In the life of Van, a six-teen year old orphan boy born and raised in a small town called Tuk. As his summer ended and he got ready for a new school year, he went to bed. Waking up at 6:30 in the morning, putting on his jeans and black leather jacket, he went to school. As he arrived at Pasco High, starting his sophomore year, thinking all of the bullying from last year would have stop, he was greeted by a group of jocks. It wasn’t an ordinary meet and greet but a haze for a first day of a new school year. As they circled around Van, they started pushing him around while hysterically laughing and calling him names. While everyone stopped what they were doing, one of the jocks said, opening his hand,
“Aye dweeb, give me your lunch money.”
“I’m not giving you s***!” Van replied pushing his way out of the circle. “Now leave me alone.” walking away with his back toward the jocks. One of them jolted and kicked him in the back of the knee. Van fell to the ground in agony. The jocks lifted him off the ground and carried him to the back of the school where they threw him into the dumpster. The bell rang and everyone scattered to get to class. Van walked into first period 15 minutes late smelling like pure garbage. The teacher stopped what he was doing, looked at Van, and asked.
“What’s your name sir?”
“My name is Van, Van Quench.”
“Alright Mr. Quench take a seat and follow along.” As he walked to the back of the class and sat down like nothing happen, a girl said.
“What’s that awful smell?” The class started to laugh. Van tried to hide his face under his hand.
“Quiet down class and finish the problems on the board.” The teacher said standing up. He started walking around the class trying to find the smell. He walked passed Van and was about to whisper something into his ear, but the bell rang and Van ran out of class. As he went on with his day with an awful smell attached to him, the school day finally ended. Van arrived at home but no one was there, so he walked to the kitchen only to see a note on the refrigerator. He ripped the note off the refrigerator and read.
“Van, make sure you get something to eat. I will be home late tonight. Love, Mary.” Van opened the refrigerator and saw a container with the leftovers from last night. He grabbed a fork and went to his bedroom. As he walked up the stairs and opened the door to his room, he laid on his bed. Van turned on his TV and started to eat. As his day went on, his eyes started to get heavy and he fell asleep thinking about who his real parents could be, he started to dream. Dreaming that his parents could be low life bums, and only going to be living off him, when they finally met. He woke up in the middle of the night and went downstairs to grab a glass of water. He had a lot on his mind that he could not go back to sleep so he went on the computer. As he was on the computer doing his research on his parents, Mary looked downstairs and asked, “Is anyone down there?”
Van replied, “Yeah Mary it’s just me, I’m just getting a drink of water.”
“Alright just be sure to go back to bed, you have school in the morning.”
“I know.” Van responded sluggishly. Van continued to do his research, while Mary went back to bed. After Van’s dream, he felt very curious about his parents and continued his research on his parents, but he could not find anything. Van realizes that he can only find his parent through his foster home. Therefore, Van went back upstairs with a nice, cool glass of ice water and went back to bed. Dreaming, dreaming of how he could see his parents for just once in his life.

The next morning, van went downstairs to eat breakfast that Mary prepared for him. While he was eating, he asked Mary, “Mary, what foster home did I come from?”
“Why?” Mary responded.
“I don’t know I just kinda want to see where I was living before you came.”
“Inglewood Day Care, why all of a sudden the curiosity?”
“Oh no reason, just wondering”
“Alright then well I’m going to work now so don’t be late for your bus.”
“I know” Van said sighing. Van walk out the door to catch his bus, but actually was on his way to Inglewood to find out who is parents really were. He walked to the bus stop, catching the 6:30 metro downtown. As he got off at 6:50, he walk to Inglewood and stood in front in amazement and said, “I’m finally about to meet my real parents, I wonder what they look like.” As he walked through the door he was met by a woman named Susie. “Can I help you?” Susie asked
“My name is Van and I’m looking for my real parents.”
“Hmmm Van…” she said hesitantly “oh ok I remember now, come with me.” As they walked to Susie’s office, she started to describe his parents. “Your parents were no ordinary parents; they were business professional, and very secretive. They didn’t say much other than, they couldn’t take care of you and they just left, didn’t say anymore.”
“What? I don’t understand why would they do that?”
“That’s a great question, but I wouldn’t know. Sorry”
“No worries, it’s not your fault.” Van said.
“Ok I know I have the files somewhere… ah here they are. Ok here you go,” she said as she handed him the file. “Take this; this is all you need to know about your parents.”
“Ok thank you very much, I really appreciate this.”
“Yeah no problem, I really hope you just find your parents.”
“Me too” he said sadly. As he walked out the door, he started to open the file. Not knowing what he will find whether they are bums or rich billionaires. He looked at a piece of paper and only saw two names, John and Nancy Riddle. He said in his head is this it? He then walked to the library downtown and started to look up his parents. As he was looking, he came across a website about his parents and all their accomplishments. He read that they saved the president and that they have medals of Honor in their name. He kept seeing that the government honored them and started to put the pieces together.
He said shouting “No way! My parents are FBI agents?!?” he then found out where they lived, “Washington D.C.” Van said to himself.
“I know what I have to do.” Van then went to his house and opened his stash of money that he has been saving since he was a young boy and started to pack.

Van caught the next flight to Washington D.C. and said, “Looks like I’m going to the White House!” he said excitingly. He took the 4:15 flight to D.C. and arrived the next morning. Almost 9A.M and he began his adventure. He walked outside the airport and waved his hand, a taxi pulled up. Van got in and before he could say a word the driver said “Where to kid-O?”
“The White House please” he replied nervously. The driver stepped on the gas heavily, trying to get out of traffic. While horns were honking and people screaming out of their windows, Van was amazed at the scenery he saw. The nice cut green open yards made him feel like a dog in heaven. “Wow!” he said out loud.
“What’s the matter kid never seen a house?” The driver said confused.
“Not one like this” Van replied.
“Well here’s your stop, the White House” The driver said putting the car into a park.
“Thank you, how much?” Van said pulling out his wallet.
“I can tell your new here, so don’t worry about it. It’s on me” The driver replied with a smile.
“Thanks a lot sir!” Van said getting out the car.
He walked toward the white house, closer to an entrance. As he pasted a gentleman dressed in a black and white tux, with a name tag on his right side of his chest that said John. Van looked up to him curiously and said “Is your name John Riddle by any chance?”
“Maybe. Who wants to know?” John said with a mysterious voice.
“My name is Van Quench. I’m searching for my real parents.”
“Come with me it’s not safe to talk about this here.” John said pulling Van by the arm into an empty hall. “What are you doing here? Your mother and I left you in the orphanage for a reason. You shouldn’t be here you’re in danger.” Before Van could even say a word John drag him by the arm once again. They arrived in the parking lot in front of a white SUV. “Stop standing there and get in” John said starting the engine and driving off.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to ask me anything before you just drag me into our car like this? You know like how old I am? Why I even came to see you” Van said furious. As John tried to say a word, gun shots traveled from behind, Van dunk his head screaming “What the he**!”
“Shoot back!!” John said passing Van a gun.
“I…I don’t know what to do” Van said scared to death. John grab he gun and without looking pointed the gun from where the bullets and started shooting back, John lost the cars. Speeding to get to his house, John drove through 3 red light and 2 stop sign like nothing was there telling him to stop. Before Van knew they were in front of a house racing to get inside.
“Honey, is that you?” A voice said coming from the living room.
“Nancy get your stuff ready and lets go” John said looking for more guns around the house.
“WAIT, hold on! What’s going on? Who were shooting at us?” Van said shacking and scared.
“Who’s this John?” Nancy replied confused.
“He’s our son. Now get packing, you know what will happen if he stays here any longer.” John said throwing what he can carry into his bag.
“Oh my, is it really? Come here Van” Nancy said opening her arms up to him.
As Van was walking closer to Nancy, getting ready to give her a hug John raised his voice said. “Am I the only one here who cares about our son’s safety?”
“Oh, yes right away” Nancy replied.
After an hour, as they were all packed and ready to go, Van thought to himself, shouldn’t we have gotten out of here a while ago? Nancy looked at Van with a tear coming down her face and said “Are you really our boy?” opening her arms once again. While John was looking outside only to see a group of gangsters surrounding the house, he walked toward Nancy and Van hugging. John wrapped his arms around them having a family moment Van always dreamed of.