The One Who Saved Me |Iceland X Reader|

Part 1

I was surrounded by the burning flames. "Help me! Please!" I plead. I pound my tiny fists against the door. "Someone!" Smoke filled my lungs and I collapsed to the floor. "A-anyone..." My eyes begin to close and each breath becomes short and painful.

"She's over here!" I hear a faint shout. I force my eyes open and see the silhouette of a boy around my age.

His large violet eyes stare at me with worry.

"Don't worry, you will be ok." He says. My consciousness slowly fades as i feel his arms wrap around my frail body. "I will protect you."

*BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP*

"Mmm..?" I sit up and rub my eyes. "Stupid alarm." I slam my hand down on the beeping clock, and it goes silent. I get out of bed and walk to the bathroom. I stop to look at myself in the small mirror. My (h/c) hair is tousled, my (e/c) eyes look tired as ever; don't even get me started on how ratty my pajamas look. I brush my teeth, comb my hair, and pick out the nicest dress i own. Since i don't own much, the choice was pretty easy. I walk downstairs once i finished prepping myself for the day and sit at the large table in the dining room. I look around and see a bunch of children giggling and talking amongst themselves. I am an only child; but i live in an orphanage.

"(Name)! Why are you late to breakfast?!" The Matron smacks me upside the head.

"I-I'm sorry, Mother Rosetta. My alarm went off on-time today though, honest!"

"You are the oldest one in this orphanage! You should be able to get here on time!" She scowls.

"I'm sorry, it wont happen again." I lower my head in recognition and she 'tsks'.

"Better make sure it doesn't."

After everyone was served breakfast, we all started our chores. Me being the oldest, i was groups with three younger girls ranging from six to nine years old.

"(Name)?" Lorrie, the youngest, tugs on my dress.

"Yes, Lorrie?" I smile down at her.

"Do you think i will be adopted today?" Her blonde pigtails bounce up and down as she jumps in delight.

"I'm not sure, Lorrie." I giggle. "You are adorable; someone will take you, don't worry!"

Jenna, the oldest of the three looks at me questioningly. "Why have you not been adopted yet, (Name)?"

"I don't know the answer to that either." I smile as I scrub the dish in my hand. "No one really wants to adopt a seventeen year old, i guess."

"You are so pretty, though!" Hanna takes the dish and dries it with her towel.

"Yea!" Lorrie smiles.

I laugh at their kind compliments. "Thank you, guys."

"Enough chit-chat! Concentrate on your chores!" The Matron screeches.

"Y-yes, ma'am!" We reply in unison. After completing the dishes, we resume our chores in the bedrooms. I start to strip the sheets from the bed, while the girls take the cases off of the pillows.

"(Name)," Jenna looks up at me with her frosty-blue eyes. "How long have you been here?"

I freeze. How long have i been here?

"Good question, Jenna."

"You don't know?" Hanna's brown curls sway as she turns her head in our direction.

"Yea," I sigh. "So many years, I've lost count."

"That's so sad, (Name)!" Lorrie cries. She drops the pillow she's holding and runs to where I'm standing. She throws her arms around my waist and looks up at me. "I'm sorry you've been here so long." Her brown eyes full with tears as she looks at me.

"Aww, sweetie." I wipe the tears that fall from her eyes. "It's alright!"

"I'm sorry, too" Jenna follows suit and embraces me. Hanna quietly joins our group hug.

Is this what a family feels like?

As we stand there, a voice calls from downstairs. "(Name)! Come here, darling!"

"Mother Rosetta!" I gasp.

"She sounds really nice!" Lorrie observes.

"That must mean someone looking to adopt is here!" Hanna smiles.

"Maybe you're right." I smile. I kiss their foreheads and rush down the stairs. "Yes, Mother Rosetta?"

"We have a lovely couple in our company today, sweetheart!" She kindly smiles.

"Hello!" The wife waves at me. "My name is Holly, and this is my husband, Ryan."

"Nice to meet you, (Name)." Ryan firmly shakes my hand.

"These two are looking to adopt you!" Mother explains.

A gleam of hope sparks in my heart. "Oh, really?"

Mother Rosetta leads us to the conference room; the place where orphan and adopters get to know each other.

"Tell us about yourself, (Name)!" Holly smiles.

"Well, where should i start?"

"From the beginning." Ryan encourages.

"Alright," I begin to recall the memories of my childhood. "My parents owned a small house in the Texas countryside. My father was a tough man, he looked out for me. My mother was an angel! She was so kind, and loved to bake." I tell them about the joyful memories; the seven happy years i had with my family. "My dad, however, was an alcoholic. One day, he just... snapped." I pause, hesitant to resume my story. I deeply inhale, and begin once more. "He set our home on fire. He trapped me in the bedroom, and my mother in the bathroom. I made it out, barely alive. My mother was not so lucky."

"That's horrible!" Holly gasped. Ryan silently nodded his head in agreement. We sat and talked for a little while more before i was dismissed by the Matron. As i closed the door, i pressed my ear to the wall to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"What did you think of her?" Mother Rosetta questions.

"She is a nice girl..." Holly begins. "But i don't think she is the child we are looking for."

"She isn't even a child!" Ryan scoffs.

"Ryan! No need to be so straight forward!" His wife gasps.

I'm horrified. I slowly collapse to the floor. My heart sinks. I pull my knees to my chest and silently sob.

Why do i keep trying? I'm never good enough.