Victoria's bare legs hung off the edge of her little bed, half covered with knee-high socks. She swung her feet back and forth a little, letting out a deep breath as she waited for Miss Carrie to call her downstairs. Her small suitcase sat on the bed next to her. The door opened.
"Victoria," Miss Carrie appeared in the doorway. "Miss Potts is here to pick you up."
Victoria sighed and wrapped her hand around the handle of her suitcase, hopping off the bed.
Victoria had been in the orphanage since she was three years old, when her mother was killed in a car crash by a drunk driver. Having no record of who her father was, she remained there for the next eight years, until today. Only a week prior, her father was finally found, and Victoria didn't know whether to be excited or terrified.
She trudged down the squeaky stairs. All of the other orphans stood in the front room watching her, the older ones were holding some of the babies, and the younger ones stood next to them. Victoria's eyes grazed over the people for a split second, then stared straight ahead again. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked up and met eyes with a red-haired woman. She wore high heel shoes, a black skirt, and a very expensive looking jacket, much nicer than the old, scraggly shirt Victoria wore.
"Hello Victoria, my name is Pepper." The lady reached out her hand. Victoria stared at it before placing her small hand limply inside of it. Pepper shook her hand lightly.
"Do you know my father?" Victoria asked quietly, surprised Pepper had actually heard her.
"Yes, yes I do, actually. I'm going to bring you to him, if that's alright with you?" Pepper said in a calm voice, which made Victoria less tense. Victoria nodded.
After saying goodbye to her friends, and Pepper signing some things, Pepper guided Victoria outside. A wide man stepped out of the black Range Rover that was parked just outside, and approached them on the sidewalk.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Stark." The man greeted. Victoria was taken aback by the name, meeting eyes with him. "My name is Happy."
Victoria felt herself grin a little. "That's your real name?"
Happy smiled, picking up the girl's suitcase. "Yes," he chuckled, putting the suitcase in the trunk of the car. "What's so funny about that?"
Victoria lowered her face in order to hide her smile.
"Come on Victoria," Pepper placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, and guided her into the vehicle.
Happy got in the drivers seat again, Victoria sat behind him, and Pepper sat beside Victoria. As the orphanage disappeared from view, Victoria felt herself getting more nervous. She began playing with the hem of her shirt.
"Would you like something to eat?" Pepper spoke up, noticing Victoria's nervousness. The girl looked up at her. "We have chocolate." Pepper smiled.
"Yes please,"
Pepper reached into the centre console, and pulled out a Kit-Kat bar, handing it to Victoria. Victoria thanked her and tore open the red packaging, breaking off a piece and putting it into her mouth. She smiled at the taste, having not eaten chocolate in years.
The rest of the drive was fairly quiet. Victoria stared out the window, Pepper was doing work on her cellphone, and Happy was driving through the busy streets of Malibu. The sun began to set right as the car pulled into a driveway. Happy lowered his window and spoke into a speaker-type thing, then the gate in front of them opened.
Victoria's eyes widened as the house came into view. There was no way this was her new home.
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