the wolf ; rigel wilde

iii. clean slate

❝ We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope ❞

present day
Amaya

Cecilia and I spent most of our mornings out in the courtyard, but today was different; it was adoption day. Every month, people with the intention to adopt, would come and visit the orphanage. Mrs. Margaret made sure we were all on our best behaviour when the visitors arrived, and anyone who stepped out of line wouldn't be adopted; at least that's what Mrs told us. We all stood quietly in an orderly line, prim and proper, with smiles plastered on our faces. Everyone except Rigel.

Various couples came to visit us, mostly for the younger children. No one wants to adopt older ones like me, or Cecilia. They always wanted the little ones, who hadn't lost the sparkle in their eyes yet. And yet so many people wanted to adopt Rigel, an eighteen year old boy who had suffered more than all the young ones combined. Not physical suffering, but mental suffering. He had been in and out of Grave for adoption trials more time than I could count, but at the end of each one, he always came back. It was mystery as to why he came back every time, surely the couples were very nice and would have loved to have son like him, with his politeness and intelligence, his talent on the piano and his strikingly attractive features, even though I hated to admit it.

I on the other hand, had never had an adoption trial. Couples seemed to breeze over me when visiting. Some would smile at me, and ask me my name, but that was it; nothing more.

We both heard Mrs. Margaret's heels clicking on the stone ground as she approached us in the hallway. Cecilia turned to look at me with a puzzled expression, as did I. Once she had reached us, she spared a glance at the girl beside me before looking me dead in the eye; her stone cold eyes behind framed glasses, holding nothing but hatred and dislike.

"They want you." The woman stated monotonously. It took me a few seconds to process the words that had left the headmistresses mouth. Surely I was dreaming, no one was going to adopt me, I had lost hope quite a while ago.

"Pardon? They want me?" The shock and confusion was evident in my voice as I questioned the woman, still mentally processing those three words. She only nodded, turning on her heels and walking back in the direction she had come from, all an indication for me to follow her with my belongings. Not having a lot meant that it took me no more than a minute to pack everything, before quickly walking down the corridor, with Cecilia in tow, to find Mrs. Margaret.

When we had reached the central foyer, I came face to face with a couple with Mrs. They seemed in their late early forties, both of them tall and lean. The man speaking to Mrs. Margaret had a head of chestnut brown hair, slicked back by the glasses he had propped on his head, while the woman beside him had longe, ashy blonde hair, tied neatly in a ponytail.

I cleared my throat, not wanting to directly interrupt their conversation. Hearing the sound, the three adults turned to look at me. Mrs, like every other day, assessed me up and down with yet another displeased look. The couple on the other hand, wore soft smiles as they looked at me.

"Hello Amaya, my name is Anna, and this my husband Norman. We're very happy to have you with us." The blonde woman smiled warmly at me, making me instantly feel at ease. Norman gave me a small smile which I reciprocated, before turning to look at Mrs. Margaret, "Well off you go then, and remember, Miss Rossi, this is a trial period. If anything goes wrong, you'll be sent back here, which you clearly will." The woman spoke the last part of her sentence in a lower voice, but still clear enough for me to hear it.

I'm never coming back, I can't.

Before I could even get a word out, Cecilia pulled me into a tight hug, tucking her head into the crook of my neck. I wrapped my arms tightly around the girl, indulging in what could potentially be our last embrace. "I'll come back and visit you, I promise." The auburn haired girl pulled way at my whisper, giving me a sad smile. "Thank you Amaya, I love you."

She smiled sadly as a tear ran down her cheek. Wiping the tear with the pad of my thumb, I smiled at my best friend, "I love you too Ceci." I suddenly felt someone push me forward, away from the girl; Mrs. Margaret. I looked back at Cecilia one last time, before I followed Anna and Norman to their car. I looked around at the orphanage as I walked away. Ten years ago, Sven year old me had walked in through the iron gates, as frightened as ever, and now, ten years later, I'm finally walking back out. I never thought this day would come.

As I was about to enter the car, I heard piano notes echoing into the courtyard. Both Anna and I stopped to appreciate the beauty of the melody. It truly was beautiful, but played by one of the least beautiful people at the orphanage. Of course his attractive appearance and his clear talent were far from unappealing, but the hatred he had grown towards me was the last beautiful things on this earth; and now I was leaving, and would never know why he was so unpleasant towards me.

The idea of walking into the hall and blatantly asking Rigel why he hated me so much came to mind, but I knew that I wouldn't leave with an answer, or one that I wanted to hear, so I let it be. I listened to the melody for a few more seconds before I ducked into the car, the door closing with a loud thud.

Anna, from the front seat of the car, turned back to look at me, "It was a beautiful melody wasn't it? Do you know who was playing it?" She questioned sweetly, but just the thought of having to say his name made my spine tingle. "Rigel. He's been playing the piano since I arrived at Gr- Sunnycreek." A cough left my throat as I tried to cover my slip up of calling the orphanage Grave.

But it wasn't Grave to me anymore, I was finally free, and I was going to do everything I could to never have to go back.