The Wanted Missing

6

Less and less kids had started to leave the orphanage, but more were coming, and the orphanage was losing space and money quickly. Emrie overheard Marinette and Lunette talking about sending the kids to other orphanages in the state. Emrie couldn't handle it. She thought she might get sent away without Marsh, or vice versa.

'Lunette please, don't send either of us away!' She continued thinking.

Marsh walked out of his room, seeing Emrie pacing back and forth in her room. He walked in, shutting the door behind him.

"Emrie?" He said, stopping her in her place and grabbing her hand. "What's up?"

"Marsh, they're going to start sending kids to other orphanages!" She blurted. She looked so worried, and he could tell what it might be about. He pushed her down gently so she sat on her bed, and got up and sat behind her, pulling her close.

"Hey, we're not going to get separated." He whispered to her, placing his chin on her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist. It helped a little, but she pushed him off, getting under her bed and pulling a small box. In the box, there was a ring. She sat on the floor against the bed and opening the box. She held the ring between her fingers, and rubbed it with her thumb.

Marsh crawled forward, so he was lying over the edge, looking over her shoulder. "What's that?" He questioned.

"My mom's ring." She confessed, showing him the sapphire diamond embedded into a holster on the ring.

"Huh." Marsh said curiously. "The only thing I have from my parents is their small house on the coast that I can have when I come of age." He shrugged, like it was nothing.

Emrie rolled her eyes. "Marsh, that's way more than I'll even have from my parents. This is all I have."

Marsh lowered himself to the floor to sit next to Emrie. He stroked her cheek softly. "That's alright though. You don't have to worry about being given a house you don't even want."

Emrie stared the homework assignment in her lap, chewing the eraser from her pencil.

"Marsh?" She got up from her bed and walked across the hall into his room.

"Marsh?"

He looked up to her. "Any good at physics?" Marsh questioned. Emrie swore under her breath and groaned.

"I was going to ask youuuuu!" She laid down on the ground and lightly smacked her head on the ground. At that moment, Alex walked by.

"Physics?" He asked.

"Yersh ... How'd you know?" She whined, shoving her face in the carpet. Marsh shook his head, a small smile on his face as he watched her.

"Doesn't matter. I can help you though." Alex admitted. Emrie sat up.

"You can!?" Alex nodded. Emrie looked to Marsh and got up.

"C'mon Marsh." She said.

Alex glared at Marsh, making sure he saw. And he did, Marsh stuck his tongue out at Alex.

The three walked into the small library, and began to study. A few hours later, they were done.

"Thanks!" Emrie cheered, walking out with Marsh right behind her. Before he could go, Alex grabbed Marsh's shoulder. "See me after dinner on the roof." He said, glaring. Marsh nodded, and took off to Emrie.

Dinner was over, and everyone started off to bed. Except for Marsh and Alex. Alex took off toward the kitchen, where there was a small elevator. Marsh followed right behind.

When Marsh got up to the roof, Alex was sitting on a bench next to the gardens. Although Marsh was right behind Alex, Alex managed to get into the elevator and get the door shut before Marsh could get on.

Alex was facing the sunset. Het pat the empty spot next to him, signaling for Marsh to sit down.

Alex grabbed Marsh's face, making him look directly at him.

"Hurt her, Marsh, you're dead meat. I'll replace the jelly with your blood."

Marsh's eyes were panicked, and disgusted.

"Do you understand?"

Marsh nodded. Alex let go of Marsh's face.

"Last name." Alex demanded.

"O'Harren."

"Hm..." Alex hummed, "Emrie O'Harren." Then he shrugged and left, leaving Marsh to think about what he'd just said.

After a few minutes, it hit Marsh.

"Oh, wait, what?" He said to himself, "Emrie Lucas has to become Emrie... OH."

Marsh got up and went to the elevator, stopping on the second floor of four floors, where his and Emrie's rooms were.

He walked down the hall, and heard faint sobs. He was curious. Instead of looking for the source, he went to his room and found Emrie lying on his bed, her legs hanging over the edge, and tears streaming down her face.

"Hey, what's wrong Em?" Marsh asked, tapping his fingers on the doorframe. Emrie sat up and sighed. He came and sat down beside her, wrapping her with his jacket and hugging her. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?"

"Sorry... It's nothing." She whimpered. Marsh could tell she'd lied.

"Tell me." He insisted.

"I'm just tired." She whispered faintly.

Marsh pushed off of her, running his hands up her arms onto her shoulders and rubbed them gently.

"Don't lie to me Emrie. What's wrong?"

Emrie chuckled sadly. "It's stupid though..."

Marsh stared into her sage green eyes until she broke down into tears again, and pressed her forehead into his chest. He rubbed her back and listened to her speak in between sobs.

"I thought you'd left. Taken off without me. I've wanted to go for years and I thought you somehow managed to run off... and I wondered why you'd leave with out me." He looked at the top of her head, and brushed his hand on her cheek, stopping and holding her face, lifting her head to look at her. He caressed her cheek with his thumb. She pressed her head closer to his hand.

"Emrie..." He laughed, "First of all: I wouldn't do that and second: you must be really tired."

Emrie held Marsh's forearm, telling herself that he hadn't left, and he was right there in front of her. She scoffed, then sighed.

"Promise?" She asked.

He nodded.