The Ranking System (BoyxBoy)✔

⚜Chapter 4: The Orphanage

A/N: 14.06.2021

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Chapter 25 will be uploaded on Patreon tonight. For access to advanced chapters and quick updated, you can find the link is in my bio ~

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I dreamed I was in the orphanage again. The building was on the outskirts of the city, away from the public's eye. Even on a sunny day, the three-story building somehow managed to look dull and gray. The walls were old and the paint was worn off. Nothing was new and everything looked like it had been abandoned, and not just the children. I looked to my left and saw a small girl standing on a wobbly chair, pressing on the tip of her toes to peek through the cracked window. You could see the gate through that window, but it wasn't the gate that interested her. It was the visitors.

I was in the common room. The caretakers were rushing the children to get ready. For once, the room was filled with excitement. Everyone was in their best clothes and was polishing their appearance. The girls combed their hair or tied them in high pigtails while the boys tucked their shirts neatly into their pants. Today was the Big Day. It was like a walk to the fair, except instead of bidding off animals, they bid off orphans. Couples would come and look at us as if we were circus animals, waiting for us to do tricks and entertain us. Everyone was smiling, but you could see the eagerness and desperation in their eyes. 

I used to be one of them, trying my best to impress strangers in hopes to find a home and family. It took me a few years to realize that nobody wanted me.  

"Eric, your shirt should be tucked in your pants!" one of the caretakers snapped. She slipped the hem of my shirt into my pants and flattened my hair with the remaining gel she used on the previous boy. I pulled away from her and gave her the angriest look an eight-year-old could make. 

"You have to make yourself presentable. Don't you want to find a home?" she asked. 

"No one ever chooses me."

She kneeled in front of me to reach my eye level, putting her hand on my small shoulder. She smiled but looked at me with pity. 

"Maybe today will be the day, so behave yourself, okay?"

A kid started crying and she stood up, rushing to her aid. When she was gone, I pulled my shirt out of my pants and ruffled my hair, heading to the pantry for a juice box. We weren't allowed to go in there without getting permission first, but I figured if I couldn't have a home, then I could at least have a juice box.

I pulled a wooden stool against the door and climbed onto it, using the key I had stolen to unlock it. I took a juice box from one of the shelves and walked down the hallway until I heard a faint noise. Someone was crying. 

I followed the sobs, which led to a door. Carefully, I pressed my ear against the wooden surface. I jumped when someone banged against it. The doorknob twisted violently; someone was trapped inside. 

I quickly used the master key to unlock the door. As soon as the lock clicked, the door swung open, knocking me on my bum. I whipped my head back as someone dashed out. The boy didn't get very far and tripped on his feet. He crawled on all fours to a corner, hugging his knees close to his chest and bursting into more sobs. He was so small and frail; you'd think he was made only out of bones. 

I picked myself up and slowly approached him. 

"Hey," I said, but he was too busy crying to notice my presence.

I kicked the tip of his shoe to get his attention, and his face shot up in surprise. His bright, blue eyes caught me by surprise like an unexpected ray of light. I found myself staring into what looked like the ocean, even though I'd never been to the beach before. His dark hair fell over his forehead and his face was covered in tears and snot, but that didn't hide away his beauty. 

He looked frail and delicate, and looked so pretty it made me want to tuck my shirt back into my pants, which was weird. 

After an eternity, I finally spoke. "Why are you crying?"

He didn't answer. I stretched out my hand and he flinched, raising his hands to protect himself. 

"I'm not going to hurt you."

He didn't answer, his timid gaze falling to the floor. He was scared of me.

I looked down at my juice box and poked the hole with the straw, handing it to him. 

"Here, you can have this."

He didn't know what "this" was since he was so busy staring at my shoes, so I put the juice box in his hands before sitting down next to him. He didn't push me away this time. 

"Did someone lock you inside?" I asked.

He gave me a small nod. 

"Why?" 

He didn't want to tell me. I had a feeling that the other boys locked him inside so he wouldn't be able to attend the Big Day. Cute boys like him meant competition. He was a threat to them. 

"Who locked you inside?"  

He didn't answer. 

"What's your name?" I asked, watching him drink the juice box. 

No answer. 

I glanced at his name tag. We all had to wear one on the Big Day.  

Adam. 

His lips trembled against the straw and he started crying again. I made a face. He was weak. Too weak. He'd never survive in the orphanage. It was painfully obvious that he couldn't fend for himself. Places like this were about survival. If you couldn't stand up for yourself, you'd get eaten up by the others. 

Any moving target was a victim, and if you couldn't prove them otherwise, you'd end up even more miserable than you already were. People came in here looking for children, but little did they know, they were all monsters. 

"Stop being a baby," I sighed, roughly wiping away his tears with my sleeve. He made a face and pulled away.

"You're covered in snot," I tried to tell him, but when I tried to get closer, he kicked me in the ribs. I yelped in pain, and he crawled away. 

Glaring at him, I spat, "Fine, you want to be alone? Then stay alone. I'm leaving."

But when I stood up, he caught the hem of my shirt. 

"Eric."

My head spun around in surprise. How did he know my name? I wasn't even wearing a name tag.

"Don't go," he stuttered. 

He tugged on my shirt, so I sat back down. When he rested his head on my shoulder, I felt my anger melt away. A long silence hung in the air between us and I could hear his gentle breaths and feel his chest rise and fall. 

"How old are you?" I asked.

I thought he wouldn't answer.

"Seven."

Adam was only a year younger than me.  

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A/N: Hey, loves~! Please don't forget to leave a vote if you enjoyed the chapter. It would mean a lot 🥰

We have a small piece of info about Axis's past 👀

P.S: have you guys ever been through a heartbreak? Any tips on getting over someone you had feelings for?

Asking for a friend 💀

See you guys in the next update. Bye xx

-Hidee