Stay open || Liam O'Donovan

Chapter one

██████████ 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. . .

┕━━☽【ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ】☾━━┙

⋘ 𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑡... ⋙

Malia stood next to Pearl, her new social worker. Pearl had long black curly hair that was slicked into a ponytail. With her hair out of her face, her features became a lot more clearer. The sun danced against her warm skin, before she placed her hand over her eyes, blocking out the sun.

Malia turned her head towards the ground realizing Pearl was about to start up a conversation. This was all new to her. She'd never been in a care home before.

"I know your scared, and that's perfectly okay." Pearl said softly, smiling sympathetically at the younger girl. When Pearl first met Malia, she saw a lot of herself in the girl, she felt protective over her.

"I'm not scared." Malia scoffed, looking up and glaring at the woman before her face softened. "Sorry." She apologized, immediately feeling bad. Pearl had been nothing but kind to her since they met, what right did she have to throw it back in her face.

Expecting to be yelled at, Malia held her breath and returned her gaze to the floor. Seconds passed, yet no yelling was heard. Looking back up, Pearl had a kind smile of her face, something that Malia didn't expect.

"Sometimes we take our feelings out on people. It's not right, and it's not nice, but it happens." Pearl said fixing the bag that hung from her shoulder. "You apologized, and I forgive you for it. You made a mistake, your human and it happens." She smiled before looking ahead at the brown door that had opened.

Malia looked over, seeing the tall man who's head was mostly bald. He had a kind smile on his face as he walked over to the two. "Pearl, it's so good to see you again!" The man said, his voice full of happiness that seemed to radiate off him. "How have you been?"

"I've been good, thank you." Pearl grinned. "And you?" She asked looking down at Malia for a second before returning her attention back to the man.

"Run off my feet." The man joked, chuckling as he spoke. He turned his head towards the younger girl, his smile never flattering. "And you must be Malia? It's lovely to finally meet you, My names Mike."

Malia nodded her head but said nothing. It was only now did she realize her whole life was about to change. The moment her foot stepped inside the house in front of her, her life would never be the same.

The thought of running away popped into her head for a split second, but what use would it do? She'd run away and get caught a day or so later then she'd be right back where she started.

No, she had to be brave. Something she had leaned at a young age was if she didn't do it, no one else would do it for her. And right now, if she wasn't going to be brave, no one else would be for her. 

"Well." Mike said rubbing his hands together. "Why don't we go inside? Pearl, you'll have to sign a few papers, so we better head into the office.

Nodding her head, Malia picked her bag off the floor before following Mike and Pearl into the house. They'd hardly gotten five feet Inside when they were stopped by a boy who was neatly dressed and holding a notebook.