If you were to rank the most popular female students at Midtown High,Gwen might not be the most popular, but she would definitely be number one.
In fact, there's a good chanceshe'd be number one by a landslide.
The silent majority of the school would likely vote for Gwen,including Hawke.
He still remembers how, when he first arrived, Gwen mistakenly thought he was being ostracized by his classmates because he was quiet and solitary, and tried to help him integrate.
But that was simply because Gwen was kind.
Hawke never took Gwen's apparent concern for his affairs for granted.
If it were any other student, the kind-hearted Gwen would have helped, too.
And what's the famous saying?
Oh right.
There are three major illusions in life.
Of these, "she likes me" undoubtedly takes first place by a landslide.
So...
Hawke naturally wouldn't harbor such an illusion.
Soon.
They arrived at the Queens County Courthouse.
Hawke gazed out at the courthouse, thanked Gwen again, and then pushed open the door and got out.
Then he heard footsteps behind him, turned to look at Gwen, who had also gotten out of the car and followed him, and his mind was once again filled with anxiety.
"?"
"How are you going to get back? Walk? It's a long way from the airport."
"The ground…"
"The drivers' union is on strike. Subway drivers are drivers too."
"…"
Hawke fell silent.
Gwen smiled faintly and took the lead toward the courthouse. "Let's go! It's almost three o'clock.
You don't want Judge Burrows to cancel your hearing, do you?"
Hawke looked at Gwen walking ahead of him, opened his mouth, thought for a moment, shook his head, and followed.
Family Courtroom 3.
Judge Burrows, seated on the podium, rapped his gavel.
"Next, Hawke's independent hearing."
"Your Honor,"
Hawke stood up from his seat and politely greeted the judge.
"Your Honor,"the Child and Family Welfare Department staff member assigned to Hawke also stood up.
Judge Burrows looked over the various documents Hawke had submitted for his emancipation application.
After a moment, he turned to the staff member from the Department of Children and Families.
"I see in the documents that he's never been adopted, nor has he had a foster family?" The staff member gave a wry smile.
"Yes, Your Honor."
"May I ask why?"
"Hawk is different from other children.
When he was little, he wasn't very talkative and didn't enjoy interacting with others.
Therefore, adoptive parents never considered him.
That's why Hawke has been in the adoption system for so many years and hasn't been adopted."
"Hawk,"
Judge Burrows nodded after hearing the staff member's answer.
Then he looked at Hawke, who didn't seem to be the type of solitary person.
"I see in the documents you submitted that you're applying for emancipation because you want to rent a place?"
Hawke nodded.
"Yes, Your Honor."
"May I ask how you're going to pay your rent once you become independent?"
"I have $30,000 in my bank account. If I just rent a cheap apartment, that's enough to cover my rent until I find a job." "
30,000?"
Judge Burrows listened to Hawke's answer, then found the bank statement Hawke submitted with his independence application.
Then, after reviewing several other documents, a flicker of disbelief crossed his face.
No phone call.
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No computer.
No car, not even a driver's license.
Judge Burrows was a little surprised.
It wasn't uncommon for orphans to apply for independence before the age of eighteen, but this was the first time Judge Burrows had seen someone like Hawke cut down on all non-essential expenses.
Not to mention, this was the first time Judge Burrows had seen an orphan who had never been adopted by an adoptive family or taken in by a foster family have such a huge sum of thirty thousand US dollars in his savings account.
Judge Burrows thought to himself, looking at Hawke with a somewhat puzzling tone.
"You have great self-control, Mr. Hawke."
"Thank you, Your Honor."
Hawke was moved by Judge Burrows's address to him.
Because Mr. is the title for an independent adult man.
As expected.
Judge Burrows smiled faintly and, with a click, stamped Hawke's application for emancipation. He handed it to the bailiff standing by, looking at Hawke and saying, "Generally, I wouldn't approve of early emancipation, as the adult world can be harsh. But you, Mr. Hawke, I believe you're ready. So, congratulations, Mr. Hawke."
Hawke took the documents from the bailiff, listened to Judge Burrows' words, and looked at him.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Judge Burrows nodded and smiled at Hawke, then banged the gavel again. "Next case..."
Hawke and Gwen left the courtroom with the stamped documents.
Outside the courthouse,Hawke smiled slightly at the court-stamped document in his hand.
With this court-endorsed document, he was legally emancipated early.
Even though he wasn't yet eighteen, he could sign a rental agreement with his landlord.
He could finally move out of the hangar, his temporary home, a powder keg that could explode at any moment.
This was great.
Hawke thought gloomily as he walked toward the subway station.
The next moment,he was stopped.
Hawke looked up at Gwen, who seemed speechless, and blinked, realizing what was happening.
Oh, right, the subway was also out of service.
"Sorry."
"Let's go..."
Gwen shook her head, then a thought struck her. She looked at Hawke and added, "...Mr. Hawke."
Hawke smiled at Gwen, then raised an eyebrow at Gwen as she walked toward a nearby parked car.
A traffic officer was standing in front of Gwen's yellow Corolla.
"One moment, Mr. Officer,"
Gwen said, watching the officer pull out a ticket. She quickly ran over, pulling a business card from her backpack and handing it over.
The officer looked at the card Gwen handed him, startled for a moment, then reached out to take it.
But it wasn't a business card, but a family card, a card circulated among families in the NYPD.
It had a single purpose:to prove you were one of them.
The traffic officer looked at the family card in his hand, wrote down the name and phone number of "19th Precinct: George Stacy", then looked at Gwen again, put away his ticket machine, and handed the family card back to Gwen.
"Let's go."
"Thank you,"
Gwen said hurriedly.
The traffic officer got back on his police motorcycle and sped away.
Gwen watched the traffic officer leave and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Looking at Hawke, his tone was somewhat relieved.
"That was a close call!"
"..."
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