THE UNEXPECTED WEEK

Day 4- Thursday

"Dude! What the hell!" Sebastian shouted. "I seriously can't have mashed potatoes any longer. They have been giving us this for about a week. I mean what are we? Some food deprived soldiers in a battlefield who have lost connections with our team and are now surviving on the leftover food every damn day?"

I couldn't agree more with him. He was right. Us seniors in the dorm usually get the leftover food from the previous night, most of the time. It is the small children who get the real food.

"You're right." I nodded my head and continued eating the thing. The more years you spend here, the more low-caste they treat you because it means that possibility of some family to come and pick you up becomes bleaker.

After we consumed our breakfast, we started walking towards our dorm. I wasn't feeling relaxed. But then that was taken for granted, considering what was happening in my life. Our first period was free today so even Sebastian was in the room. Ashley would soon come to take me anytime now.

I positioned myself onto the bed. I sat down with my legs bent and arms crossed, resting on my knees and my chin resting on my arms. I stared ahead at the wall.

Yesterday had been the most tiring and brainstorming day ever since she came. I was so tired and disconcerted that I couldn't study at night. And after that small pillow fight of ours, I was as good as dead.

Since Monday, every day has been so tiring, so dragging and so hard to comprehend. There are so many emotions and so many feelings that seem all new to me. It feels as if some locked box inside my brain has been opened and I can't control the speed with which the things are escaping from it. Why is it so difficult? Why? Why is this happening to me?

How can she possibly ask me to visit her family so suddenly? Does she want them to look down upon me? Does she want to insult and laugh at me along with them? I don't understand. It's too troublesome to even think about it. I don't have the courage nor the energy to meet her new family. I know I would feel alienated among them. I know that they would never accept me. I don't know if I would be able to accept them.

Moreover, I don't know anything about her. I don't know where she works or even what job she has. I don't know her favourite food or her way of doing things. Hell I don't even know her surname!

That's so stupid of me not to ask her. I don't think I would be able to-

"Deep in thought I see?" Sebastian said.

I flinched due to the shock and realised I was still staring at the wall.

"Yeah." I replied.

Seb smiled and said, "Don't think too much about it. Just go with the flow."

I grimaced. "Of course, it's easy for you to say that."

"Of course." He grinned and continued, "But maybe you should just do what she is expecting you to do."

"No. You don't know what the hell I am dealing with here, Sebastian! It's as if my whole world has been turned upside down. What if I tell you that the sun rises in the west? It's a fact that is known to all and you have to accept it without questioning. That whatever it is that you have been taught your whole life was a lie? You all are just wanting me to accept it blindly that the sun rises in the west. And sadly, I can't bring myself to do th-"

A sharp and short knock came at the door. It was time. I got up with my heavy legs and dragged myself out of the room while giving her a smile.

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We walked out of the orphanage in an awkward silence. Ashley was quiet today. There was some uneasiness in the air. Moreover, today she was late. It was already close to noon. We sat down in the car.