sa pamamagitan ng the time, I reached Social Services noon had come. I walked inside the one-story, brick building. I looked around the large, blue-walled room the door had revealed. I didn’t see Lucy.
    A curvy, dark-toned woman come up to me. She had curly black hair, and brown eyes.
    “You must be, Damien,” sinabi the woman. I nodded.
    “And you are?” I knew she was a social worker, but that’s all.
    “I’m Stacey, Stacey Sterns,” she said.
    “You’re Lucy’s worker, right?”
    “Yes, I hate that little freak. She’s a demon child,” Stacey sinabi with a disgusted look on her face.
    “That’s not very fair to say,” I said. “Maybe she just doesn’t like you.”
    “Every person that has been with her- teachers or foster parents- has sinabi she was terrible,” Stacey shook her head.
    “No one knows how to handle her. Yesterday, when she was with me, I noticed Lucy only wants someone to listen to her,” I said.
    “She’s putting on an act. Just when you are least expecting it, she’ll turn on you,” sinabi the woman.
    “To each is own,” I said, and then turned as I felt arms go around my waist. I turned around, and looked down.
    “Lucy! I was wondering when you would get here,” I picked her up.
    “I brought my sketchbook,” she held a black covered book in her little hand.
    “Good, I’ll look before you leave,” I said. Lucy nodded, instead of saying ‘okay’.
    “Damien, Lucy, are you ready to get started?” Stacey asked. I turned back to her. Stacey walked to a black mesa with three chairs around it. Lucy and I sat side-by-side, Stacey opposite us. “So, what did you call this meeting for?”
    “I wanted to talk about influences, and people,” I said.
    “Alright,” sinabi Stacey. “Lucy, what influences you?”
    “Uh…” Lucy started.
    “No, no, no,” I said. “You’re doing it all wrong. That isn’t what I meant, either.”
    “Then what did you mean?” Stacey asked, agitated.
    “I meant, doesn’t Lucy deserve madami positive influence in her life?” I asked.
    “She has it, from Mr. and Mrs. Blevins,” Stacey said.
    “Positive to her, not positive to society,” I said.
    “What do you want around her? That street-rat? Yeah, that’s positive. A positive ticket to jail,” Stacey snapped. I wondered whom she was talking about.
    “Xander is not a street-rat, you ignorant woman!” Lucy exclaimed. Xander that was Lucy’s best friend.    
    “What do you call that boy, then?” Stacey sinabi intensely.
    “Homeless, because his mother is a selfish bitch!” Lucy explained, angered.
    “Do not use that language in here. Lower your voice,” Stacey commanded.
    “Lucy will do whatever the hell she wants. You are not her parental figure,” I said, becoming pissed at the woman across from me.
    “No one is, because this child is bad. No one wants her!” Stacey said.
    “I want to be her mentor,” I said. I could not adopt her, Grey would have a fit. I didn’t want to listen to her complain.
    “Why?” Stacey asked.
    “To teach her a person like you is what poisons the world,” I sinabi my voice strong.
    “Fine, you’ll see what I’m talking about. Maybe you’ll put some respect into her, and then it will rub off on you,” Stacey said.
    “Lucy, or I, aren’t the ones who need it,” I took Lucy sa pamamagitan ng the hand, and walked out of Social Services.