Anastasia

Chapter II

If I thought I felt like I was in a zoo then, now it REALLY felt like I was in a zoo. I was forced to sit at the dining table. All eyes were on me. 

Taylor had begged her parents to accept me into their lives, and to actually live with them. Taylor had also mentioned something about how her parents were already thinking about adopting a child, and she thought that I would be perfect. 

Taylor's parents were discussing in a hushed whisper in the living room. The only words that I could pick out were "Adopt", "even know her", "About paperwork?", and "If she's stable!".

Percy and his little brother started to whisper to each other. Taylor sat in the seat in front of me, staring at me in a gentle way. The toddler was sitting in Percy's arms, looking at me as well, laughing and smiling in a goofy way.

"So, Ana, if you were given the choice to live here, you would right?" Taylor had asked me, her eyes still staring at my face. 

I turned my head around, and then back at her. Who was she talking to?

I pointed to myself and asked, "Are you taking to me?" Taylor giggled. "Of course, silly. Your name is Ana, right? You had said it right before my mom came in."

"No, no. She had cut me off. My name isn't Ana. It's Anastasia," I said.

It had given me relief to say my name. I beamed at her. Anastasia. 'She who will rise up again', my mother had said to me one day when I was 5. She had looked down at me, her eyes, I can not remember, though believed to be a beautiful blue. Her hair, what I can merely think, was a soft blond. Her hand, what I want to accept, was soft and pale as she gripped both of my hands. "I named you Anastasia, because no matter what, you will rise up again', I could hear her words, which was a poorly done paraphrase. But no matter, she was a beautiful women with a big heart, who loved me. I can only assume.

Percy and the little boy looked at me with grins. "Sounds like that one Disney movie!" The little boy had shouted, then laughed out loud. Percy had stepped on the little boy's foot, although I could tell he was trying not to snicker at his brother's poorly done joke. 

Although I did not know what Disney was, nor did I care what it was, I did not laugh. I stared at them right in the eye. Percy had soft chocolate brown eyes. The little boy had light green eyes. Both of their eyes told me that they were confused and scared, despite their laughter. After staring at them and still being silent, their chuckles had died out. Soon the only thing I could hear was Taylor's voice, "I like that name. It sounds very pretty."

I looked to her and nodded and forced a smile that probably looked unconvincing. 

Through think silence, I could hear taylor's parents walking in. They looked at me with blank expressions. They took a seat on the far ends of the table and gestured to Percy and the little boy to sit down. Percy sat the toddler in her high chair, and then took a seat in between Taylor and the little boy.

"Taylor, Percy, Aleksander, Abigail... " The mother had said, her eyes looking bloodshot. "We have announced that we were going to adopt another child. This child here," she gestured to me, "seems like the child that we are looking forward to."

Taylor's expression got big with glee. Looking into her mother's eyes though, I could tell that she was not finished. 

"Although," The father had stepped in the conversation, "there are two main problems. Reason one, paperwork. Once you adopt, your supposed to fill, out much paperwork. Although we can't fill it out if she doesn't even have an owner."

"Of course she doesn't!" Taylor exclaimed. That sentenced had made me flinch, although I didn't say anything and nobody seemed to have noticed. "Tay, even orphans have owners. Orphan's owners would be the one in charge of the orphanage. Although, this young lady has been living on a bench, and her only owner is herself. So if we were to take her off the street without filling out paperwork or at least announcing that we were going to take her in for adoption, it could be considered kidnapping, and  Mom and I would be put in jail, and Violet would have to take you guys in."

I felt the need to jump in the conversation, I mean it was about me. "Don't worry about that. For some reason, nobody can see me. Nobody pays attentoin to me. One time I was sitting on the bench and someone almost sat on me because he couldn't see me. If I hadn't moved I would of been squashed. And even when I said to him 'exscuse me', he didn't seem to hear me. I'm almost like a ghost to other people besides this family."

It was very true. It had started about a week ago. The day that I had walked into the library. March 25th, pretty sure. I was about to ask the lady at the desk if I could get a book, even though I had no money. On that day, it was the nice lady, not the mean lady who had yelled at me to get out of the library. I started to tell the lady my plight, and then I asked her the question. Once I was done, she continued to stamp dusty books. A man then walked up and had check out a book, and that lady had checked his book out. I had just thought that she didn't hear me, and I left the library. The next day I tried to do it again, but the same thing happened. 

The mother and father stared at me like I had another head, and I firmly nodded. "It' true. If you want, I can go try it out now and try to talk to people. I tell you, they can't hear a think that comes out of my mouth."

The mom had shook her head and said in a tone that told me she did not believe me, "No, no. It's okay, we believe you."

The father than held up two fingers and said, "And reason number 2 is, we aren't entirely sure that this girl wants to live with us. I mean, of course she wants a home, but she had just met us, and it might be a little too hard for her to abruptly switch into a new home in which she doesn't no anyone here."

I can speak for myself I almost said out loud. "I know Taylor." I said.

"Well yes, but-"

I didn't know why I had said what I said. But the next thing I knew, I was trying to get myself to live with this family.

"Actually, it'd be the best day of my life if I could live with these guys. Please! I need to get off of that bench! 5 long years I've lived on that melancholic bench of despair, nothing to do, nothing to say. I haven't talked to anyone for years! I haven't had a real conversation in my life! Please! I need someone, Taylor is my friend now, I can't leave her, she can't leave me! I'm going to die! I'M GONNA DIE!" 

Soon I was bawling. I put my forehead on the table and tears flooded my eyes and trespassed on my face. A felt a gentle rub on my hand. 

I could feel all eyes on me. 

Suddenly I heard it. The best words I've ever heard in my life. 

Taylor's voice, "Anastasia, welcome to the family."