Journey of the Mind

Kelly

Ever since Nikki got adopted, I've been in my room with the lights dim. It's hard to believe that she is gone. I look at her bed, thinking it was all just a dream. That she is with Zach, and she will return. I think that maybe she went out for ice-cream and taking her time. But all that melts away when I look at her desk and the closet. Her desk is completely clear, and the closet isn't as cramped as it used to be. I sit here, still lying to myself even though I know the painful truth. The truth that she left me, when I never left her.

I think long and hard about Nikki's actions. How she behaved and reacted before she got adopted. How her skin was dead pale. How she didn't eat much. How she acted different when she came back. She started to tell the truth, as always. But this time, the truth was half hidden. I can tell she is keeping something from me. Like I kept something from her.

The thought was to unbearable to handle. Did I do the same mistake Nikki made by not telling her the truth? If I told her from the start, what would have happened? If I told her, would she have stayed or taken me with her? The many possibilities that could have happened, run through my head. They repeat over and over again, as if it was a everlasting movie. But at the end, I know one thing that is a true fact. Nikki is my friend till the very end, and I have to apologize. Summer isn't over, and I still have time.

Even in my emotional I was able to smile. Thinking back to our past. How we learned how to use makeup as kids. Always heavy on the eye shadow and lip gloss. Looking like we were circus clowns where we go. So happy about it too. Then I thought about the time we tried to be in the soccer team. At the end I ended up with bruises and Nikki almost broke her leg. We laughed at awful we were and decided to just join a club. Remembering these things made me smile that I almost forgot about Nikki being adopted.

I get up and walk to the door. When I open it, I'm surprised to see someone there. "Hi." She lowers her hand, letting me know that she was about to knock. Her hair was a curly brown and her eyes were brown too. Her skin was as clear as mine. She was about my height but I can tell she is a size or two bigger than me. "I just... Well I don't really know how to say this, but... I'm your new roommate."

I stand there and just look at her. A new roommate? This can't be. The only way ti get a new roommate is if both girls werw left behind whike their roommates left. But no other adoption has been filed since Nikki left. This girl should still have her roommate. "By the way, I'm Faith."

"Weird name. But how are you my new roommate? No one else has been adopted."

Faith looks down at the floor, and shies back a bit. She rubs her arm, and her hair is hiding her face. Something tells me that she is the shy type. She says something I can barely hear but heard well enough to know why. "My roommate was found dead in an alley yesterday." I felt bad for her. Her roommate and her must have been close friends. I can't help but to step aside and let her in. I felt so awful for saying anything. Reminding her about her roommates death and maybe pushing her to the verge of tears. At that, I closed the door behind us.

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My favorite part about the orphanage is that in the back, there is a bakery. It's not open to the citizens on the town, just the ones that live here in the building. We are probably the only orphanage that has a built in bakery, and if we are not, than we have the best built in bakery. Everything runs like one, and it smells like one. Everyone that lives here, goes to the bakery whenever we get hungry. We don't have meals together, because some of us are picky eaters. Though while a bakery is not the healthiest, it is fine. There isn't just baked sweets. There is a salad bar, a tofu station for the vegans, and a breakfast area that holds the nutrition we all need. Jessie thought of the idea after noticing that some of the orphans here haven't been eating well.

We don't use this place just for eating though, we also use it to just hang out now and then. Faith and I came here to play some chess, even though I don't know how to play to save my own life. It seems she doesn't either, because I am pretty sure the pawn cannot overthrow the king. Soon enough we use the chess pieces to play checkers. I don't know why, but we just thought is was a better idea.

Faith and I just got done with our game and just ordered some food. She ordered a slice of blueberry pie and I got a salad. All of a sudden I hear a familiar voice. "Nikki!" I turn around and see Zach. "Nikki, where are you?" I hear him yell. He was standing in one spot and looking around. He seemed disappointed to only see me. He comes towards me but is stopped because it is the rules here in the orphanage. No outsider can go anywhere but the main corridor unless they are here to adopt. "Kelly, where is Nikki?" I frown and look down. The memory too much for me to handle. Too much to know that she abandoned me, when I was always there for her. "Oh gosh. Don't tell me she got killed."

I quickly looked up and my eyes have gone wide. "No! Not at all." I pause. Taking a deep sigh, I look directly into his eyes. "She just got adopted. I thought you would know that. She went to go see you to tell you. Did she not show up?" He just froze there and looked at the ground. He seemed sad and hurt. Like if a mistake was made. A mistake that he probably made himself. I stare at him, wondering what he could be thinking about. "Why do you need to see her?" He looks at me and says that it wasn't important and leaves.

"He is kinda cute." Faith says behind me. I didn't even turn around but I could tell that she was very much interested. It wasn't a surprise to me. Zach had 2 other girls fighting over him. They didn't care that Nikki was dating him. They would happily wait for them to break up just so they came jump and take her spot.

"Don't think about it." I turn around and see Faith quickly looking down at her handd. "He has a girlfriend." I can hear her shuffling in her chair. Turning back around and sit. I look at Faith and a thought came to mind. "You know, you look just like him. If I were you, I'd be careful who I think is cute."