The Lost Birthdate

chapter 1: Adopted

chapter 1: Adopted

“I’m sorry you still can’t find your date of birth.” Lilly says, after we've spent hours, searching for my personal, long-lost documents in this ancient chest hidden in my ancestors' building. 

I was born orphaned, and for some reason, no one at the hospital was able to confirm who I was, where I was from, or who my real parents are. 

All I know is fifteen years ago, a woman found me in an old building when she heard a baby cry. (I probably shouldn't refer her to "a woman", but whatever.) That baby was me. Roxanne [insert last name]. She rushed to the hospital, carrying me in her arms. The woman is called June, and is now my mother. 

“Whatever. I wish I could be reborn. I’m sick of living with June and her new husband. They aren’t even my real parents.” I complain. 

Five months ago, June had re-married another man after her last divorce. And to be completely honest, I don't exactly approve of him. First of all, he's twenty years older than her; Second, he is a former alcoholic; Third, I can totally tell he's trying to separate me from my own mother.

“At least you have someone who’s willing to take care of you—” 

“I read in this thick book the other day,” I say, cutting Lilly off. “that there's a phrase that turned out to be a spell. The spell is supposed to help turn you into someone else’s sister. I was thinking...” I stare straight at my best friend.

“Oh no. NO WAY. You can't do this, Roxanne. As much as I'd like for you to be my sister—that would be super cool—you can't just use spells whenever you want, just so you could turn your life around. It's dangerous, Roxanne. And what about June? Aren't you afraid of what's going to happen to her if she ever loses you?” Lilly warns me. 

I ignore Lilly and looked her right in the eye and said firmly, “I, Roxanne [insert last name] wishes to be reborn into a new person—a sister of my best friend, Lilly [insert last name].”