Damsel In Distress

chapter one

i'm madison rose. ive got a nice name huh. i'm currently studying for my calculus exam tomorrow. i. love. math.  but you know what? it's too dark in here.

19 years ago, my parents left me at the orphanage. it seems like i was already their 4th child, and maybe they can't afford to raise me anymore so they left me in an orphan home at the suburbs. they treated me well. i had a home, no, it wasn't home, it was just for shelter, a house. they fed me three times a day, provided me clothes. it was an 'okay life' compared to those other kids that are desperately in need of food and shelter. but it was just not right. i had no one to call my family back there. they would only be my orphanmates and those who're taking care of us. seems like no one had adopted me- neither were the other orphans. it was not a life i wanted, but i endured it all. only for 15 years. the day after my birthday, i suddenly realized and thought about things. "is this really where i'm going to be for the rest of my life?" the safe answer would be "yes. you have no other choice" but actually, i have. i had choices. and that's when i decided to run away from there. of course i left a letter about how i was grateful to have been lived in the orphanage and been well taken care of and that they need not to worry about me and that i would come back if i was already ready. so i ran away.  i had a little money which i had kept and saved for a very long time when i was in the orphanage. i walked, and walked... i literally did not know where i was heading to, but i was following where the lights and tall buildings were. 

"was i going to find my parents, well i have a hint, my surname's rose, so i'd just find families with rose surnames right?" actually no. i won't find them. doesn't mean i won't find them, i already don't care about them. well, i think now's just not the time, and i believe that the right things happen in the right time so, ill just go with my flow right?

i started finding some places to stay in, but i knew i wouldn't. i didn't have enough money. i was looking for jobs. god, i know. i'm not dumb. no one would ever accept me. im an orphan. im just fifteen. but i guess that was the best day of my life. there was a small restaurant owned by a fat old lady. while i was passing by, she was genuinely smiling at me when she saw me. so i came in, i don't know why but i did. it's like something's telling me to. 

"uh, hey." i smiled shyly.

"hey little pumpkin, what can i do for you? are you lost?" with a worried voice.

"i, uh..." i was supposed to ask if i could work but i know it won't work im only fifteen!

so i kept my head down and slowly turned around but when i started to drift away, she called.

"hey! young lady, come here."

i don't know if i should stop but i did, and came back.

"tell me, dear. don't be shy." she's wearing those genuine smile again.

"i... can i wash your dishes?" 

she chuckled, "oh dear, you want to work? where's your parents?"

and then i told her everything. and guess what. i got the job!

her name's betty. she's from boston but moved here when she married her late husband. she came back to boston and raised her two daughters, and then came back to new york knowing that her husband had a restaurant for her. she's alone in new york since her daughters are staying in boston. she was my first family. we had gotten close, and i treat her as my grandmother. i worked at her restaurant and she let me live at a small house just near to the city. i told her i wanted to continue schooling. when i was at the orphanage there were local schools there which i attended to. and i was kinda smart. i told her not to worry about the fees. i'll apply for a scholarship in a local college first and i got accepted! full scholarship.