"Are you being serious?" The boy asked as a smile paved his lips apart.
"A hundred percent." He smiled at him. Karl Stine nodded in agreement. There was no happiness that could match that on his face. From the dirty alleys to a dinner table like before. He wanted this, and now that the universe had given him something better than what he was expecting… he wasn't going to deny this opportunity. He ran over to the man and embraced him in a hug. A long tight hug.
"I'll never thank you enough old man. Thank you very much."
"We just need to wait for some papers, but trust me… you're walking out of here in fresh clothes and into a home… not in orange overalls to a juvy."
"My whole life… it's been full of bad things happening all around me, and people have blamed me for them…"
"Don't dig your mind into those memories, Karl. We are going to make new ones."
Karl smiled, under the old man's embrace.
"Tell me son… what's your name?"
"Karl Stine."
"I'm going to adopt you. You know that right?" Karl nodded. "And I'm taking you as my son… you know that too, don't you?" Another accompanying nod followed. "I'm going to give you a new life. As I am going to give you a new identity."
"Identity?" Karl asked confused as he pulled away from the man's embrace. He arched his head so that he could see him. They both sat down again: Karl on his chair and the old man on the table.
"My name is Harper. You can call me Mr. Harper." He said. "If you're going to be my son then I'll have to call you Harper. Karl Harper. What do you think of it?"
"I dunno… it doesn't have a nice ring to it."
"Is it my name or?"
"No." The boy shook his head. "The problem isn't your name. It's mine. I want it gone, and all the horrible memories it has."
"Okay, so you want to change your first name too?"
"Yeah. Is it okay? Can you do that?"
"Anything for you son." He answered. "But I want you to pick a name that'll remind you of where you've come from and where you want to be… ten, twenty years from now. Whenever people will call you that name, it'll always remind you that you are from a place that you struggled to cope with and eventually came out victorious in the end. A name that ties your two lives together, in a poetic way."
"Like a chain-link?"
"Exactly. Like a chain-link. What's the last letter of your first name?" The man asked.
"L… why?"
"Trying out some names in my mind." He smiled. "Luis? No… that's too not you. Larry? Leon? Leon Harper? How's that?" Karl shook his head.
"Oh, oh… I got one." The boy muttered.
"Which one?"
"Lance. Lance Harper." He said.
"Lance Harper." Karl looked at the old man with keen eyes. His eyes wallowed in happiness and a broad smile drew itself across his face. He hugged him tightly, eyes closed. There and then, all the memories of his abusive parents and unforgiving foster parents were washed away from his mind into a dark abyss, hoping that he'd forget them as time went on. The smile couldn't find more room on his face. But it was always there.
Lance Harper. He thought one more time.
He liked the sound of that.
TWO YEARS LATER, AGAIN.
Karl Stine, now formally and legally known Lance Harper, strolled his way out of the great mansion of the Harpers, dressed in the finest and expensive clothes, from the most world-spread designers. A Tommy Hilfiger grey hoodie and black skinny jeans, and Jordan on his feet. He had on a cologne, so rich in its alluring scent. Life had been great for him the past two years, especially when he was able to return back to school and started taking a keen eye on Science, or to be precise… Biology. He was the only remaining child of Mr. and Mrs. Harper and the two had taken a good role in raising him as their son. He respected and took good care of his older folks who aged by every passing minute rather than years, and in return, they loved him like he was their rarest gift. Straight from the heavens into their hearts.
He bid his old dad goodbye and got on his bike, parked in the other end of the large compound. O' Dea High was where he studied and lived in Renton City, a suburb of Seattle. The Harpers had been living in Washington for a long time, and when he was adopted two years ago, they came home with him. As a family. Seattle was the best place for him to be now after escaping such a tragic and horrific childhood. The people were friendly more so his new buds- Mike Witwicky and Myles Slaughter. From the football pitch where they met, to the parties and events they went together. He had found himself in another brotherhood, and as everything stood as it was… his trio was his family too.
This Saturday morning however as he was strolling to school for some weekend classes about science and stuff, he decided to use a different route to his norm. The sun was warm and shining bright in the blue sky, and the traffic was all but favorable. A stroll in the sun wouldn't hurt, he thought. Taking a turn on one of the avenues he almost bumped into a non-vigilant pedestrian as he tried to get across a road. He had to hold both of the brakes of his bicycle and rubber ground against concrete as a screeching sound went all hailing. He removed his helmet in frustration and anger.
"Watch where you're going you…"
He stopped speaking when his eyes landed on her face. Her eyes were dark as they were two years ago, her brows thick and sleek and her hair flowing down her chest in lovely curls and twirls. He gasped air to the shock and cursed himself internally. His heart throbbed against his chest menacingly.
"Oh… I'm sorry," The girl apologized as she scoured the stranger's face. "Oh my god!" She gasped. "It's you!"
"Yeah…" He mumbled. "It's me. Wow, I can't believe I bumped into you, Elena."
"You remember my name?" The girl asked as she looked at his shocked face.
"Yeah… I can never forget you. It's been a long time and yet here we are… drawn back to each other. Lucky coincidence isn't it?"
"Yeah, I guess." She giggled. "You look good. What happened?"
"It's really a long story."
"I'm willing to ditch dancing classes today… um… what was your name again? I'm sorry you never told me."
"Oh. My name is Lance. Lance Harper." He told her as he brought his hand forth for a handshake.
"Right... I'm Elena Stenfield." She shook his hand.
"It's nice to meet you again, Elena."
"You too Lance. Come on… let's go grab something to eat or drink… it's really just a surprise to have met you again. I have a lot to tell. I'm sure you have too."
"Um… okay. If you insist." Lance muttered. "So where do we go?"
"Come on… I'll show you."
Lance got down on his bike and they walked to a restaurant by the end of the street. They ordered coffee as they'd thought and they talked, for a long time.
The girl, Elena, told him of how Washington had been great since she first arrived. She told him of the few friends she had made, being an introvert and her parents being so strict on her. She told him of her little sister Caroline and how she had started knowing the art of walking. She praised her school- Nova High and for the great classes she had and how amazing the teachers were. Elena narrated how she wanted to be a chemical engineer in the future and a great job in the aviation industry. Possibly even work for NASA.
And he told her of the loving Mr. Harper who had adopted him and raised him as his son. He told her of what life had been, and the struggles he overcame to reach where he was at the current moment. He told her of his friends that he'd never heard about since the day he was captured by the police, two years ago. She later learned that he was working on a science invention that he hoped would be out sooner to the public. That it would help detect health problems in people and inform them at a much earlier date. They talked and talked, shared jokes, and laughed. Pure mirth you might say. Never in his conversation however did Lance Harper mention the Purcells.
Never.