Coco

The City

When I woke up, the sun was setting. I stared out the window for a few minutes, and then went to get a shower. The water was warm and clean, and I think that was the first time in years that I've gotten a shower that didn't have any ocean water in it. I turned off the water and got dressed. I put the same clothes on as yesterday. I then grabbed the little bottles in the bathroom.

"Miss Heartwood? Someone is here to see you." A man said on the other side of the door.

I forgot that I had told them my birth name instead of some fake name. I opened the door and saw a small girl standing there. She'd was probably about five or six, Her hair was blonde instead of caramel, and she had bright aqua and pink streaks all through her hair. Her eyes were just like mine. Aqua and they looked like glitter was in them.

"Miss Heartwood, we think this is your younger sister." The man said.

"That makes no sense. My mother died." I told him.

"Meg I'm hungry." The girl said.

I felt like I had been shot. Only a handful of people knew my first name, and she wasn't one of the people I told.

"Well, I turned eighteen a few days ago, so I can take care of her." I told the man.

He led the girl inside and closed the door. I picked her up and sat her on the bed. She didn't look like a mutant, but then again, she could be. I looked around, and turned a cartoon on for her to watch.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Alessa Lacey Heartwood." She said, "I go by Lessy or Alessa or Lacey."

"Who told you where I was?" I asked curiously.

"Dad said you were too poor to afford a place to live, and I overheard the Avengers saying you were singing on this street. I just went and looked to see if you were in any hotel on this street." She calmly answered.

"Dad is alive?" I asked, shocked.

"Yeah, and mom was. The hard truth is that they didn't want a mutant child, but you were born so they gave you to your foster mom." She said.

"Who nearly handed me to S.H.I.E.L.D." I finished.

"Yeah. Mom died during childbirth for real this time, and I barely survived." Alessa said, "I'm tired. Can I go to bed?"

"Go ahead. I paid for this room for about a week, and it costs a ton. I'll be back soon, and I'll have food with me." I told her as I got the little money I had left over.

I went downstairs and into the little store area. I bought 6 of those mini cereal bowls, 2 bottles of chocolate milk, and 6 tiny Oreo packages. I paid at the front desk and ran back upstairs.

I opened the door, and Alessa was asleep already. I put the bottles of chocolate milk into the fridge under the tv, and went to bed. I laid right next to Alessa, as if I was protecting her from the horrors I have witnessed.

I woke up the next morning and there were some clothes for me and Alessa sitting on the tv stand. Just to help you get back on your feet. The note on top said. There were sneakers (I'm going to be honest, I am not sure what they're called, so for the sake of the story, they're sneakers) on the floor, and my boots were there too.

"Alessa, time to wake up." I calmly told her.

She woke up, and I handed her a little cereal thing. She ate like she was never eat again, so I'm guessing she has been running for a little while, or she was only running yesterday and hadn't eaten at all.

I changed in the bathroom, and put the room key in my pocket. I tied the laces on my shoes, and walked to the door. I put the do not disturb sign out.

"Do not answer the door or talk to anyone. You can watch tv, but if anyone knocks, turn it off and crawl into the corner between the wall with the window and the tv stand." I explained.

"Okay." She said as she turned the tv on.

I left the room and went down to a cafe a few buildings down. I saw a help wanted sign in the window.

"Um, hello? I'm looking for a job. Can I work here?" I asked the manager, who was working at that time.

"Yeah, just take customer orders and bring them their food and drinks." He said as he walked into a back room.

I pulled an apron on and started taking orders. After work I came home, and saw that Alessa was already asleep.

"Goodnight, Alessa." I said to her.

I crawled into bed and fell asleep, only to wake up to the noise of shattering glass the next day.