Lena's POV
I pulled up to the school and sat in the car. Hopefully Baylee's first day went well. She seemed excited about it.
Knowing her story, I don't know how much more she could take.
Being abused for so long, there's no knowing how she will react to different situations.
Hopefully people were nice to her and wouldn't be cruel just because Adam and I adopted her.
The media knew Adam and I adopted Baylee to fill the void from losing Sarah.
We weren't trying to replace Sarah, we just wanted a teenage daughter.
I was glad that she was finally getting used to living with us. Her calling me mom almost brought me to tears. It meant so much, even if she wasn't my biological daughter.
*****
After 30 minutes of waiting, Baylee still didn't come out of the school. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called Adam.
"Hey Lena, how's Baylee?" Adam said. "I've been wait a half hour and she still hasn't come out of the school," I said. "Maybe she's talking to someone in the office," He said. "Good idea. I'll go check. See you soon," I said. "Bye, love you," He said. "Love you too," I said before I hung up.
I put my phone back into my purse and walked into the school. I walked into the office and saw a different lady at the desk.
"Hi, may I help you?" She said. "Hi, my name is Lena Levine. I've been waiting outside for over a half hour to pick my daughter up and she still hasn't come out," I said.
"Let me check her attendance," The lady said. "We dropped her off this morning and watched her walk to her first class," I said.
"Well the attendance records are telling me that she didn't show up to 8th hour," She said. "Well she isn't at home," I said.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Levine, we don't know where she is," She said. "How can you not know where she is! This is a school!" I screamed.
"I'm sorry," The lady said. I stormed out of the office and walked back to the car with tears falling down my cheeks.
I turned the car on and sped home. Where could Baylee possibly be? How did she manage to get out of school? And why?
Tears fell down my face faster as I thought about her. Out there and alone. My daughter was out there. By herself with no one to help her.
*****
I pulled into the driveway and slammed the door shut.
I walked into the house and saw Adam sitting at the kitchen counter.
"Hey babe. Where's... What's wrong?" He said as he ran over to me. "They don't know where Baylee is," I said before I buried my face in his chest and cried.
Adam wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back. I heard him starting to cry.
Our daughter was gone. She ran away. I wanted her back. But why did she leave?
Baylee's POV
I had been walking for an hour now and I finally reached my destination.
The orphanage.
Clearly nobody at school wanted to see me, and Adam along with his wife only adopted me to replace their dead daughter.
I wasn't wanted.
But that's fine. I'm used to it.
