outside I was slapped with a rush of fresh air. Goosebumps covered my arms. The air felt lighter here than it did in New York. And for some odd reason, I felt the excitement bubble in my stomach, and an empowering sensation of freedom rippled through me like I had escaped something I didn't know about.

I quickly stepped down the stairs coming from the plane. And that's when it hit me, I have no clue where the hell I'm supposed to go.

I looked around, lost. That's when I noticed over to the left was a sign hanging over a glass hallway that connects to the airport building.

The sign said "Plane Landing Exit"

You can be really stupid sometimes Mia, I scolded myself.

I readjusted my journal and the file and headed towards the exit. When I stepped onto the glass hallway it felt like someone sucker punched me in the stomach. When you looked down on the glass floor you could see cars underneath you leaving the airport, or entering it for that matter. I glanced over to the sides of the hallway and I could see mountains out in the distance, they looked tiny from here but I knew once you got closer they'd become ginormous.

I never knew I had a fear of heights until now, granted I've never been in a situation where heights ever played a factor. I was usually forced to stay indoors or go to school.

Okay, Mia, you've got this, I told myself. It's only what fifteen steps? Easy peasy lemon squeezy. I tried to move my legs but they wouldn't budge.

"Oh come on! You stupid leg, move!" I cursed it.

It was obviously not offended by what I had said cause it still wouldn't budge.

I put both my feet on either side of the floor, as far from the middle of the glass as I could get. I closed my eyes tight, making sure I wouldn't be tempted to look down. Taking baby steps I slowly made my way across.

"Are you okay?" A boyish laugh asked.

I immediately opened my eyes. Which I instantly regretted, cause now I was about halfway through the hallway. Frozen looking down at the good sixteen-foot drop. I could just imagine the glass breaking and me landing on the pavement, like an egg.

"Not at all!" I yelped. If it wasn't for him I would have been just fine, I'd even be on the other side of this damned thing!

"Of course not! You look ridiculous." He laughed again. If I wasn't so scared out of my mind, I'd probably think his laugh was cute.

"Shut up! Stop laughing you dickhead! It's not funny!" I shouted at him, annoyed. My eyes were still fixed on the ground, wondering how I'm going to get myself out of this.

"Would you like some help, Mia?" He asked. Forgetting all about my fear of ending up like roadkill, My gaze jumped over to him. And boy oh boy was he a looker.

Not now, Mia, I reminded myself.

"How do you know my name?" I squinted my eyes at him.

"I'm Rylan Summers." He replied, walking towards me. Like I was supposed to know who that was.

"STOP! THIS IS GOING TO BREAK ARE YOU FREAKING CRAZY!" I yelled, horrified.

"It's not going to break Mia, see?" He stops right in front of me and jumped. This lunatic jumped!

"HELP! IM GOING TO DIE!" I called out for someone but no one was there.

Rylan reached under me and grabbed my legs lifting me up in his arms. I grabbed around his neck making sure that I don't slip. Cause if this thing breaks I fully intend to land on him.

His cologne invaded my nose, the spices tickling my senses. His light brown-blondish hair was combed over to one side but you could still see the curls trying to form at the ends of his hair. His high cheekbones sat perfectly on his face along with his sharp jawline. Not to mention he had to be at least 6 feet tall, cause he towers over me. And I'm 5'5".

"You know I don't mind carrying you Mia, but we are off the glass." He smiled down at me.

"Oh right, put me down," I demanded.

"Your wish is my command." He winked, letting go of me gently.

"How do you know my name?" I asked again since he never answered me the first time.

"I'm one of Rose's foster kids, she showed me a picture of you at the house, she thought you might have had gotten lost so she sent me out to find you." He replied.

That's when it hit me, I did remember reading his name in the file that Cassy gave me. I was so concentrated on talking to myself I didn't even notice that Rylan had reached out grabbed my hand.

His once light hazel eyes, that seemed so inviting, were darker, scarier. My heart rate increased. What did I do to piss him off? That's when I noticed what he was looking at. The dark bruises that were scattered on my arms.

"Who-" He began.

"Don't." I stop him. "Please." I practically begged him. My eyes started forming tears, I hate explaining why I had bruises. It was part of the reason I hated going to school, the sad looks, telling people how I fell down the stairs, breaking my arm to cover up for an awful man that had actually twisted it behind my back till it broke. Or why I come to class with new bruises every day.

"Mia look at me." He put his thumb under my chin making me look at him. I tried to move my head away not liking his forcefulness, nor did I want him to see me crying. When he noticed me trying to fight his movements he let go. Instead, he gently placed his hands on either side of my neck, making me look up at him.

"Nobody is going to hurt you ever again okay? I promise." His eyes bore into mine, with so much intensity that it almost made me uncomfortable.

A feeling I haven't felt in a long time nearly stopped my heart right then and there. Trust. I quickly backed away from him, making his hands fall. I shook my head slightly getting my thoughts back in order. The only person I can trust is myself.

I looked back over at Rylan to see him watching me intently, I slightly nodded my head, not really knowing what I should say or what I could say for that matter.

"Come on. Let's take you to Rose so we can go home." He smiled down at me.

Home.

Such a funny word.

What does that word even mean? Because I heard people say "home is where the heart is" and if that's the case my home was left back in New York Marble Cemetery.

"Put this on." Rylan's voice snapped me back to reality. I watched as he started taking off his black jacket and headed it towards my direction.

"Why do I need this?" I looked up at him and then back down at the jacket confused, I'm not cold.

"If you don't want to talk about what happened to you that's okay, but if Rose sees it she'll ask questions." He told me, pushing his jacket towards me again.

I wanted to argue with him, and tell him I didn't need his pity and that could handle Rose for myself. But, I decided against it. I reached out and grabbed the stupid jacket (a little rougher than I intended to) and quickly put it on.

I glanced back up at Rylan, only to see him already looking at me, smiling to himself.

"Ready?" He asked.

"As ready as I'll get." I sighed.

Rylan quickly grabbed my hand in his, I immediately jumped at the sudden action and tried to get my hand away from his but he tightens his grip, it wasn't a rough grip but it was definitely strong. His hands were surprisingly warm and weirdly soft. What lotion does he use?

Rylan guided me through the sea of people at the airport. His long legs carried him a lot faster than my shorts ones. I had to power walk to keep up with his long strides. The people around us were passing me in a blur.

"There you two are! I was getting worried." A woman rushed over to us.

"It's okay mom, our dearest Mia here has a fear of heights." Rylan laughed, and Rose smiled at me.

I was flabbergasted that he just called Rose his mother? He did he say was a foster kid right? She allows him to call her mom?

"I'm Mia Morrison," I said sticking out my hand for her to shake. "Thank you for accepting me into your home Mrs. MacDymke." I continued waiting for her to shake my hand.

But instead, she pulls me into a loving hug. Oh yes, I just love awkward hugs from strangers.

"Call me Rose sweetie, the pleasure is all mine." She tightens her arms and then let's go and smile at me.

"Isn't that you're jacket Rylan?" Rose asked him.

"Yes, it is. I was cold and he let me use it because I don't have any luggage." I lied, butting in.

"Ain't he just the sweetest." She reached up and pinched his cheeks. Rylan huffed out a breath and playfully swatted her hand away.

"We already have your room set up at the house, I hope you'll like it, and I'm sure one of the girls at the house will have clothes for you until we get you some of your own," Rose informed me.

"It's starting to get late, we should probably get going, and I'm sure Mia is worn out from her flight." Rylan cut in.

"Yes, yes let's get going." I flinched when Rose linked her arm with mine. It was odd to have so much human contact on my skin that wasn't causing pain. I don't think Rose noticed my discomfort though.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Rylan frown at me, shaking his head. He must have seen me flinch from Rose.

When we got to the car I was shocked. This car looked expensive, so expensive I was scared to get into it. I think it was a dodge, maybe a Chevy? I'm not sure, I wasn't very educated when it came to cars.

A hand came from behind me and opened the door for me. I looked over my shoulder and saw it was Rylan. I could have opened the door for myself, I mean I do have hands for a reason.

"Go ahead, get in." He insisted.

I crawled into the backseat and watched as he shut the door. From out the window, I saw Rose smirking lightly to herself watching Rylan.

When she got in the passenger seat and Rylan in the driver's seat I got confused. Isn't this Rose's car?

"What's on your mind?" Rylan asked looking at me from the rearview mirror.

"It's nothing, I just thought this was Rose's car," I told him.

"Nope, it's mine." He replied, popping the 'p'.

"Now buckle up, wouldn't want you to get hurt now would we?" A boyish smile came over his face. I nodded my head and buckled my seat belt, I was a little annoyed with his friendliness but of course, I didn't say anything.

"Huh, you're being awfully friendly today." Rose teased him. At least I wasn't the only one who noticed it.

"Don't start mom," Rylan whined at her, his cheeks turning pink.

For some reason the sight of Rylan blushing, made me crack a smile to myself, I think it was the fact he was actually blushing that amused me.

"Oh, that's funny huh?" Rylan looked at me sternly through the mirror, but a smile started to form on his lips when he saw the small smile on my lips.

I quickly washed the smile off my face and looked out the window.

"I don't know, you tell me. You were the one that was blushing." I said sarcastically.

"I wasn't blushing, I must be running a fever," he grumbled to himself.

"It's a good thing we are almost at the house because I think my little RyRy is embarrassed." Rose laughed at her foster son.

"I'm not embarrassed, I'm just being nice." Rylan huffed.

"Okay, son, whatever you say." Rose smiled at me.

After a good thirty-minute drive, we finally pulled into a long driveway. The sun was starting to set but you could still clearly see. The air in my lungs almost evaporated when I took sight of this house.

It was huge! I don't think it would be considered a mansion but it was huge! It was at least three stories. I immediately regretted thinking about having to clean this big house! It'll take me hours! And not to mention cooking for 10 people, I'll never get it all done in 24 hours.

Both Rose and Rylan turned around in their seats to look at me.

"Welcome home Mia," Rose said smiling brightly at me.

Could this house really become my home?