Adopted (a Zalfie fanfic) [1]

Chapter 5

*Lily"s POV*
I sat at my computer and switched it on. I loaded up YouTube and went on to Zoe's channel. It wasn't long before the event was going to start and to calm my nerves, I thought watching my idol's videos would help. Zoe's voice soothed me and soon enough, I was deep in the world of YouTube, completely forgetting about everything else.

An hour later and Emma shouted up. "EVERYONE DOWN HERE NOW, PEOPLE WILL BE HERE SOON!"

I walked down the stairs and joined the end of the horizontal line facing the front door that my housemates had formed. I was given a sticker with my name on it. I hated it being started this way. I felt like a puppy in a dogs home. It was a lot less nerve wracking when you were free to wonder around and meet the new people in your own time.

The little ones were getting giddy, jumping about and generally being silly. Quite annoying if you ask me. All of us older ones were either really nervous or completely calm, we knew we probably wouldn't get chose anyway.

I watched as the clock above the door struck 12:45pm. People were starting to pull up in their cars, eager to be the first ones there. The orphanage doors wouldn't open until 1pm so they had to wait.

I fiddled with my fingers and looked nervously at the clock. It was nearly time. I didn't know why I was so nervous. I guess it was because it was my last chance of finding a family. That, and the fact that I would have to speak to a lot of strangers. I waited, and I waited. The big hand edged ever closer to the 12.

*Zoe's POV*
"COME ON ALFIE" I shouted up the stairs. Typical. I got him up early and he still managed to be late. "WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?"

"JUST BRUSHING MY TEETH" He shouted back, as it was hard to hear over the running of the taps.

We were going to be late. It started at 1pm and it was 12:55pm. The orphanage was over twenty minutes away. It was quite impossible to get there on time. I sat down on the couch and sighed.

Finally, I heard footsteps down the stairs. "Oh finally!" I said to Alfie.

"Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time there. It doesn't finish till 3pm!" He said, as calm as ever.

"We're going to miss the introductions to the children though, you sloth!" I said.

"I sowy." Alfie said, giving me the puppy eyes. How could I be cross at him? I chuckled and pushed him out the door. We got in the car and drove off. We were finally on our way!

*Lily's POV*
The clock hit 1pm. This was it.

Emma opened the doors and the families filed in, grabbing a leaflet off Emma as they went. Oh god, there was so many of them. Once they had all came in, Emma cleared her throat. "Hello everyone and thanks to you all for coming today! Your here to potentially find a child to adopt and today gives you the chance to get to know the children better and maybe think about the child best suited for your family. Right, shall we begin?" There were a few scattered nods around the room.

The families started at one end of the line and travelled down it slowly, shaking our hands and we had to tell them our names and age. As the first family got closer and closer towards me, I started to panic. "Hello dear, what's your name?" Asked the first lady. She was linking arms with her husband. They were both quite old, old enough to be my grandparents.

"I-I'm Lily and I-I'm thirteen." I said. I could feel myself going bright red. The couple smiled and walked off. They whispered something to each other.

It was probably something like "Oh, she's too shy." Or "She is too old and not as cute as the little ones."

The rest of the introduction went pretty much the same. There were 19 couples there and I could tell none were interested in me. In the corner of my eye I could see Emma counting the families.

When the introductions were over, we got to branch out and wonder around freely, talking to a couple here and a family there. As I walked over to near where Emma was stood, she looked confused. "What's up?" I asked.

"There seems to be a young couple missing. 20 were supposed to be coming but only 19 are here."

"Oh." I said, before walking off. I wasn't that bothered, it meant less people to speak to. I went and stood in the corner and looked around. All the families were going over to my housemates and asking them questions, laughing and joking. Nobody had came over and asked me any questions. It was going to be the same as every other time.

I managed a smile though when I saw Millie laughing with an elderly man and woman who had taken a liking to her. But what was not to like about her? She had bright blonde hair which was tied in bunches and ocean blue eyes. She was wearing a denim pinafore dress with a red and black spotted top underneath and red tights. On her feet, she wore the cutest boots. It was no wonder she was being considered as a daughter.

*Alfie's POV*
We drove up outside the orphanage. It was a bleak building but the gate was painted with rainbow colours, as was the door. I felt slightly guilty about making us late but we were here now.

I squeezed Zoe's hand. She looked nervous. "You ready little one?" I asked.

She looked up at me with those beautiful blue eyes. "Oh Alfie, what if none of them like us?"

I took her hands and held her close. "We'll find someone perfect for us and we'll be perfect for them, just you wait and see." I said, trying to calm her down.

She took a deep breath and said "I hope so."

I took her had in mine and we walked up the pathway to the big door. I knocked and a woman opened it. "Hi! You must be Zoe and Alfie?"

"We are. We're very sorry that we're late." Zoe said.

"It's fine. Please, come in."

We stepped through the door into a big wide space full of people, young and old. All of the children had name badges on and couples were stood around asking them questions.

*Lily's POV*
As I enviously eyed up Roxy talking with a young couple in the centre of the room, I heard Emma open the door and say "Please, come in."

At first I couldn't see who it was as a tall person was stood in front of me but they quickly moved and there, right in front of me, in my 'home', stood my two most favourite people and my idols. The two people I can count on to make my days a little brighter. Zoe and Alfie stood in the same room as me.

I think I stopped breathing for a minute.