Med Romance

Chapter 2

Akira

"An Orphanage? Really?" I narrow my eyes and try my hardest to read the words on the board. They're so faded that at first me and Alex had lost our way and had to turn back after 2 miles when Siri literally called me a dumb bitch with no geographical sense and shouted at me to turn back. Alexa's better anyway.

"That's what the name the Headmaster sent mom in the email." Alex comments, his attention solely on the huge wrought iron gates which tells that the architecture was a fan of everything Gothic. The place itself looks straight out of a haunted movie with no civilisation for atleast five miles, huge, dense forest surrounding the backside and the east side of the orphanage that a person could easily get lost into. A huge intimidating castle stands in the centre, it's colour long ago faded into something greyish-beige. The whole left side of the castle wall is covered by beautiful vines with blooming lilac and white flowers.

The scene before me is both haunting and exquisite. Albeit the place is an orphanage, I cannot see a single child playing in the manicured garden or a helper carrying books or towels or a sweeper sweeping the fallen leaves from the paved pathway. The place looks like it has been abandoned a few decades ago. No life, no sound.

"There's no life visible here." Alex wonders my exact thoughts aloud and for the first time I see hesitancy and an indecipherable expression on his usually cocky and confident face. I nod in affirmation and stuff my hands into the pocket of my hoodie to ward off the sudden chill.

"I think we should just go b-"

I break off when the scraping of iron on floor fills the deserted silence. Both me and Alex look at the iron door at the same time when a woman suddenly appears in front of us.

She's young, probably just a few years older than me. The first thing I notice about her is her chestnut colour so shiny that they look like she's just got her hair done from a professional hair stylist. Her perfect short waves fall just below her shoulders around her diamond shaped face and I feel Alex's breathe hitch beside me. She looks up and her silvery gray eyes fall on me.

I've never seen a face so classically exquisite, so serene and regal and I just can't believe that someone would abandon her to live off her own in a place where she's not around her own blood but rather by a family she had to eventually accept and choose. Not only because of her beauty, but because of the aura full of confidence and her face devoid of any hopeless expression that kids usually have. But it's her eyes that are the worst, they're....dead. Not only expressionless but she looks live an alive corpse.

"Good morning, Ms. Vega. My name is Esmerelda. Please call me Esme. Mrs. Vega has already informed me of your visit. I will give you a tour of the place and inform you of your duties." Esme gives me a genuine smile which lightens her eyes up an infinitesimal inch and I feel my lips tip up too. I glance at Alex and he just looks his usual annoyed, though there is a thin layer of intrigue too. Esme looks at Alex but he doesn't say a word and I step on his shoe which earns me a glare that just says, what are you doing?

"Sure." I say, covering for my brother's lack of vocal opinion or his basic manners to introduce himself. "My name's Akira. This is my brother Alex. He's always annoyed so don't take that look personally." I motion towards him as Esme gives him a small nod. He doesn't do anything, merely looks at her in that alpha-holey way.

"I think we should start with the tour." I glare at Alex and try my best to convey him to get his act together. He understands and clears his throat and instead of leaving in his car like he had planned to, he steps in beside us and starts walking towards the front door of the orphanage. What the hell?

"Are you an occupant here?" I ask Esme and mentally berate myself at how assholish I sound. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. I sometimes ask very insensitive questions."

"Most of the time, actually." I hear Alex mutter but ignore him. Esme doesn't, because she laughs. The sound reminds me of bells.

"No, no. It's fine. I actually was an occupant here. But after 18 most of us are sent away to find our own path in the world. Some of us do, but most of us either become the victim of drugs, molestation or sometimes even rape and assault. The police tries to help but there's a limit to that too, you know? We're adults and we should find our own way and yadda-yadda. But with no parents for support and no shelter, tuition fees or financial support, most of us just waste away in the real world.

"So, lucky for me, I am the pet of the head of the orphanage who by no means is going to let me leave this place. So, I guess I'm here for the long haul."

"You're the Heads favourite?" I ask.

"Pet." She corrects me.

"Pet." Alex repeats.

"You know, an animal people domesticate and keep in their homes or have you forgotten -"

"I know what a pet is, Esme."

"Very good, Alex. You've finally put your expensive education to some use." I say.

"Haha." Alex rolls his eyes and kicks a pebble with his foot.

"There's the Head of the Orphanage." Esme motions and suddenly her playful demeanor is gone, replaced by a deadened shell of the girl who was guiding us. Alex notices and stiffens along with me. I glance towards the wide archway to see a man in a suit which must have cost my entire wardrobe.

Black. Not only his clothes but his entire demeanour seems dark and ugly. No real surprise there that Esme had suddenly lost all her wit and charm just in a span of few seconds. Even the air around us feels colder somehow, like the nature itself is repulsed by his presence.

The dark clouds above us somehow shadows his face as if he is a villain in a drama rather than a head of an organisation. His bald head winks at us as his wrinkled face comes closer to us. His short legs are unhurried, his step deliberate. As he comes closer in view, I narrow my eyes at him. His black eyes are silhouetted by light brown lashes, his thin lips pursed as he assesses me. He is almost as tall as me but somehow my Doc Martens make me taller than him by just a few inches.

Alex clears his throat pointedly and the man's glazed eyes shift towards him, surprised as if he didn't notice a 6'2 livid man behind me. "Mr. Crawford?"

"Yes, yes." Mr. Crawford hastily shakes Alex's hand but his gaze never leaves mine. Sharp. Still assessing. Borderline leering.

"This is my sister, Akira. She has -

"Yes, I have talked to both the headteacher and your mother." Obsidian eyes cut to me. "You're going to volunteer her for four months for your abuse against your teacher and for drinking in school premises."

"Abuse? Is some verbal monologue called abuse nowadays? Also, that abuse was very true, thank you very much." I bare my teeth at him in a semblance of a smile, not bothering to be civil.

He ignores me. "There are some rules here. Rules you have to obey." He looks towards Esme who casts her eyes down. "No cursing. No talking. No singing. Silence all the time. No questioning -

"No breathing." I mutter.

"No loud music. This is a very serious organisation and is not to be taken lightly. Failure to obey rules will end up in punishment."

"Oh, for fuck's sake." I grumble.