Valanciana

Chapter One

Back in Woodbridge Virginia where I lived, I went to a middle school called Beville Middle School. I hated being there in general, the only reason I lived here was because of my foster parents. They were decent people, but it wasn't my own family and I felt isolated and alone often times. My mom had died when I was in fourth grade, not long ago since I was in sixth grade when I moved in with my foster parents. My mom's name was Grace V. Dragonfire, I resembled her a lot, so people say. My name was even resembled hers. Her middle name she never told me, but my middle name was Grace. I was and am Valanciana Grace Dragonfire. My mother and I both had long light red brown hair, but unlike her crystal blue eyes I had golden ones that sometimes shone a strange bright yellow.

She was murdered and the police still haven't found the person responsible, which had angered me a lot, as a kid I yelled at the main officer at the scene screaming and crying for them to find the culprit. After her death, the funeral too soon, where a young boy who looked only three years older than me, told me he would find me again and make sure I would be safe. He had a Russian accent and stunning green eyes and I thought it to be quite creepy, my mom had just died and some strange kid comes and says that? I tried to think nothing of it as I ran away but his words and as well as the color of his eyes stayed on my mind.

Living in Blacksburg Virginia I was caught three months after I ran away and placed in Children's Home Society. The people there tried to treat me well but I isolated myself not wanting to be around anyone. I wanted my mom back and at that young age I had to grow up quick. I began to teach myself self defense, read many books about health , nutrition, loss, history, and much more. I thought that if I grew up now I wouldn't be able to be hurt like my mom was. It two years after my mom's death I was taken in by my foster parents, John and Crystal Smith. Mrs. Smith had long blond hair and wore fancy skirts and shirts often, she said she was a lawyer, while Mr. Smith was in the Air Force. Mr. Smith reminded me of Captain America but his real name was John. They did all they could to get me comfortable. I got my own room a bed that pulled out having another bed, and stuffed toys to fill two rooms. I was happy there but I would get depressed about my mom at times and go to Mrs. Smith about it. She understood, but would try easing me into calling her mom, and that wasn't going to happen for a while. So instead she told me to call her Crystal so I did. I wasn't a problem child of any sort, when they enrolled me into Beville I kept my grades up never going below a B. But I didn't exactly give myself an easy time, I blamed myself for a lot then. By blaming myself I took it out on my body in a way I regretted every day, the scars were there permanently. Covering my thighs and shoulder, they reminded me I would think I never belonged, that it was my fault for a lot of things that later in my life made no sense to me. Or as to why I had done it, it was something that had got to me when I was sad and alone, but my new place had helped.

They took me into their home and treated me as their own, I will never forget that I was lucky enough to get a chance with a family after losing my own. The space empty in me where my mom used to be would never be filled but I tried my best to do so regardless. In middle school I kept quiet and to myself, even changed my name in the system to Valarie instead of Valanciana. Just so I wouldn't be that girl who's mom was murdered. It haunted me until I met a girl named Laura, she would bug me to talk with her and be her friend a lot . I gave in eventually to the energetic brown haired girl. She had tanned skin and told me she was Brazilian, she got me into something called anime and I enjoyed it. I began to open up and make more friends over the years. Losing touch with Laura sometimes and always talking to my current best friend Thorin or as I call her Raven with her dark brown hair that looked black.

The next four years passed quickly by and I became a sophomore in high school at Hylton High School. Nothing changed for much, I still did normal things like have sleepovers with Raven. I kept my grades good, went out on the weekends. Life was good up until that Russian boy showed up again. He showed up on the last day of school and as we were getting ready to go on the bus to go home for summer break, and I saw him leaning against the side of my bus. I didn't recognize him at first until those green eyes locked my golden ones and he spoke in a soft tone smiling at me. "Ah, I told you I would find you again, lovely to see you malyutka."