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Description
There was this girl, about the age of seven, who really didn't know much about the world. Her parents weren't the greatest and the only place she actually loved was her school's music room. Her second grade teacher, Mrs. Falder, could tell she wasn't having the best days at home and would always see her tapping her fingers on her desk in some rhythm that Mrs. Falder knew. One day after class Mrs. Falder asked the girl to stay back and talk with her. The girl went up to her desk and asked if she did something wrong. "No, no sweetheart. You did nothing wrong. I just want to ask you some questions if you don't mind." The girl smiled slightly and sat down in the chair in front of her teachers' desk. "I always see you tapping your fingers on the edge of your desk in some rhythm that I know very well. It's in a song that I enjoy and it was played on my wedding day. Do you know the name of that song dear?"

"Yes I do Mrs. Falder. It's called Why Wait, by a band named Rascal Flatts." The girls' blonde hair was in a pony and she was playing with her pink designed long sleeved shirt. She kept looking down and Mrs. Falder saw that the girl was upset. The girl looked up and her eyes were watery and tears were strolling down her face.

"Carter, c'mon why don't you come with me honey? I have something to show you." Mrs. Falder smiled to her as she readjusted her blue headband in her brown curly hair. She got up from her desk and brushed her blue top off and slightly pulled up her light brown pants. Her tan skin seemed quite soft toned when she was in the light right. Carter took Mrs. Falder's hand and held it as they walked to the music room down the hallway. Mrs. Falder took out her keys and unlocked the door. Mr. Delgo, the music teacher, left early since he wasn't feeling well. Mrs. Falder sat down on a stool close by the black piano, picked up a guitar and started to play a tune that she knew all her students knew. The song was called, Lullaby, by the band called Chase Coy. Carter tapped her foot and started to sing quietly. Mrs. Falder sang along with her and they sang this beautiful duet. Once they were done they heard clapping. Mrs. Falder quickly turned around to see her husband, Mr. Falder, standing at the door smiling.

"Hey sweetie, that was a great duet." He said as he walked over to his wife. "And who's this little lady?" He smiled at Carter. She smiled back but didn't say anything. She put her hands together behind her and twisted right and left innocently and shyly. Mr. Falder nodded and pushed his sandy hair out of his light blue eyes. He rolled up his sleeves and patted his red vest. His mid-blue colored jeans were fit to his waist and his tennis shoes were clean. He put his hands on the shoulders on his wife and massaged them gently. She sighed and smiled. Carter walked up to the piano and took Mrs. Falder's hand.

"Mrs. Falder, do you think you could take me home? My mom is at work and dad's at my uncles house. They don't care if I'm home alone. I'm home alone all the time so I'm used to it. I take great care of myself." She tried to put on a fake smile as she talked. Mr. and Mrs. Falder saw right through it. Mrs. Falder embraced Carter into a loving hug and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Sweetheart, why don't we just take you home with us and we can drop you off at your house when someone's home okay?" Mrs. Falder said sweetly. Carter nodded slightly in her shoulder and cried quietly. Mr. Falder put his hand on Carters shoulder and rubbed it gently. "C'mon Carter let's go get your things for homework and we can head out okay?" Carter nodded and smiled slightly. Mr. Falder poked her in the nose playfully and took her left hand. Mrs. Falder took her right and walked out of the music room. She locked it up and walked back to her classroom with Carters hand still in hers. She looked down at Carter and saw her smiling more then usual. "Carter is there any specific reason why you're smiling so much now?" Mrs. Falder asked.

Carter froze and put her frown back on. Then she thought about why she was in a better mood. She smiled again, looked up at Mr. and Mrs. Falder and started walking again. "Well I have a feeling I'm smiling more because I'm with you Mrs. Falder. And your husband Mr. Falder, is better then my father. I feel wanted when I'm with the both of you Mrs. Falder." The Falder's just looked at Carter. She went pretty deep for a seven year old.

"Well I'm glad that you feel wanted when you're with us honey, but is there a reason why you don't feel wanted at home?" Mr. Falder asked gently. They were now in Mrs. Falder's classroom. Carter was by her desk getting her things so she could leave with the Falder's. She turned to Mr. Falder and had a frown on her face again.

"Well…I don't really like talking about it. But I don't even know why I don't feel wanted at home. I really don't understand why my parents aren't really home that much." Carter said shyly. Mr. Falder walked over to her, put his hand on her soft blonde hair and patted it.

"C'mon. Let's go get some ice cream on the way home." He told Carter. Mr. Falder put his hands under Carters arms and lifted her up so she could reach the ceiling. Carter put her arms up and touched the ceiling with her fingers. She laughed and when Mr. Falder put Carter to his face, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Mr. Falder smiled and put her back on the ground.

"Ready to go you two?" his wife asked. They both nodded and headed out the classroom door. Carter grabbed her backpack before she left the room and slung it over her right shoulder. She ran to Mrs. Falder and took her hand. Mrs. Falder smiled and held it gently. Mr. Falder held his hand out for Carter to take and she took it gently. Carter swung their hands back and forth and suddenly she was off the ground for a few seconds. Mr. and Mrs. Falder were acting like Carter was one of their own. Alyxandrea, being only five, loved getting swung by her parents. Her older brother, Clyde, seemed too cool for family things and he's only nine. He loves skateboarding and has his ear pierced. A little young yes, but he did it without his parents knowing about it.

Carter and Mr. and Mrs. Falder got to the SUV that was in the grade school parking lot. Mr. Falder opened the door for Carter and she hopped in. Mrs. Falder got in on the drivers side and started the car. Mr. Falder got in quickly on the passenger side and buckled up. Mrs. Falder backed up and headed home.

They got home in about twenty minutes. Mrs. Falder parked in the driveway and turned off the car. She got out and her daughter, Alyx, came running out of the house, with Clyde right behind her. Clyde had a foam bat in his hand and was about to hit Alyx when Mr. Falder stepped in front of Clyde. "Clyde! BAT NOW!" he said in a deep angry voice. Clyde hung his head and slowly handed his father the bat. Carter was still sitting in the SUV eating her small dish of vanilla ice cream. "Carter, you can come out of the car sweetie. Nobody's going to hurt you I promise." Mr. Falder said setting the bat down on the side of the house. Their house was white and two floors. It seemed pretty small on the outside, but it was pretty big on the inside. Their lawn was beautifully cut with a nicely trimmed oak tree right next to the house so it kept it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Carter got out of the car slowly and walked over to the tree.

"May I climb the tree?" she asked quietly. Mrs. Falder smiled and nodded. "Okay thank you." She climbed the tree in the matter of seconds and sat up in the tree for a while thinking as she finished her dish of ice cream. She was sitting on a branch when Alyx went to the bottom of the tree and said that she had to come down and eat her snack. "Okay Alyx, I will be down in a second." Alyx nodded and turned to go to the front door. Carter climbed down and skipped to the house.

"Well some ones in a much better mood." Mr. Falder said as he poked Carters nose playfully. He took the dish from her and put it in the trashcan under the sink. Carter blushed and sat down next to Alyx. The snack was crackers and cheese. Carter's favorite.

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Falder." Carter said cheerfully. Mrs. Falder just smiled and worked on making dinner. Carter ate her snack quietly and slowly. Alyx tapped her on the shoulder and handed her a plastic cup of juice that her father gave her.

"Here you go Carter. I hope you like apple juice." Alyx smiled and Carter slowly took it. She smiled slightly and took a sip of the apple juice. "Carter, do you like to play dress up?" Alyx asked sweetly. Carter's eyes got wide and nodded excitedly. "Really! Do you wanna play dress up with me?"

"Alyx, why would she want to play dress up with you? Do you really thing she wants to be bugged by a five year old?" Clyde said freshly. Alyx looked up at Carter worriedly. Carter looked at Clyde and gave him an angry face.

"Clyde, be nice, otherwise you wont be sleeping over at Sean's house tomorrow night." Mr. Falder said.

"But dad! It's true!" Clyde argued.

"CLYDE! Do you think that's really true?" Mr. Falder said angrily.

"No…okay I'll stop." Clyde said quickly. He knew when his father got mad, he got mad. Mr. Falder nodded and smirked.

"Good, now go do you homework."

"Okay." Clyde went upstairs to his room and worked on homework till dinner.

"Alyx honey, do you have homework?" her mother asked as she poured the noodles into the boiling pot of water. Alyx nodded and went to go get her pink Hello Kitty book-bag. One of their large Huskies was lying right next to it. Alyx pet her and skipped back to the table. "Good girl. Carter do you need any help with your homework?" Carter nodded and smiled. "Okay. Hey honey! Can you come in here and watch dinner?"

"Yes!" Mr. Falder yelled from the living room. He was cleaning up all the toys left on the floor. He just about stepped on his sons skateboard, but luckily he didn't. "Clyde! Go put your board in the garage NOW!"

"FINE!" Clyde yelled down from his room.

Another large Husky came running down the steps and sat down by the skateboard. "Chance did Clyde send you down here to put his skateboard away?" the dog barked and wagged his tail. "Clyde I said you not Chance!"

"Okay! I'm coming!" Clyde shouted. Mr. Falder looked at Chance who was now lying next to Melody. He cuddled with her and licked her on the snout. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Chance! Melody! C'mon let's go outside." They both shot up and ran to the back door. Mrs. Falder quickly let them out and went back to helping Carter with her homework. Mr. Falder went over to the stove and watched the noodles.

"Mommy. I'm done with my homework. Can Carter play dress up with me now?" Alyx asked as she put her book back into her book-bag.

"Sweetie, Carter has only a few more questions and then she can play with you okay?" Mrs. Falder said. Alyx nodded and smiled. She skipped off into the living room and went to go get something small to play with while she waited.

A few minutes later Carter was finished with her homework and dinner was just about ready. Carter walked into the living room and sat next to Alyx on the couch. "What are you playing Alyx?' Carter asked. Alyx looked up, smiled and handed the game to Carter.

"You try." Alyx said sweetly. Carter looked at her slightly confused, but took the game anyways. Alyx got up and went to go let the dogs in from outside. "Chance! Melody! C'mere guys!" Alyx shouted to the Husky's. They barked and ran to her. "Good boy Chance. Good girl Melody." She pet them and went back into the living room. The dogs followed her and jumped up on the couch and cuddled together once again.

"Hey! I got it!" Carter said happily. Alyx smiled at her and looked at where she was.

"Kids! DINNER!" Mr. Falder shouted. Alyx jumped up and ran to her seat. Carter walked into the kitchen and sat in a seat. Clyde came down and sat next Carter. Then came the food. Noodles, meat, bread and vegetables. Carter's eyes just blew up and her stomach growled loudly. Everyone laughed and took food. "Carter, what would you like to eat?"
"Ummm…meat and bread please." Carter said quietly and politely. She handed Mrs. Falder her plate and when she got it back she dug into it pretty quickly.

"Someone's hungry." Mr. Falder laughed. Carter looked at everyone and then looked down at her food. She swallowed the food that she had in her mouth and slowed down a little.
Clyde just stared at Carter and laughed hysterically. Mr. Falder hit him gently and gave his son an angry look. Clyde stopped laughing and went on eating his dinner. Carter looked at Mr. Falder and smiled slightly thanking him for that. He smiled back and finished eating his food.

Dinner was finished around five thirty and the telephone rang moments after dinner. Mrs. Falder answered it and a woman was screaming into the phone wondering where her daughter was. "Mrs. Stipp, it's okay. I have your daughter and she's perfectly fine here." Carter froze in her chair at the table. She turned pale as a ghost and turned slowly to Mrs. Falder. "Okay I will give her the phone. Here she is." she handed Carter the phone. Carter put it up to her ear and quietly said hello. The woman was calmer now that she was talking to her daughter.

"Mommy, I'm fine. Mrs. Falder offered me to stay over at her house till someone got home. She didn't want me to stay home alone." Carter told her mother. "Okay I'll be home soon. I love you too." Carter sounded like she was in pain when she said 'I love you' to her mother. She got up and handed the phone to Mrs. Falder. "Can you please take me home?" Mr. Falder put his large tan hand on her shoulder and smiled.

Description
There was this girl, about the age of seven, who really didn't know much about the world. Her parents weren't the greatest and the only place she actually loved was her school's music room. Her second grade teacher, Mrs. Falder, could tell she wasn't having the best days at home and would always see her tapping her fingers on her desk in some rhythm that Mrs. Falder knew. One day after class Mrs. Falder asked the girl to stay back and talk with her. The girl went up to her desk and asked if she did something wrong. "No, no sweetheart. You did nothing wrong. I just want to ask you some questions if you don't mind." The girl smiled slightly and sat down in the chair in front of her teachers' desk. "I always see you tapping your fingers on the edge of your desk in some rhythm that I know very well. It's in a song that I enjoy and it was played on my wedding day. Do you know the name of that song dear?"

"Yes I do Mrs. Falder. It's called Why Wait, by a band named Rascal Flatts." The girls' blonde hair was in a pony and she was playing with her pink designed long sleeved shirt. She kept looking down and Mrs. Falder saw that the girl was upset. The girl looked up and her eyes were watery and tears were strolling down her face.

"Carter, c'mon why don't you come with me honey? I have something to show you." Mrs. Falder smiled to her as she readjusted her blue headband in her brown curly hair. She got up from her desk and brushed her blue top off and slightly pulled up her light brown pants. Her tan skin seemed quite soft toned when she was in the light right. Carter took Mrs. Falder's hand and held it as they walked to the music room down the hallway. Mrs. Falder took out her keys and unlocked the door. Mr. Delgo, the music teacher, left early since he wasn't feeling well. Mrs. Falder sat down on a stool close by the black piano, picked up a guitar and started to play a tune that she knew all her students knew. The song was called, Lullaby, by the band called Chase Coy. Carter tapped her foot and started to sing quietly. Mrs. Falder sang along with her and they sang this beautiful duet. Once they were done they heard clapping. Mrs. Falder quickly turned around to see her husband, Mr. Falder, standing at the door smiling.

"Hey sweetie, that was a great duet." He said as he walked over to his wife. "And who's this little lady?" He smiled at Carter. She smiled back but didn't say anything. She put her hands together behind her and twisted right and left innocently and shyly. Mr. Falder nodded and pushed his sandy hair out of his light blue eyes. He rolled up his sleeves and patted his red vest. His mid-blue colored jeans were fit to his waist and his tennis shoes were clean. He put his hands on the shoulders on his wife and massaged them gently. She sighed and smiled. Carter walked up to the piano and took Mrs. Falder's hand.

"Mrs. Falder, do you think you could take me home? My mom is at work and dad's at my uncles house. They don't care if I'm home alone. I'm home alone all the time so I'm used to it. I take great care of myself." She tried to put on a fake smile as she talked. Mr. and Mrs. Falder saw right through it. Mrs. Falder embraced Carter into a loving hug and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Sweetheart, why don't we just take you home with us and we can drop you off at your house when someone's home okay?" Mrs. Falder said sweetly. Carter nodded slightly in her shoulder and cried quietly. Mr. Falder put his hand on Carters shoulder and rubbed it gently. "C'mon Carter let's go get your things for homework and we can head out okay?" Carter nodded and smiled slightly. Mr. Falder poked her in the nose playfully and took her left hand. Mrs. Falder took her right and walked out of the music room. She locked it up and walked back to her classroom with Carters hand still in hers. She looked down at Carter and saw her smiling more then usual. "Carter is there any specific reason why you're smiling so much now?" Mrs. Falder asked.

Carter froze and put her frown back on. Then she thought about why she was in a better mood. She smiled again, looked up at Mr. and Mrs. Falder and started walking again. "Well I have a feeling I'm smiling more because I'm with you Mrs. Falder. And your husband Mr. Falder, is better then my father. I feel wanted when I'm with the both of you Mrs. Falder." The Falder's just looked at Carter. She went pretty deep for a seven year old.

"Well I'm glad that you feel wanted when you're with us honey, but is there a reason why you don't feel wanted at home?" Mr. Falder asked gently. They were now in Mrs. Falder's classroom. Carter was by her desk getting her things so she could leave with the Falder's. She turned to Mr. Falder and had a frown on her face again.

"Well…I don't really like talking about it. But I don't even know why I don't feel wanted at home. I really don't understand why my parents aren't really home that much." Carter said shyly. Mr. Falder walked over to her, put his hand on her soft blonde hair and patted it.

"C'mon. Let's go get some ice cream on the way home." He told Carter. Mr. Falder put his hands under Carters arms and lifted her up so she could reach the ceiling. Carter put her arms up and touched the ceiling with her fingers. She laughed and when Mr. Falder put Carter to his face, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Mr. Falder smiled and put her back on the ground.

"Ready to go you two?" his wife asked. They both nodded and headed out the classroom door. Carter grabbed her backpack before she left the room and slung it over her right shoulder. She ran to Mrs. Falder and took her hand. Mrs. Falder smiled and held it gently. Mr. Falder held his hand out for Carter to take and she took it gently. Carter swung their hands back and forth and suddenly she was off the ground for a few seconds. Mr. and Mrs. Falder were acting like Carter was one of their own. Alyxandrea, being only five, loved getting swung by her parents. Her older brother, Clyde, seemed too cool for family things and he's only nine. He loves skateboarding and has his ear pierced. A little young yes, but he did it without his parents knowing about it.

Carter and Mr. and Mrs. Falder got to the SUV that was in the grade school parking lot. Mr. Falder opened the door for Carter and she hopped in. Mrs. Falder got in on the drivers side and started the car. Mr. Falder got in quickly on the passenger side and buckled up. Mrs. Falder backed up and headed home.

They got home in about twenty minutes. Mrs. Falder parked in the driveway and turned off the car. She got out and her daughter, Alyx, came running out of the house, with Clyde right behind her. Clyde had a foam bat in his hand and was about to hit Alyx when Mr. Falder stepped in front of Clyde. "Clyde! BAT NOW!" he said in a deep angry voice. Clyde hung his head and slowly handed his father the bat. Carter was still sitting in the SUV eating her small dish of vanilla ice cream. "Carter, you can come out of the car sweetie. Nobody's going to hurt you I promise." Mr. Falder said setting the bat down on the side of the house. Their house was white and two floors. It seemed pretty small on the outside, but it was pretty big on the inside. Their lawn was beautifully cut with a nicely trimmed oak tree right next to the house so it kept it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Carter got out of the car slowly and walked over to the tree.

"May I climb the tree?" she asked quietly. Mrs. Falder smiled and nodded. "Okay thank you." She climbed the tree in the matter of seconds and sat up in the tree for a while thinking as she finished her dish of ice cream. She was sitting on a branch when Alyx went to the bottom of the tree and said that she had to come down and eat her snack. "Okay Alyx, I will be down in a second." Alyx nodded and turned to go to the front door. Carter climbed down and skipped to the house.

"Well some ones in a much better mood." Mr. Falder said as he poked Carters nose playfully. He took the dish from her and put it in the trashcan under the sink. Carter blushed and sat down next to Alyx. The snack was crackers and cheese. Carter's favorite.

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Falder." Carter said cheerfully. Mrs. Falder just smiled and worked on making dinner. Carter ate her snack quietly and slowly. Alyx tapped her on the shoulder and handed her a plastic cup of juice that her father gave her.

"Here you go Carter. I hope you like apple juice." Alyx smiled and Carter slowly took it. She smiled slightly and took a sip of the apple juice. "Carter, do you like to play dress up?" Alyx asked sweetly. Carter's eyes got wide and nodded excitedly. "Really! Do you wanna play dress up with me?"

"Alyx, why would she want to play dress up with you? Do you really thing she wants to be bugged by a five year old?" Clyde said freshly. Alyx looked up at Carter worriedly. Carter looked at Clyde and gave him an angry face.

"Clyde, be nice, otherwise you wont be sleeping over at Sean's house tomorrow night." Mr. Falder said.

"But dad! It's true!" Clyde argued.

"CLYDE! Do you think that's really true?" Mr. Falder said angrily.

"No…okay I'll stop." Clyde said quickly. He knew when his father got mad, he got mad. Mr. Falder nodded and smirked.

"Good, now go do you homework."

"Okay." Clyde went upstairs to his room and worked on homework till dinner.

"Alyx honey, do you have homework?" her mother asked as she poured the noodles into the boiling pot of water. Alyx nodded and went to go get her pink Hello Kitty book-bag. One of their large Huskies was lying right next to it. Alyx pet her and skipped back to the table. "Good girl. Carter do you need any help with your homework?" Carter nodded and smiled. "Okay. Hey honey! Can you come in here and watch dinner?"

"Yes!" Mr. Falder yelled from the living room. He was cleaning up all the toys left on the floor. He just about stepped on his sons skateboard, but luckily he didn't. "Clyde! Go put your board in the garage NOW!"

"FINE!" Clyde yelled down from his room.

Another large Husky came running down the steps and sat down by the skateboard. "Chance did Clyde send you down here to put his skateboard away?" the dog barked and wagged his tail. "Clyde I said you not Chance!"

"Okay! I'm coming!" Clyde shouted. Mr. Falder looked at Chance who was now lying next to Melody. He cuddled with her and licked her on the snout. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Chance! Melody! C'mon let's go outside." They both shot up and ran to the back door. Mrs. Falder quickly let them out and went back to helping Carter with her homework. Mr. Falder went over to the stove and watched the noodles.

"Mommy. I'm done with my homework. Can Carter play dress up with me now?" Alyx asked as she put her book back into her book-bag.

"Sweetie, Carter has only a few more questions and then she can play with you okay?" Mrs. Falder said. Alyx nodded and smiled. She skipped off into the living room and went to go get something small to play with while she waited.

A few minutes later Carter was finished with her homework and dinner was just about ready. Carter walked into the living room and sat next to Alyx on the couch. "What are you playing Alyx?' Carter asked. Alyx looked up, smiled and handed the game to Carter.

"You try." Alyx said sweetly. Carter looked at her slightly confused, but took the game anyways. Alyx got up and went to go let the dogs in from outside. "Chance! Melody! C'mere guys!" Alyx shouted to the Husky's. They barked and ran to her. "Good boy Chance. Good girl Melody." She pet them and went back into the living room. The dogs followed her and jumped up on the couch and cuddled together once again.

"Hey! I got it!" Carter said happily. Alyx smiled at her and looked at where she was.

"Kids! DINNER!" Mr. Falder shouted. Alyx jumped up and ran to her seat. Carter walked into the kitchen and sat in a seat. Clyde came down and sat next Carter. Then came the food. Noodles, meat, bread and vegetables. Carter's eyes just blew up and her stomach growled loudly. Everyone laughed and took food. "Carter, what would you like to eat?"
"Ummm…meat and bread please." Carter said quietly and politely. She handed Mrs. Falder her plate and when she got it back she dug into it pretty quickly.

"Someone's hungry." Mr. Falder laughed. Carter looked at everyone and then looked down at her food. She swallowed the food that she had in her mouth and slowed down a little.
Clyde just stared at Carter and laughed hysterically. Mr. Falder hit him gently and gave his son an angry look. Clyde stopped laughing and went on eating his dinner. Carter looked at Mr. Falder and smiled slightly thanking him for that. He smiled back and finished eating his food.

Dinner was finished around five thirty and the telephone rang moments after dinner. Mrs. Falder answered it and a woman was screaming into the phone wondering where her daughter was. "Mrs. Stipp, it's okay. I have your daughter and she's perfectly fine here." Carter froze in her chair at the table. She turned pale as a ghost and turned slowly to Mrs. Falder. "Okay I will give her the phone. Here she is." she handed Carter the phone. Carter put it up to her ear and quietly said hello. The woman was calmer now that she was talking to her daughter.

"Mommy, I'm fine. Mrs. Falder offered me to stay over at her house till someone got home. She didn't want me to stay home alone." Carter told her mother. "Okay I'll be home soon. I love you too." Carter sounded like she was in pain when she said 'I love you' to her mother. She got up and handed the phone to Mrs. Falder. "Can you please take me home?" Mr. Falder put his large tan hand on her shoulder and smiled.