Everlasting #Wattys2018

Eating food with strangers

I snapped out of my daze, ignoring the boys for a little I lent down and looked him the eye.

"We'll find mama," I reassured him, but deep down I knew I was terrified. What about me? What if I can't find my way back home? But even if I do, I had nobody left back home, Evelyn's been acting super weird and Mars is too worried saying she's getting to thin and suggesting we should call a doctor to notice anything. Andi doesn't love me anymore and I can't always rely on Jaime, Sirius, and Dariel.

I changed my mind, I don't want to be an adult... I'm scared!

"Mama!" The little boy sobbed. "Mama! Mama!"

I hugged him tightly, tears streaming down my face. I was petrified to my very core, my heart slammed against my chest violently and I started crying, trying to catch my breath.

The little boy was so shocked he froze. His amber eyes wide. "A' you ok?" He asked, his face scrunched up as if he was trying to hold back more incoming tears. He seemed to think that the situation was really bad if I'm crying too... and it is!

Jaime's eyes met mine kindly and went from a dry expression to silent shock. I coughed and closed my eyes as if everything would disappear and this will all be a nightmare. It felt like it just hit me that I had no one, nobody. I didn't have a mother or father to rely on and I the only people I had are all too busy to help me with my distress. I didn't have any friends... well, Dareil said I was his friend but I can't ruin his life with my unlucky presence. Oh god... I ruined Jaime's life!

"Ani?" Jaime asked, concerned.

Andi seemed frozen. "I told you-you won't last long without me," he managed to mutter, and Jaime stomped on his foot to silence him.

I let go of the kid who was silently crying in fear; I felt scared too. But I can't feel scared... I'm a big girl.

"I'm OK," I said confidently, I winced when I accidentally put too much pressure on my leg. Why won't they heal already?

I wanted to go back to BN. I didn't mind being the class nerd. The boarding nursery was so simple. Don't do anything bad of you'd get punished, do good things and you'll get rewarded. I only got punished once for any mistakes I made because I never repeat them. The vivid feeling of pain the stick made me vigorously shudder as I recalled it. Yet it's still better than now if I didn't have to have any responsibilities and I could sit down and read peacefully. Even if I would miss dinner for a hit and then have to wait with my stomach aching in the "B.C.R," (bad children's room.) as a two-year-old who didn't understand that I was supposed to eat my fries with a fork.

I stumbled on my bad legs, trying to regain balance. I eventually did and staggered to an old lady who was drinking tea and reading a book on the outside tables of a café.

"Excuse me, Madam?" I said shakily, taking out my phone. I wasn't at all sure what I could possibly ask of her... I didn't think that far into my plan.

"Yes, dear?" She replies kindly, marking the page of her book before closing it and putting it on the table. "Are you lost?" She asked. Putting some of her grey hair behind her ear.

"... kind off," I murmured, looking at Jaime.

"So what do you want?" She asked sweetly.