"Wipe that blood from your nose, and get back out there!"
"On it" I say lowly, and I wipe the blood off with the bottom of my jersey. I start jogging, and then sprinting. I run until my legs feel like giving out but I run some more. When I'm done, I walk to the bench and grab a towel to wipe off the blood from my knee. I took a fall earlier, and I went face forward. Made a laugh out of everyone though. When practice is over, I grab all my things out of my locker. I wait by the bus loop, and when my bus comes along, I get on. Now you might think, I'm going home. My mom and dad, both served in the military, and afterwards struggled financially. When you serve, they tell you about the things that can benefit you.. they don't tell you that there's a higher percentage rate that'll you won't get government assistance. They had me at 22, and they raised me on a base until I was 2, I didn't know much about them, because when September 11 changed the country.. it changed my world too. They were soon deployed, base was hit. I became an orphan. The bus comes to a stop, mine. I thank the driver, and I walk out. I have to walk a few more blocks before I make it to the center.
"Hey Orphan!" I hear a few kids call on me, I keep walking. I've heard the name a thousand times that it doesn't bother me anymore. I also don't want to satisfy them by actually responding to them. I keep walking regardless of the footsteps I hear coming behind me. Soon enough I'm pushed to the ground. I don't like bullies.
"I'm talking to you!"
I'm not in the mood for this, and I'm honestly tired. So I just get up, and get in her face. I know what to expect, she throws a punch to my face. It jerks my head back but I stay still, and look back to her. I'm not one to give up, so she can keep going all she wants. I got thick skin.
"Grab her bag!" She screams to her little minions. They grab my bag, and empty it on the floor. She snatches my gym bag, and I instantly feel angry. I yank her arm, and her friends hold me back. She takes out scissors from her backpack, and manages to cut through the middle of my cleats. She throws them at my face, and I groan.
"Hey!" We hear an adult shout, making the girls let go of me and throwing me to the ground. I instantly hold myself up on me knees. I don't bother to see who it is, instead I check my nose, and what do you know.. I'm bleeding. I see the girls run off and I just get up to grab my things. I hear footsteps approach me.
"Are you okay? My friends and I saw all of it." Her voice is smooth and raspy. I turn around, and I can't believe who I'm seeing.
"I uh- I'm fine" I tell her, and I throw my backpack behind my shoulders. I grab my cleats and I hold them against my chest.
"No your not kid, your nose is bleeding."
I wipe my nose with my shirt. She comes closer to me, and tries to offer some help with my things. I hesitate
"I'm not going to do anything bad to you, I just want to help" she tells me gently, and I can't help but trust her word. We walk to the park, and she buys a bottle of water for me. We sit at a bench, and she keeps it quiet for me for some time.
"I figured I'd give you some time to get yourself together, and tell me.. are those girls always like that?"
"No, they're worse every other day" I chuckle as I hold the napkin she gave me to my nose. She lightly smiles at me.
"Why didn't you just run?"
"You start running they'll never let you stop. You stand up, push back... Can't say no forever right?" I quote one of my favorite superheros.
"Did you just quote Captain America?" She asks me with a smile across her face. I nod to her and she shakes her head amusingly. I realize that I need to get back to the center before they send a search party, and I now have to leave this amazing person.
"I have to go"
"Alright, let's get you home. My friend Kelly can give you ride. Let's go meet them" I follow her to the otherside of the park. She introduces me to the others, and I feel instantly nervous as if I wasn't already before. They check up on me, since they saw most of it but preferred it'd be Alex to confront the girl, since they would have handled it differently. They are really nice to me, and I can't help but feel this nice warm feeling inside. When I tell them the directions to the center, we drive along and the girls making jokes, laughing. When we make it there, the girls look confused.
"This is an adoption center" Kelly speaks up turning the ignition off. All the girls turn to me, and I grab my backpack and my bag.
"This is where I live" I tell them unashamed. I'm not worried about what anyone else thinks about me, because I was never taught to care or worry about it. Growing up in an orphanage, means you gotta grow up fast. I look back to the girls and I thank them, especially Alex. She stops me before I'm able to walk in. She pulls me in for a tight hug, it was nicely short lived.
"Take care of yourself kid" she tells me with watery eyes, and she brushes the hair back from my forehead to kiss it. I nod, and I walk into the center. I greeted the receptionist, and make my way through the offices and the security door. I walk to my room, which I share with other kids.
Alex PoV:
"Servando it just feels right" I say over phone as I talk to my husband.
"Alright Alex, I support you. I'll book a flight so I'll be there to sign the papers" he tells me happily, and I get excited. We bid goodbye, and I put the phone on my nightstand. I turn to my best friend, I'm sharing a room with.
"Are you about all of this Alex? We don't know much about her. Haven't you seen those movies where the orphan kid goes all batshit crazy and murd-" I cut Kelly off before she gets all brutal with the point she is trying to make. Every kid deserves a family and I'll stand by it.
"Yeah Kelly I am"
