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Chapter Two- Somewhere Tomorrow

The school day went by slower than usual for Sutton. More than often she found that school was a way to get away from work and chores. She was even quite exceptional. Her grades were always the best in the class and she was also in the advanced classes for students who exceeded their grades standards. After school Sutton staggered toward her ruined home. As she made her way she thought about the possibilities of what might happen. "Anything this boy would do would never help her," she said to herself. "I'm a homeless orphan." Once she finally arrived at the clearing that lead to her house she found Trent digging in the rubble. She rushed over to him and gasped, "It's ok I can do it," she said as she dragged him out of the ash. "Look what you've done!" Sutton stared straight at his blue jeans turned black. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she knelt next to his legs brushing off as much ash as she could. "Let me do it next time. After all it is my house."

"Yeah sure, I just got out early and thought I might look around," he scratched his head and smiled. Sutton walked over to the rubble and started picking at chard wood and brushing away ash. After she managed to gather a couple of things that weren't badly damaged she stood up and scoped the area looking for something very important. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small area where the ceiling had crumbled on top of something fairly big. She quickly scurried over towards the large piece of stone and pushed it aside to reveal her fathers safe. A sigh of relief escaped from her mouth as she tried to haul it away from the houses remains.Before she even got the heavy safe three feet away from its original spot another pair of hands helped her move it. Sutton looked up to see Trent lift up the safe and carry it over to flat land near the other items she scavenged.

"Thank you," she whispered sadly. Tears burned in the back of her eyes threatening to expose themselves, but Sutton was ready. She was ready to break down. She was ready to throw herself to the ground and cry until it no longer hurt. Her heart couldn't take another moment of pain. She gazed at all the things that survived the fire; a metal hairbrush that her mother gave her when she was young, a picture of her parents right before they died, a gold necklace she received from a childhood friend, and a cd who's case had begun to melt. She slowly walked over to the safe and got on her knees to meet the lock. She twisted in the combination and opened it. Inside the safe dozens of drawings cluttered the bottom along with a roll of emergency cash, a letter from her cousin, her diary, and an old stuffed bear. Sutton gently took the bear out of the safe and looked it in the eyes. The tears that she had held off for so long finally came rushing out. She hugged the teddy bear tightly as she cried with her head bowed. Sutton hated people seeing her cry because she never like stereotypes. People who thought girls where weak where inferior themselves. Sutton gasped for breath trying to stop crying. She gently put the bear back in the safe along with the other things she scavenged, her books, and her back pack filled with her clothing, a shirt, a pair of pants, and undergarments for each day of the week. She closed the safe and locked it shut. Sutton stared blankly at the safe, "where do I go from here," she thought to herself. She felt a light tap on her back as Trent extended a hand motioning for her to take it.

"Come with me," he said as she took his hand. He lead her deeper into the woods, farther then she had ever gone before. They entered a section of the woods that had gigantic trees that could touch the clouds. Behind a row of trees a huge house stood in the path of Sutton and Trent. This house was three fourths the height of the surrounding trees and had an elegant garden surrounding it.

Sutton gasped at the house and swallowed hard, "Who's house is this?" She wondered out loud.

"Mine," Trent said it so casually that it was easy to believe him. "Actually it was my parents, but just like you I'm an orphan." Still holding hands Sutton squeezed his tighter.

"I'm sorry," She whispered. After her parents died she heard so many people tell her "I'm sorry" but she knew that not a single person actually meant it, but this time she hoped hers rang through all the pity smiles and fake apologies.

"Yeah well after they died my brother started taking care of me and my younger brother. Maybe that's why I want to help you, because even if we're different in the end we're all the same. We're just lonely orphans." Trent had a blank stare on his face, but in reality his thoughts where moving to fast to process. "I want to help you. I only have three siblings and about ten extra rooms, so if you would like you could stay with us."

Sutton looked at Trent in the eyes. To happy for words she nodded her head and blurt out the words, "YES, yes I would love to. What could I do in return."

Trent smiled and said, "Me and my brothers own a coffee shop down town. You could help us out with work over there."

"Ok," she said through small tears and a huge grin, "that'd be wonderful!"

"Good. Then it's settled. But before we should tell my brother. Don't worry he's really laid back and he'll probably say yes, but it's my younger brother I'm worried about. He always seems to be mad at the world, maybe it's 'cause we don't agree with each other very much. Well we should go inside now," still holding her hand Trent lead Sutton into the house.

"Thank you," she whispered as they entered together.