Lilly In The Storm

Chapter One

       I wake up in the morning overpowered by the feelings of joy and excitement that had been looking forward to this day. I take a quick glance at my nightstand where my alarm clock sat, seven thirty, perfect! As if on cue the alarm clock goes off, I'm so ecstatic for the day that I even beat my alarm. Today is my first day of fourth grade! This is my first time in a public school since second grade when I was taken from my birth mom. After that had happened I was put into foster care. About six months later I met my new Mom and Dad. It was third grade at that point. Since I had already done about three months of third grade at the foster home they decided it'd be a good idea for me to just finish it off at home with them.

       But today I finally get to join a public school again! I get dressed into my favorite outfit, my light pink skirt paired with my white blouse, then walk downstairs where Mom and Dad are eating breakfast. They look at me with big smiles, seeming equally as excited as I am. There's another layer, they look a bit nervous. I'm definitely nervous too, who wouldn't be? I hope the kids at the new school like me, I was never allowed to have friends at my old house. Now my new parents would love to meet my school friends! Sometimes I find myself thinking about what it would be like if Ben miraculously moved to the same new school I'm attending. He was my closest friend and I wish I could have spent more time with him outside of school, nothing is worse than a friendship ahead of its time.

       "Hey Mom and Dad!" I say, practically skipping into the room.

       Dad extends his arms out to me. "Hey sweetie, who's ready for her first day of school?"

       I dash over to his side of the table then engulf myself in his arms. "I am!"

       "That's our girl!" Dad announces to mom.

       Dad stands up from the table then walks over to the microwave. He opens it and takes out a plate of pancakes with eggs and toast for me. He brings it over and places it in front of me. I excitedly scarf down my breakfast then make my way over to our shoe bin. Mom and Dad join me where I stand, looking for my white flats in the bin. When I finally find them I shove them onto my feet then run out to the car. I feel the crisp September air come across my face, the kind that always seems to occur on the first day of school. I look around at all the beautiful colors beginning to appear on the leaves. We live in front of a small forest so the fall time is one of the greatest times to live here. As Mom and Dad come outside I hear a faint yell come from the forest behind our house. That's a little weird, maybe they heard it too.

       "Did you guys hear that?" I ask my parents.

       "Hear what honey?" Mom asks.

       I hear it again. The voice sounds like a boy my age. I can't make out what it says, but it was as clear as a blue summer sky. Voices don't just come from nowhere after all. It sounds off in the distance, but also not too far away. It could be the neighbors, but they don't have kids. I go through all the possibilities. Are they babysitting? Could it be the neighbors next to them? No, they live too far. The houses on my street aren't very close to each other.

       I listen a little longer to see if the voice will say something again. I hear it again and point it out to them. "That!" I say.

       "Honey, I don't hear anything." Dad says to me. Him too?

       My dad starts the car and just like that we are headed to the school. The car ride is uneventful, I see some birds and I see some clouds. Nothing new. Then we get to the school. It's a red brick building with blue roofs. I see kids on the playground, some on the blacktop playing tag and some playing basketball. I see a few adults scattered about the area, watching the kids and such.