DIFFERENT (Different Series Book 1) by Erin J. Cross Page B

wrapped her arms around me like I was the most precious person in the world.
                  I eventually fell asleep with one thought preoccupying my mind more than the others. Could it be possible that my mum was still alive?
     
     
                 
                 
     

Chapter Seven
     
    As soon as I walked into the kitchen, Louisa picked up her half-eaten piece of toast and walked straight past me without so much as a glance. Gloria bent down by Terry, who was eating scrambled egg on toast, and she kissed his cheek before she followed Louisa out of the room.
                  ‘I guess they’re still annoyed with me then?’ I asked as I headed over to the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice.
                  Even though I’d been here over a month, this was the first time that I’d ever opened the fridge, and I’d never been in the cupboards before. Gloria had claim to the kitchen, which had been fine when she’d actually been talking to me. Now I had no idea where everything was, and surely messing up the cupboards would just give Gloria another reason to send me back into care.
                  ‘I’m sure they’ll come round. We’ll all have a good chat over dinner later and sort this out.’ He sighed before he put a heaped forkful of food into his mouth.
                  ‘Okay,’ I said before taking a sip of my orange juice.
                  ‘I owe you an apology. Gloria told me that you didn’t actually touch the vase, although she still seems adamant that you broke it. She will calm down eventually. She’s just very protective of Louisa.’
                  ‘Thanks, but what I said to Louisa I didn’t mean,’ I replied, trying not to sound as annoyed as I felt.
                  Yeah, I shouldn’t have said what I had to Louisa, but the way Gloria was acting was making me feel like a complete outsider, and then I’d gone and made it far worse by breaking the vase. Maybe my new family weren’t as perfect as I’d first thought.
                  ‘I know, love. Come on, I’ll give you a lift to school.’ He finished his food and then pushed his chair back.
                  I slung my bag over my shoulder and followed him out to his black BMW. It was weird not going to school with Louisa, and the drive with Terry was silent. I took my phone out of my bag and scrolled over Finn’s number, which I’d added last night.
                  ‘Is there a problem?’ Terry asked.
                  ‘Nah,’ I sighed, as I placed my phone back in my bag.
                  Great, now I couldn’t even look at my phone without arousing suspicion. Who did Terry think I was texting? It wasn’t like I had that many people to text. I was really starting to dislike Oakwood and the people in it. So much for fitting in.
                  ‘Have a nice day, Celeste.’ He pulled up by the school gate and gave me a half wave as I swung open the door and stepped out.
                  I gave a wave back before heading through the open gates. I hadn’t arranged to meet Finn at the bike racks, but I still found myself heading over to them just to check that he wasn’t there, and it beat lingering around my locker. I really didn’t want to be in school today. It was bad enough that it’d taken me ages to cover up the scratch mark on my face that Veronica had caused, although I still looked like I’d been dragged through a thorn bush.
                  Finn wasn’t there, and Leo was probably with Megan, so I knew that I’d just have to face Veronica and her friends alone. I guess that was the thing with people: they let you down. Maybe I was better off alone.
                  Veronica was just walking away from her locker with Rose when I walked up the corridor. She shot me a disgusted look,