rainbows

nine

The boy in front of me is gobbling his food and I can't help but scrunch my nose at him.

Pasta, burritos, spaghetti, tacos I have eaten so much I lost my count after two and now it feels like my stomach will explode. Don't get me wrong though, I still have space left for dessert.

I look around for Claire but she's nowhere in sight. I don't even remember if she followed us after Ryan met me in front of the park.

"What's your name?" The girl beside the guy asks me.

"Alyssa" I cross my arms around my chest and lean into the seat.

"My name's Rosa." She smiles at me and I notice her teeth are missing.

Giving her an awkward smile I go back to playing with the buttons on the camera. I've never been good with kids.

A lady enters and tells us that's lunch time's over. What? They don't serve dessert? Wack. I mentally flip them off and stand up.

Ryan taps on my shoulder "C'mon we're getting a tour of this place."

"Okay." I smile at the two kids I was sitting with and join Ryan. "Who's giving it?"

"Nobody, we're on our own." I raise my eyebrow at him "Okay."
He takes the camera from my hands and we leave the hall stepping into the open area. Ryan clicks a picture of the entrance. He clicks pictures of random things as I move around silently.

"They're so lively people." He speaks up.

I turn around and look at him. "Yeah, they are."

"Wish I had a sibling." He says looking into the camera.

"Trust me, they're a headache." I shake my head thinking of Lexi.

"But at least you have someone to just chill with at home. I was always alone. Mom and dad were always working."

When he says this I think about all the times I was bored so I went to Lexi's room. All the time's we watched movies. When I think of this I conclude I've never done these things with somebody else. It has always been Lexi. She's the only friend I've ever had. And now maybe Ryan? Do I count him as my friend? Does he count me as one?

"Yeah." I look at him." Yeah having siblings is fun. I'm sorry you don't have one." Saying sorry isn't right. Hell, what am I sorry for? That his parents didn't have unprotected sex after him? But saying sorry when the other person is sad makes you look like a good person right? Wait, Why do I even want to look like a good person in front of him? Okay, SHUTUP ALYSSA.It's just a stupid word.No it isn't. Sorry isn't a stupid word, people have made it look like one, Just like love. Ok seriously shut the hell up.

"It's fine," he says. The mood has shifted. It's getting awkward. Way to go Alyssa.

"Is that the reason you were so happy with them?" We turn left, there are a lot of rooms here. I think its where they sleep.

"Yes," he says and clicks again.

A motion of blonde hair catches my eye. It doesn't take much to figure out it's Claire.

"That's the girl you were with? "He points to his right.

"Yeah," I say as we step inside the room.

She looks at us but doesn't say anything.

"Hey kiddo you alright?" Ryan asks. She has her hands neatly folded on her lap. She's way too organised and mannered for a ten-year-old.

"Yes." She says. "Okayyyyyy." I stretch my reply. It's getting awkward.