Something so Familiar

~4~

As I stepped through the dining room door all I could hear was the children talking. They were reaching over each other to serve their food as if they hadn't eaten in days. Harry and I walked to the far end of the table where there were two spare seats. Our places. There weren't any adults around just the children although there were plenty of teenagers to keep the younger ones in order so I guess the adults weren't needed. I sat down on a creaking wooden chair that wobbled with each of my movements. Harry sat opposite me next to a girl with long blonde locks and green eyes. She introduced herself to us again as she poured a fizzing beverage into each of our glasses. Her name was Eliana. I watched Harry blush as she smiled at him whilst brushing her hair off her shoulders so it ran down her back.
I scanned the table looking for some food that looked like what we used to have at the old foster home when I made contact with Noah's sparkling, ocean blue eyes. He smiled and nodded as I felt myself go red in the face. Noticing that I had gone red, he held out a plate of bread rolls for me in order to break the awkwardness between us.

After dinner it wasn't yet bed time for us older ones so we headed to the relaxation room where there were various games such as chess, draughts and various packs of cards. Noah immediately sat down in a large, brown leather armchair, I followed through the door behind him and sat in a smaller chair next to him. My brother, Eliana and two other children all sat down on a sofa on the opposite side of a small rectangular table. A tall boy, about a year older than me, reached for a pack of cards and decided that we were to play a game of whist. It wasn't a game that I had played before at Bertha and William's but I was pretty good at it considering. We were about to start another game when a young lady, about four or five years older than Noah, poked her head round the door holding a tray of mugs. She brought them over to the small table between the chairs in the room. It was hot chocolate and a plate of cookies. She told us that Mr Bachieliordet had fallen asleep in his office after drinking and that he wouldn't be awoken easily so we were allowed to stay up a little later. She smiled at us as she left the room and I heard her footsteps slowly fade away down the corridor.
When I could no longer hear her footsteps I asked Noah who she was. He explained to me that she was Mr Bachieliordet's step-daughter but they didn't have the best relationship. Noah then continued to explain that Poppy, the girl I had just met, used to have what seemed like a happy family life. However one day whilst her mother was out, Poppy walked in on her father having an affair with another woman. No one knows who the woman was but she disappeared after her parents broke up. Poppy's mother then met Mr Bachieliordet and they got married. Poppy's mother had always wanted to open an orphanage that was homely and kind for children as she herself had grown up in one and now that she was married to someone more open hearted she was able to do so. The first child to arrive was Noah himself. He didn't explain why he was there instead he just continued with Poppy's story. One day the family and Noah were at the beach and Poppy was swimming in the sea. The waves were getting larger but she was unable to swim through the power of the current. Her mother came out to try and save her and was successful however as they were battling their way back to the shore, a huge wave swallowed Poppy's mother. Panic rushed through Poppy as she couldn't see where her mother went. A minute later the body floated to the surface, still breathing but only just. She was rushed to the nearest hospital and was put under constant supervision however she died due to shock and too much water in the lungs a few hours later. Her last words to Mr Bachieliordet were that he take care of Poppy and that he continue to make the orphanage a good home for children. However after she died, Mr Bachieliordet became an alcoholic and abusive towards Poppy as he blamed her for her mother's death.