Outside My Shell

One: Get Up and Go 1

Heard anything about a book inside a book? If not, you will know it if you will read this.

__________________________________________________________

Emily Carter, she is 32 and single. She never wanted to love anybody for she knows they will just tend to hurt her feelings. She has a book store as a way of living. She sells different kinds of book  in different kinds of genre. She also lives upstairs of the store, it has everything like a house normally has. It was just a typical day until she heard a loud noise coming from outside her shop. She went close to the door and heard a couple yelling at each other.

She saw a bearded man in his late twenties covered with a lot of coats in different sizes and length. The man obviously looked like he is a rubber. And together with the him, she saw a woman also in her late twenties. The woman was carrying a baby in her one arm and a big black bag on her other hand.

“What the hell are you doing to yourself? Are you crazy we can’t just take care of a baby? I never wanted one anyway,” shouted a man holding the arm of the woman.

“I-I just wanted the money. Mr. Green said we can do anything about the baby, it’s also bad luck. His wife died for giving birth of that baby. He gave us 10,000 dollars for us not to tell anybody especially the cops. No one knows about this but us.” The woman replied holding a bag of cash shoving it in front of the guy.

“So in that case we’re safe. We have nothing to do with the cops. I don’t care about the baby.” The man said while looking around making sure no one have seen or heard them. Luckily for Emily, she quickly hides herself behind the selves.

The man directly turns around and quickly runs. “Come on. We have some money to spend.” He said to the woman. The woman glanced at the baby in her arm with a frown in her face showing pity for the small and harmless human being. Then, she slowly put down the baby in the corner near Emily’s store. After doing so, she blew a kiss on the baby while standing up and run swiftly following the other man.

A tear fell in the right eye of Emily as she saw everything that happened. Her heart softened and she felt pity for the poor and lonely baby. After a while, she went out and glanced at the running couple and then to the baby. She went close to it and held it by her arm. The baby started to cry after a minute in Emily’s arm.

“sshhhh… you will be alright. I will take care of you.” Emily smiled and kissed the forehead of the baby while swaying it in the air to stop its crying. She went inside while holding the baby.

Emily took care of the baby and decided to adopt it legally. She also named it Jessica Carter. But after a month with the baby staying with her, she faced a lot of crisis and obstacles for her to survive. Her book store’s earning dropped and only a few people come. But fortunately she still survives, and decided to upgrade for more people to come. But it wasn’t the end of the sufferings like Emily thought so.

She took care of Jessica regardless of the so called ‘bad luck’. She took her in a prestigious school for her to learn what is best. She doesn’t like Jessica to grow up and become like her father.

After months and even years in staying Emily’s hand, Jessica grew like what Emily wanted her to. Jessica was very obedient and respectful, and not to mention very beautiful and smart. In the age of 9 she started reading light novels. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a lot of friends. Most of her schoolmates tease her for being an orphan, so she becomes lonely at most times.

She helps Emily in taking care of the shop, doing chores like using the vacuum and putting the trash out. Every day while putting trash out, she eyes a child doing the same. He is 10 and he is the son of Steven and Vanessa Palm, Drake Palm. They are the owner of Video World just beside Emily’s book store. Everyday Drake always smiles at Jessica but Jessica never even once smiled back. Well, what do you know, young love.