4 Growing Pains (1/2)

Ash felt the dull pain in her back all throughout breakfast. She felt it shifting through her organs as she laughed with her friends. She felt it spread from her back to her legs as she walked to class and felt it in her arms as she shifted the weight of her book bag from one shoulder to another.

”Ash, you don't look well. What's wrong?”

Isabelle looked at her friend with concern.

Ash smiled widely, but even the effort of smiling made her face muscles ache.

”Don't worry about me, Mom. I think I might just be catching a winter cold or something. I always feel a full body pain before I get the flu.”

”Don't mock the Comtesse, Ashy. She may just well adopt you. She has connections, she can totally do it.” Celia joked.

Izzy looked pointedly at Celia before turning to look at Ash.

”I would love for Boots to be part of my family, but she's turning 18 soon and I can't adopt an adult.”

”---You actually can adopt an adult if said adult has a diminished capacity or disability. Among other reasons, of course.”

The three girls turned around to see who had interrupted their conversation. The young man leaned against the wall just a few feet away from the girls. Apparently he had been walking around the corner when he decided to drop in on their conversation.

He had dark blonde hair that he pushed back from his face and Viking blue eyes. His long brown trench coat had a light smattering of snow.

Celia and Ash were in the same class. The boy was in the same class with Isabelle.

”I know about adult adoption, Hunter. What I meant to say was that since I'm the one who's a minor, I can't adopt an adult.” Isabelle retorted, annoyed. ”If you're going to lurk and drop in on other people's conversations, maybe get some background first before you embarrass yourself.”