Spirit Animals

Chapter 1

     I can only be me, and that "me" is Alina. Alina is all I ever will be. I was a baby who was left on the doorstep of an orphanage. The classic baby left in a basket with nothing but a music box made of redwood with a golden trim and an emerald gem that resembled a panther right on top of it. Miles, the man who adopted me, says that the only way I would fall asleep was if he played the song that the music box would hum. It's a soft lullaby that soothed my tantrums.

     I've lived on my own in an orphanage before Miles came around and adopted me, and no family had taken a second glance at me before him. He would tell me that it happens to kids sometimes and that I was just unlucky to not get adopted at a younger age. I knew he meant well, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt. When I reached twelve years old I gave up hope that my biological family would come for me, and then Miles took me to the foster home. I treated everyone there more and more like my family. Now, I go to high school like any normal teen. Normal.

     'I'm kidding myself if I think I'm normal. The kids at school broke that into my head long ago.' I thought to myself as I ran around the house trying to remember which room I put my phone to charge. I rounded the corner so fast that I almost bumped into Miles.

     "Alina, what are you doing?" he asked.

     "Have you seen my phone? I left it to charge but I can't remember which room," I ask. Instead of answering me Miles just smiles and takes out my phone from his back pocket. "What would I do without you Miles?" I grin and reach for my phone.

     "Hopefully, we'll never have to find out," Miles replies with a smile. "Next time try not to be so loud. The girls almost woke up." he warns.

     "Sorry about that." I apologize, say goodbye and walk to school with the fall air wrapping itself around me.

     The path to school is brutal. Whenever I go to school, no matter what path I take, I bump into some kid from school that always makes a comment about me. It's hard to ignore it when no one else is on your side. Since the year I started school the other kids began calling me "The Abandoned Girl" because one of them found out that I'm adopted. I don't understand what's so bad about not having any parents that people bully me for it. It doesn't make sense, but I can't do anything about it.

     As I walk down the path covered with yellow leaves I feel a force that shoves me out the way and almost lose my balance. It's the person who has been casting a shadow over me since elementary school.

     Seth Marshall.

     "Watch where you're going" he practically growls and kept on walking, as well as I, with my hand clenched and my head down. Part of me wishes that I could have something on Seth so that he can feel the same way I do everyday, but I always stop myself. It will make me just as bad as him, and I know I'm better than that. Seth is never in a good mood, and maybe that's because I was around. I don't know what I did to make him hate me so much, but he was the one who found a way to have everyone in school stay away from me. It's ridiculous.

     It's wrong.

     One would think I would have at least one friend in the entire school, and I did. Notice the past tense. She was my best friend and she stayed by my side for my first 3 years of elementary. One day she just stopped talking to me, and she told me that Seth would hurt her if she stayed my friend. She even transferred to a different school because she was so scared that Seth would hurt her if she even looked at me. It didn't make sense that he would go so far to make sure that I was miserable.

     Finally, I made it to the school and I went straight to my first class, but not without hearing words of pity about me not having anyone in my life. I cringe. I walk to my seat in the back next to the window, and from there I can see the fire leaves fall from the trees onto the sidewalk below. Looking out the window brought me peace and helps me ignore everyones comments on my life. I know my life sucks. They need to find something new to talk about.