Tremaine

- Chapter 7 -

"I dare you to jump!" Gregory said. "What?! Do you want me to break my leg?" I said, climbing down from the tree carefully. I had been working hard for the past week and I finally had a day off.

"So what should we do on your wonderful day off?" Gregory had said. I thought for a moment. "We should go to the apple orchard and pick some apples for the children!"

I tossed an apple in the basket Gregory was holding. As we walked from tree to tree we talked about our lives before the orphanage. Gregory told me all about his father and mother.

"My mother was a seamstress and my father was a tailor," he explained. He told me that his parents were very poor and could barely afford any food. His parents thought it was best if he grew up elsewhere.

"This necklace is the only thing I have left of them," he said. I looked at it while dropping another apple in the basket. "It matches your eyes," He looked down at it. "I suppose it does,"

As we walked back to the orphanage I noticed that Gregory was very quiet. "Are you alright?" I asked. He nodded and said, "I'm just thinking about where my parents are now. I wonder if they are still poor. They might have even starved to death,"

I stopped in my tracks. "Don't say that!" "Why not? It's true and you know it!" he said, stopping as well and turning to face me. "You must have hope!" I said. It was awful that he thought his parents were dead.

"That's easy for you to say!" he said, with an edge of anger in his voice. "Your parents aren't poor! You never had to struggle! You grew up like a bratty little princess!" he shouted.

My mouth dropped open. I knew he was upset, but he had gone too far. "Excuse me?" I said. I could see the anger in his green eyes fade to guilt. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean it,"

I wanted to walk away and never talk to him again, but I knew I couldn't. He needed someone to be there for him. I knew he didn't mean what he said, and I could see he was really sorry.

I walked up to him and hugged him tight. He hugged me back and sobbed into my hair. My eyes teared up as well. Seeing him like this made my heart ache.

"I don't want them to be gone," he sobbed. "I know, but like I said, you mustn't give up hope. They might still be out there," He pulled away from me and stared into my eyes.

"What did I do to deserve you?" he whispered, stroking my face with his hand. "You treated me like a person and not like an evil step sister" I answered while wiping a tear from his face.

"I love you," he said and he kissed me. It felt like one hundred tiny fireworks were exploding in my chest. I wished this moment could last forever. As he pulled away he looked out into the distance at the setting sun.

"We should get going if we want to give the children their apples," he smiled looking back at me. I smiled as well and we walked back to the orphanage together.

I loved seeing the faces of the happy children when we gave them each an apple. Some would smile, some would laugh, some would dance and sing. It was magical seeing the way their faces lit up.

I went to bed that night with a smile that I had never smiled before. I officially felt like I belonged somewhere, and that feeling felt good. It felt really good.