Tell Me You're Joking. [CANCELED]

1.

(FYI: Cesare is pronounced "Chess air ay", in an Italian accent. Don't kill me for the names! Also anything spoken in Italian will be put in italics.)

Cesare's POV

I sat in the bay window of my room, looking out across the small farm the orphanage was on. I could see younger kids running though the corn field, trying to see how much corn they could get in a few minutes, older kids picking the apples, and the overseers glaring at them all. Only the young ones were happy.

I sigh, but stand at attention when the orphanage director knocks once, then enters my room.

"So then, maggot. Some poor idiot is looking for a boy at your age. Go get that stupid Kyle kid and then get your behind down stairs, understood?" She barks, sounding more dog than human.

I nod, and relax when the door slams. I pause for a few moments, in case she decides to come back, then go yell through the wall at Kyle to go downstairs.

I fix my hair, then walk down the creaky wooden stairs, running my hands down the peeling paint, feeling it chip. This place was so old, and was practically falling apart. In fact, one kid jumped in their room a month ago, and now there's a dent in the floor.

I run my hands through my hair again, and brush off my shirt. I shuffle into the meeting room and see Kyle, the director, and a tall man standing there.

"Do either of you speak Italian?" He says, in Italian I think.

My eyebrows furrow, and I tilt my head a little. I caught the word Italian, but that's because it sounds similar to the English pronunciation.

I shuffle and stare at the ground, not knowing the man was pointing at me.

"That one." He says, and I sag, thinking he picked Kyle over me. The director leaves, and I hear Kyle sigh and leave. I look up and see the man staring at me, eyes light and happy. I shyly smile back. I saw a bit of a tattoo poking out of the collar of his shirt, but think nothing of it.

"Well, go pack your bags, son."  He says kindly. I must have looked confused because he said, "Don't you want to be adopted?"

I grin and sprint upstairs. I grab my one suitcase and stuff my clothes and pillow into it. I grab my hedgehog  Joey's cage, with him in it of course, and the bag of food and bedding. I carefully head down the stairs and see someone in a uniform take my suitcase, but I refuse to hand over Joey.

The man leads me out of the old farm house and into a black car, and puts Joey's cage on a small table that came out from the back of the drivers seat. I smile.

"Thank you. Joey is the only friend I have." I say, meaning every word.

The man says, "Not a problem, my name is Leo (LAY-OH), short for Leonardo."

"Cesare. Short for nothing." I say jokingly. Leo smiles and laughs heartily.

I'm glad I was adopted by him.