Scene 1: Kingdom of Worlds

Chapter 1: I'm not a normal girl

Sixteen years later

If only I were a normal girl.

I stare glumly down at the cold bowl of putrid porridge, as the unwelcome thought weaves its way into my head. Sighing in irritation, the silver spoon leaves my limp hand and plops back into the untouched bowl.

"Shit." I curse as the porridge splatters all over the wooden table, me included. I consider myself part of the table now as we have so much in common. Jesus, how depressing can this morning get? First I wake up and I'm still alive. Then I realise my life still stinks like shit. And finally I'm served cold porridge that probably tastes like sweaty balls.

"Having a good morning, Melody?"

The answer is very. It can get very depressing.

"Nope. And it's only getting worse." I swivel in my seat to meet a pair of gorgeous green eyes. Glaring with the ferocity of five horny Rhino's deprived of sex, I command my chest to slow it's suddenly racing pulse.

"I'm sorry to hear that." The famous Jayce looks down at me with mock sympathy, fighting to hide his growing smirk.

"Oh no you don't." I seeth, giving him the stink eye.

"Don't what?" He finally cracks, giving me that a thousand watt smile.

"That!" I point at his face, trying to force my own grin back. "You don't get to laugh at me."

Everyone else around us in the Mess Hall, all 62 lonely children in total, are probably wondering what he's doing back here. The answer is me. I know it's sad. I even feel sorry for him.

On his eighteenth birthday two weeks ago, Jayce was finally free to leave Underbridge Orphanage. It's a different story for me though, as I just turned sixteen this year. Still two more years to go. Even though Jayce and I have lived in this hellhole of an Orphanage all of our lives together and he is my best friend, I was still happy for him when he got to leave. And I know he knows that, even though he still pretends to believe my angry demeanor is real.

"Any goss? Or are your new friends too "cool" for that shit?" I lift one eyebrow, stretching my right leg out on the chair beside me when Jayce makes a move to sit in it. He glares, but only for a second, before grabbing my leg and moving it off the seat with unnecessary force.

"Hey!" I scowl, trying to ignore the fact that my mind just recorded every detail of when our bodies touched in that split second.

The truth is, he hasn't told me anything about his new life. Where he now lives, if he has new friends. It's killing me not knowing everything about him. Does he like his new friends more than me? And if yes, why does he visit me almost every day? Am I now just some lonely child he used to know, and feels pity for?

"What?" He plonks his butt down and eyes the porridge splattered over the table in suspicion.

"It attacked me first." I clarify about the spilled porridge.

"I bet." He smirks.

I watch as he pulls a hair tie off his wrist and reaches back to gather up his long, golden brown hair. Some wayward curls spring free as he ties it in a low ponytail. I bet every girl in the room just watched him do that, imagining what it would be like to see it stuck to his sweaty back as he plays out whatever fantasy they have in mind. I'm ashamed to admit I have a few fantasies of my own. They mostly involve either a two-seater swing, or a hot tub where swimwear doesn't exist. Damn, my mind needs therapy.

"Hey, Melody."

I sit up straight when he says my name, hoping my previous thought process is not written all over my face.