Learning to Love

Chapter 1 - I Won't Leave You

"Tay, we have to be up and ready in ten minutes or Madame Harper will have our heads..." A scared, little voice drifted through my consciousness, waking me up from what little sleep I managed to get.

I opened my eyes to find a small blue-haired girl, wearing the Green Day t-shirt I bought for her one Christmas. Zoe, my self-proclaimed adopted sister, was kneeling beside my bed with a terrified look in her eyes, probably thinking about what could happen if the witch found out I wasn't ready as she demanded.

"Chill Zo, you know all I need to do is throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and I'm ready," I said, sitting up and heading to our shared wardrobe with one door hanging on by one hinge. It's safe to say we didn't live with a lot of comforts in this world.

"I wish I could look as pretty as you with no effort, you always look stunning," she said glumly, looking at the floor.

"Nonsense, you're beautiful Zo, you just need the confidence to flaunt it."

"Really?" She looked up from the floor with a faint look of hope in her eyes.

"Yup, you're the stunning one and anyone who disagrees can answer to me."

Zoe was a shy 13 year old girl with severe social anxiety and a past of severe bullying too. That was before I came along two years ago. Being four years older than her, I immediately assumed the protector role and made sure the bullies at our orphanage and school didn't mess with her. After I dealt with those people she clung to me like a spider monkey, but I didn't mind, we had a lot in common and it was nice having a little sister of sorts.

There, done!" I exclaimed a minute or so after she woke me up. I had thrown on my black skinny jeans and an old Alice Cooper vest top that I had gotten a few years ago after sneaking out to see him live.

Zoe sighed with relief, I could see the tension drain from her body.

"You should be getting help for that anxiety of yours missy..." I said, lightly scolding her for letting it go on this long.

"I know but if I get help then the other kids will find out a they'll all laugh at me..." She said, head dropping again.

"Zo, if they laugh at you for working towards a healthy and happier mind then they aren't even worth your thought. They're a waste of oxygen. You should be getting help to get better and make your life a little easier," I gave her the usual speech about the importance of her mental health but as per usual she brushed it off with the usual comment.

"Well you're hardly the most functioning human being either..." I sighed. She's correct of course, I'm as fucked up as they come. My past is crawling with demons that you'd expect to occur what with growing up with an abusive drunk as a father and a pushover for a mother. My body was scarred and bruised along with my mind. The difference is, is that it's easier to heal your body.

As you'd expect I'm a very guarded person and I let very few people in to see past the iron exterior I build around me. This paired with my past hardly helps me in the adoption process but I stopped caring long ago, all the kids are too scared to mess with me and the Hopkins women gave up long ago with trying to correct my behaviour. I only have 11 months left before I turn 18 anyway and I'm thrown back onto the streets to try and make it through life with minimum qualifications and no family to help me, so it's looking up at least.

Before I knew it there was a harsh knock at our door and Zoe jumped, fear over coming her again.

"Girls! There's a couple coming in fifteen minutes to look for a new brat to adopt, if you're not ready I will beat you senseless do you understand?" That would be the sweet sultry tones of the lovely women who runs this joint. I'm lying of course, she's a witch of a women, hence her little nickname I 'cleverly' thought up with.