The 13th Sunrise

Chapter 1: Happy Birthday

"Happy birthday day to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear Orchid, happy birthday to me." Orchid Felice Sunriser sat there, quietly singing to herself as she watched the sunrise peak over the horizon while twirling her red and orange streaks around her finger.

She had been found outside the orphanage when she was a few months old with a piece of card saying her name on it, no-one had seen who had kept her there, but that was the least of their worries, when they had brought her inside and looked properly at her, they had discovered amongst her black hair, fiery colourings, but that wasn't why she 'Queen Weirdo'.

If anyone but her touched it, it would be burning hot. Because she was apparently so different to the average human being, the other girls had avoided her, making Orchid spend her time alone with no friends or family...

"Orchid! Open the door!" A series of loud desperate knocks shook the old wooden door.

Well, she had one friend.

"Melody!" Orchid opened the door to see a small girl, but despite the fact Melody was 12, she could have well looked like she was 5 years younger.

"I couldn't have missed my one and only friend's birthday." Melody made a toothy smile, proudly displaying her neon coloured braces.

Like Orchid, Melody was an outcast amongst the girls of the orphanage, but instead for no reason at all, which Orchid found quite unfair, whether Melody herself cared or not.

"Thanks Mel, it means a lot to have a friend like you." Orchid smiled warmly.

"So you are thirteen today! I heard Mrs Adams said that you have a special visitor, think it could be the 'day'?" Mel winked as she sauntered in the room casually and sat on Orchid's worn-out quilt.

The 'day' was basically what all the orphanage girls called the day you are getting adopted, which wasn't quite often as 'Mellowbrinks Orphanage for Young Women' was literally in the middle of no-where.

"I don't know, wait, were you eavesdropping on her again?" Orchid sighs.

"Well is there any other way that I am meant to find out all the scoop around here?" Mel grins cheekily.

"Haha, you have got point there, another point goes to Melody Sparkes." Orchid laughs.

"Well, I guess it is a half a point cause then she caught me." Mel pouted, making her long, glossy brown hair creep over her eyes.

"I told you that one day it would happen Mel." Orchid smirks.

"And now instead of me spending more time with you, she said since that I was anyways eavesdropping, I have to come and tell you that she wants to see you." Mel sighs and stands up.

"Oh, I see, I guess we will have to postpone my party for later, be sure to come, there is going to be imaginary balloons, imaginary presents and best of all imaginary chocolate cake!" Orchid laughs while walking out.

"Oh yes, I will be sure to come, I love imaginary chocolate cake!" Mel laughs as she walks over to her bedroom along the corridor.

Now by herself, Orchid walks over to Mrs Adams office.

It was still quite early in the morning, making Orchid find it quite hard to believe that someone was willing to drive into the hot countryside early in the morning to meet her.

Muffled voices were coming over from her office as Orchid opened the door.

"I don't know where she came from but if that is what you insist, oh! Orchid! You got my message!" Mrs Adams smiles at Orchid.

Next to Mrs Adams is a middle aged man who smiled warmly at the sight of her too.

There seemed to be something off about him, he seemed so unnaturally, perfect.

He flaunted smooth brown hair and electric blue eyes, glazed over with a dreamy look.

He was dressed in casual attire and seemed like the sort of person who was carefree in a way.

He had a small watch on his wrist with looked as if it were a combination of bronze and gold, but they strangest thing about the watch was that instead of showing a clock, it showed a series of dials and other strange mechanisms.

"Orchid, this is Mr Passer, he, he says that he is friends with your parents and he wants to take you back to your homeland." Mrs Adams motions over to the man.

"Oh." Orchid says.

She didn't know whether to be excited or shocked.

She would finally (finally!) leave the orphanage and start a new life, but by doing so, leaving behind the only home she had ever known.

As if reading her mind, Mr Passer smiles, "Orchid, this is all up to you, I won't take you with me if you don't want to come."

Orchid though about it and eventually the starting a new life side won.

"I'll come with you." She says confidently.

He nods, "Our plane leaves in two hours, I will meet you outside when you are ready."

And just like that, he walks out of the room.

"Well," Mrs Adams looked down at the paperwork,"you better start packing."