The Orphanage (Candle Cove )

Chapter 6: The Pillow Fort

Percy was awoken to the sound of thunder and lightning. He shrieked and all the kids began yelling at him, telling him to shut up and put a cork in his mouth. Others laughed at him. Percy got up. He grabbed his blanket and pillow. He went to go find Charlotte. He saw her sneak out of her room. She had a lantern and he became curious and he followed her. He saw her enter the play room and she made a castle from blankets and pillows, at least that's what he thought. She crawled inside.

"Lottie?.... What is this?" He asked. She pokes her head out of the pillow fort window. "Welcome to my night time pillow fort. In order for entry, what is the secret password?"

"Percy....?" She saw he was thinking and then after some given thought he answered, "Baby Seal Pups?" He said and she smiled. "Cheater.... Anyway. Come on in." He crawled in. "Won't you get into trouble?" He asked and she shook her head. "Nope..... Plus when the lady of the orphanage is sick, she won't get out of bed for days. So I get to do this at night. You are my very first guest." Percy smiled. Suddenly lighting struck nearby and Percy jumped and clung to Charlotte. Percy saw she was laughing. His lips quiver and her felt the tears puddling in his eyes. " It's not funny!" He shouted at her and pulled away. He hugged his pillow and sobbed softly. He tried to dry his eyes. Charlotte saw his mood change and she hugged him. "I wasn't laughing at you.... I was laughing at the lightning..... A friend told me when I felt scared.... I should laugh to trick my fear and think it's funny." She said and he looked up at her. "You.... You really weren't laughing at me?" He sniffled. Charlotte shook her head and wiped his tears with her sleeve. "Percy, that would be mean. Why would I laugh at you?"

He teared up and hugged her. "I wanna go home. I miss my dad." She pet his head and hugged him back. "I don't wanna be in this place, Lottie.... I'm scared." He said holding her tighter. "You can't change the reality of what has been done. The only thing you can do is try to move forward." Percy's tears run down his face and onto her shoulder. She felt him sob and she rubbed his back. "Its ok to cry... Let it all out." He cried like he hadn't in his life. After he cried everything out, his head rested on Charlotte's shoulder. His eyes were closed and he breathed softly as he was now asleep. Charlotte held him close as she fixed his pillow and blanket. She put him on the pillow and covered him with his blanket. She kissed his cheek. "You'll be alright, Percy. I know you'll pull through this storm." She smiled. He started to whimper a little and she gently raked her fingers through his hair. It gave him some comfort and he calmed down. She got in her blanket and huddled close to him. She drifted off to sleep.

Percy woke to the smell of pancakes. He opened his eyes and he saw Charlotte waving a piece of food in front of his nose. "Morning sleepy head. I was wondering when you'd wake up. Its still pouring outside, so I made everyone pancakes. These are for you." She put the plate down. "Have you eaten?" He asked but she shook her head. "It's fine though. I'm not really hungry." He cut a piece of the pancake, he pressed it to her lips. "I wont eat til you do." She smiled when he said that. She ate a piece and he ate a piece too, they both shared the plate. Some of the kids began to notice this behavior of theirs and kids would ask if they liked each other, but the two would say they were just friends, but Percy on the other hand, felt like it was more, and Charlotte, she felt something there, but was it a permanent feeling?

Percy wanted to tell her but he felt it was too soon.... WAY too soon. So he waited..... He waited at least til he was thirteen, and honestly the two had grown up so much.... Charlotte had turned into quite the young lady. She looked almost like she could be sixteen with the body she developed, but she was only ten years old, almost eleven. Percy couldn't help but stare at her sometimes. He would often feel tempted to touch her, but he would tuck his hands in his pants pockets and would bow his head in shame for thinking such awful things that he felt tempted to do. He would often hold her hand.... Allot. He would hug her and try to show her he loved her, by leaving little hints. He would be a little gentle man and would kiss her hand, he would compliment her, and he would cuddle her allot. A few times he gave into temptation and when he would see she was asleep, he would touch her face, he would gently caress her neck and over her chest lightly til he got to her hips. That's where he would turn pink and would mentally curse at himself and would scold himself to stop touching her like that.