Andie

1.1

Andie often spent her time daydreaming, for lack of a better term. One might call it simply wondering, or the drifting of thoughts. Another might consider her 'daydreaming' to be something else entirely. Marie, her careworker, had once written that it was the forging of memories likely due to childhood trauma.

Though...that was entirely too psychological for Andie's liking. Which she had made known by scribbling in the margin of the 'confidential' report.

No, Andie would call it day dreaming. Or night dreaming. Dreaming, if you will. She dreamed of her parents, of a family unknown. Specifically, she dreamed of her mum.

Juliet.

That was her name. Juliet Gibson. A woman who was only known by the crumpled photograph of her as a teenager, taped endlessly to the point of lamentation, after fits of rage and sorrow.

It was a photo Andie clung to desperately.

It was funny how much she looked like her. Age 14, Julie Gibson stood with her award trophy, a smile so alike to her own.

At age 14, Andie stood on the worn carpeted floor, staring out of her window.

The sight below her was met with a bitterness that coated her tongue.  A blonde girl, no older than 7, was being  waved goodbye as she climbed into her newly adoptive family's car, plaits swinging as she bounced in her seat. She did not know the child's name. Nor did she wish to. It would just be another face, another name whisked away by loving people. Being cute and small and blonde, it was no wonder she had only been in the home a short while.

A long sigh escaped her throat, tired and defeated; she was not picked yet again. It was okay, she thought, head rested against the cool window pane. She just wanted to find out what happened to her mother, and why everyone avoided telling her.

It was a secret she wished to be spilled and over with.

Maybe she would take her back? Maybe her mum would run towards her, arms out stretched, a warm smile splitting her face.

Andie sighed again. Maybe not, she thought. She watched as the other care kids surrounded the car, a pack of hungry and desperate wolves who hidtheir starvation with wide smiles as their friend readied to leave them. Tears cascaded down their young faces... Andie would shed no such tears.

"Being up here alone won't do you much good. You should come down to say goodbye."

Andie turned towards the door, heart leaping in her chest.