Delanna lay down in bed. The only pj's she has are a pair of her mother's old shorts and a bra. The rough blankets make it hard for the girl to find a comfy spot to sleep in.
The faint buzz of Lily's breathing is all that she can hear. This not including the voices that fill Delanna's ears. How come it seems that Lily is hiding something? Why is this orphanage is so cruel? Why am I even here? Where is my mama? These questions fill Delanna with wonder, sadness, and anger.
She starts to feel drowsy, and sinks into the bed, no matter how uncomfortable it is. She stays awake for long enough, to see Miss Hecklar open the door and start to watch the girls. Delanna closes her eyes and falls asleep to the constant ticking over of her thoughts.
***
Delanna woke up to the sound of bustling students. They were talking and gossiping about anything you could imagine. At least the kids here could talk without being whipped. Lily was already up, getting dressed into the black and white uniform. Each piece of Lily's belongings was sorted perfectly. Every piece of clothing, accessory, anything had its own place in her suitcase. Delanna's was not quite the same. She had had no time to pack properly when the taxi came.
Lily pulled off her PJ t-shirt, which was decorated with a beautiful blue scacchi* pattern. Delanna wished she could own something as pretty that. But alas she did not. Before Lily could put on her uniform top, her roommate saw a red mark, slapped across her back. Lily hurrying, dragged on her uniform top, which happened to be a button-up shirt. It was too late, Delanna had already seen the whip mark.
But before either of the girls could say anything to each other, a bell rang signifying breakfast time. Delanna rushed to rip on the uniform that she was given. Too small, dammit, she thinks as she tries not to rip the seams.
Lily strode out the door, with enough force to knock over a younger orphan, who had blonde hair and looked scarily like Delanna. As Lily went to help the little girl up, Delanna had time to catch up with her roommate.
" What is that whip mark?" Delanna asks Lily.
"Shhhh." The teenager replies.
"No, I will not shush I want answers!"
"You have to be quiet," The younger girl tells Delanna.
Delanna kneels down and faces the small orphan. "I think this is a little out of your reach little one." She tells her. A shocked look peels itself across the little girl's face. She looks a bit worried. Delanna notices.
"Miss Delanna. I noticed that you've been talking about our minor welcoming ritual." Miss Hecklar bellowed at the orphan. There was no turning back now. Delanna turned around to face the woman.
"You shall be missing breakfast, and instead be accompanying me to my office thank you, Miss Hays." The headmistress told her. A grimace consumed Delanna's face as she followed the fat lady down the hall.
*scacchi, is Italian for checkered.
YOU ARE READING
Delanna
Teen Fiction¨I believed that she loved me, until she ran.¨ 15-year-old Delanna Hays lived with her parents in a small flat in downtown Rome. That is until her mother left. With her mother gone, Delanna takes it upon herself to feed herself and her father...
