My Sucky, Wonderful Life

Claires POV

Sophie and I were in my room when the shaking started. She was helping me pick out my clothes for my first day of high school, which was tomorrow. Just as I was starting to take off my favorite shirt the bookcase fell and landed on the both of us.We couldn't move. I heard my mother and father screaming for us downstairs followed by lots of crashes and bangs. I was trying my best to cover up Sophie so she wouldn't get hurt, but that meant that I was also getting a lot of the damage. When I looked down at her I could see the tears and some blood streaking her face as she was screaming as well. My vision started to blur and she was trying to keep me awake. But sadly, it didn't work and my mind went blank.

Both of our parents died that night.

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It's been three years since then. I am now a Junior in Brentstown High School in California. Sophie is now in 8th grade.

We live in an orphanage on Centersburg St. a few blocks from the school. I am the oldest kid in the orphange and help out with the rest of the kids alot.

You could say that it was alot like that movie "Annie". But it wasn't, it was worse.

Sure, Ms. Denerson made us do all of the cleaning and cooking. And sure, most of us would be here in till we were all 18. But Ms. Denerson was also an alcoholic and abused us on a regular basis. Oh but she was careful even when she was beating us. She was sure never to mess up our face in ways that we couldn't explain, so that no one would ever figure her out.

I always got the worst of it though. Most of the time I would step in to make sure that none of the other kids had to get hurt. They were going to be here longer then I was anyways so they should be saving up their energy and learning self defense.

Ms. Denerson made sure that none of us would ever tell the police. She threatened to kill us if we did and then just blame it on some accident that she would make up. We all believed her too, she would very well do it.

I am Claire Kallas by the way. I have straight, bright red hair that reaches the bottom of my back. Most of the time I wear it up and try to make it as unnoticeable as possible because trust me, it stands out. I have a pretty normal body and dull dark green eyes that contrast with the bold color of my hair. My sister Sophie has mostly the same features except that her hair isn't as red and it is a more brown color. She got it from our dad. Her eyes are the same color but look better on her then me.

So anyway, most of the time I wear hoodies and jeans because they are the best way for me to be unnoticed and for people not to see the bruises. If it does get hot enough, then I will wear either a thin long sleeved shit or a t-shit but cover us the bruises with make-up. But doing that can be risky because if someone grazes against me a little to hard then the make-up will come off and I would be in LOTS of trouble.

It's a normal day of school today.

I get up and go over to Sophie's bed to wake her up. She moans and says "Mom, five more minutes." I sigh and push on her shoulder. "come on Soph, it's time to get up." Her eyes immediately snap open as she recognizes my voice as sits up in the bed.

"Hurry and get ready, school starts in half an hour." I say and she groans again.

"Why can't we just skip school today?" she asks with a whiny voice.

"Because" I say sternly, "I need to get my education so I can get us both out of this place, and if I have to, then you have to, too."

We both stand up from the bed and walk over to our only dresser. Pulling on Jeans and a hoodie, I help her pick out what to wear today.