Adopted by Nian

There it was, the playground.

I saw from afar the crowd of kids squealing and laughing but to me they were that was the noise of evil. There was only one thing I wanted to use in this playground.

I ran, avoiding children that were much bigger than me until I got to the only empty part of the playground.

The extreme monkey bars.

I climbed onto the raise platform and took a deep breath. This monkey bar was ten feet high and twenty feet long. I looked at the chipped, green paint and down to the hard, gravel ground. Even the older boys can barely finish it without getting a scrape or dislocating a shoulder. I looked down at my dirty, purple converse that were the only pair of shoes I owned and sighed.

I was about to turn back when I saw that I had gathered a small crowd, waiting expectantly for the elf to fail.

"There's no turning back now..." I huff and put both my hands on top of the first bar.

I began and when I got to the fifth bar my arms were beginning to ache but when I looked down, I got my strength back. I was halfway through when my sweaty hand slipped and I was dangling by one hand. I tried desperately to grab back on but my little strength betrayed me.

"I knew she couldn't do it! Let go, elf!" I heard the kids on the sidelines mock and I gritted my teeth.

I was about to give up and fall to the ground when strong hands raised me back up and I grabbed the bar with both my hands. I look down to see my savior and it was a young man with very dark hair and baby blue eyes just like mine.

"Never give up." He says with a smile.

I began to swing again and the man followed me from under to catch me if I slipped again. Before I knew it, I was at the other end and I landed safely on the platform. I started to jump up and down and clap excitedly.

I stop when I see the other kids on the sideline gaping and the man next to me was clapping.

"You did it!" He exclaimed and I smiled smugly.

"I couldn't do it without you." I say shyly.

"Kylie! It's time to go!"

I turn around and see Stacy gathering up the other children and she glares at me.

"Is that your mother?" The man asks calling back my attention.

"No, she's my guardian for the day or week." I say bitterly glaring back at Stacy.

"Guardian?" The man asks in confusion.

"Yeah, I'm an orphan... I'm Kylie." I say changing the subject.

"Oh, I'm Ian." He says and I shake his hand. He was so nice.

"I better go..." I say and start to leave.

I turn around to wave at him goodbye but he was already gone.