The Perfect Riley

CHAPTER 1

Who am I. No one really knows not even me I am Riley because that is what I was called by them. According to the only two people in my life, I seemingly came out of nowhere.

Who are these people? Well, they are Mark and Ms. Jacobs, the nicest people in the whole wide world. What would I have done without them, I don't really know. I would be alone again walking in a desolate area without knowing anything. 

Mark would always try to convince me that we are family and that we should stay together forever. Today was one of those days when I would wander around until I ended in front of one place that I want to be the most. I waited outside as I lean against a cold brick wall eyeing the door in front of me, my body shakes slightly. I let out clouds of mist from my mouth; The longer I wait the colder it becomes, but I did not move an inch. Not a single inch. Shifting my weight from one foot I noticed light suddenly bleed through the entrance. Mark! He walked out chucking a black trash bag into the bin right next to him. 

His steel colored eyes land on me as he patted his hand on his apron causing the white powder to create smoke around. It almost looks like white cotton candy. Just thinking about cotton candy made my mouth water. "Riley?" He questioned while taking step towards me. 

Mark rubbed my arms creating friction; It gave me a warm feeling, and I liked it very much "Why are you standing here? It is freezing. I told you that you can come inside whenever you want to." He scolded pulling me through the door. Brightness and heat surround me and I sigh with happiness.

Mark led me towards a table and sat me down. "You remember what today is right?" I shake my head up and down bouncing on the chair slightly. He grins pulling up a chair next to me. My eyes follow the patterns on the walls as the patterns witnessed everything that has ever happen here. 

These walls encased a bakery that would stop at nothing until it has convinced everyone of its importance in the world.Colors contributed to its light atmosphere; blue, white, pink playing as a theme. All the elements of a pastry making shop were splashed across it with chairs and tables situated at the opposite sides of the room leaving an entranceway towards the large glass counter. Inside the glass where different oddly shaped pastries that were decorated in bright colors people who bought them would be enchanted by its taste enough to come back several times a day.

 "Mark? Is Riley inside with you?" my head turns towards the soft yet raspy voice of an elderly woman that I love so much. She rushes to me a smile forming on her thin lips "Oh Darling!" she pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.

The hug lasted a few seconds before she started to rub my arms, and her smile falters "Why is your precious skin so cold?Riley, were you standing outside again?" I bowed my head not making eye contact. 

I never even feel cold "How many times have I told you that you can come inside whenever you want. The door is always open for you my sweet." her voice softens when she called me sweet. 

I finally made eye contact with Ms. Jacob meeting her calculating light blue eyes, and let my lips pull up into a half-smile. 

Mark clears his throat before he speaks "Ms. Jacob are we not forgetting something." Realization flashed through her eyes as she clapped her nimble hands together. " oh yes , Mark darling can you go get the cake please." Both of them were grinning ear to ear as Mark brought a vanilla frosting covered cake.

 "Happy fourth birthday Riley!" They both yell clapping their hands urging me to make a wish before blowing out the candles, I was not really four-years-old. I truly have no clue as to what age I really am, but I was given the birthday on this day.

The day Mark found me with a cut on my bottom lip. I was an aimless wanderer with no qualms about surviving since I did not need to eat or sleep all I did all day was soak up the thin streaks of the sun ray's and stare at the sky during the night. I reveled in this bizarre town with it's abnormal colored houses, it's abnormally shaped store, and It's abnormal people. 

These abnormal people were more normal than I could ever be and there glares reminded me of this every day. They would look at me and I would see them sneer and whisper words I could not understand or hear. My vocabulary was limited at the time, and it took time for me to formulate the sentences in my head. I gave up trying to understand them because I knew that they were saying hurtful things about me. I stayed out of their way losing my thoughts to my own daydreams making sure to smile at the sky and ask the clouds questions. 

On the day Mark took me in I made the mistake of snapping out of my reverie when my eyes caught sight of a glowing object inside a boutique. I went inside completely unaware of my surrounding and picked up the object to inspect it. 

It was pulled out of my hold and a hand connected with my cheek really hard as the impact pushed my head to the side "Who said you can come in here? She will kill me! Get out!" A women with amber colored eyes screamed pushing me out the door. 

It didn't hurt. It never hurt me physically but I still cried while running out of the boutique murmuring an apology. I slumped down near a wall completely dejected and a muscular man with a broken pointy nose came up to me. He sat in front of me for a while inspecting my demeanour.

He abruptly grabbed my chin and pulled it up just enough for me to meet his gray eyes a smile of recognition grew in his face.

It was like he knew me or knew of me "You are just as beautiful as they say you are." the man whispered. Beautiful who called me beautiful? That was the first someone had called me beautiful. A word that I could not wrap my head around at the time, but once he started calling me that he never stopped.

His eyes trailed to my lip and his expression changed as he scrunched his eyebrows .Sliding his arms around my shoulders and under my knees he pulled me up towards his torso. Staring at me enchantingly as the nameless steel-eyed man continued walking. 

He finally spoke while still staring at me "Whats your name?" I jumped a little when his voice entered my ears.

I looked up at him and stayed silent. He asked for something i never thought i had. I looked long and hard at his expression. That didn't shake him. The strange twinkle in the pool of steel didnt shift either. It was excelerating in its own right.

He spoke again realizing that i wouldn't answer "My name is Mark." He uttered gently.

I couldn't reply immediately as I pondered over what to say. I reply slowly stuttering and stumbling along the way "M-y-y don't-t-t kno-w-w nam-e-e."

I hadn't spoken in so long the words came out broken and rather embarrassing. I was not in the right state of mind to be judged by another person. I  eventually shut down emotionally and mentally too exhausted and humiliated to continue answering questions as Mark tried coaxing me to answer the questions.

He took me inside the bakery without uttering a single word after that; Ms Jacob was the first to give me the affection that a mother would give her child as she enveloped me in a hug while setting me on her lap. Mark on the other hand did not take his eyes off me as if that was the day he realized something about me or about himself.

They did not question me about who I was or where I came from, where my family was or how my vocabulary was very limited. I would not have been able to answer them anyway because I didn't know myself. In the end, Ms. Jacob gave me food, a name, and a place to sleep.

Thus, I was officially known as Riley.

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Hey guys!

Please comment let me know if you like it or not.

What is your favorite color?

Mine is blue.

A weird shade of though something like teal. 😂😂😂