Real Or Not Real?

Chapter 1

I really hate my life. I always keep reminding myself that every single day, as I'm walking around my orphanage, cleaning the house. Everyone in this house is supposed to do their own chores, but they never do, so I do it for them. Of course, I hate it, but I don't want to get everyone in trouble by Suzan, the "mother" of this place. She's nice, but sometimes gets really impatient. And when she gets impatient, let's just say you wouldn't want to be in her way.

I've only been living here for about 2 weeks, and I already know that this place is going to be worse than living in the streets.
For about 4 months, my shelter was always on the streets. Side of buildings, empty alley ways, benches. Sometimes, when I got lucky, I would get the chance to sleep in an abounded house.

My little brother, Henry, was struggling this life with me for a little while. We were sad, angry, and hungry. But the thing that kept us alive was each other. We found food from garbages and shared. We would make people feel bad for us, and we would get money. I felt horrible taking people's money, and I know Henry did too, but it was for survival. It worked for awhile.
Until one day, someone decided to call the cops on us. They said that "we would live a better life." I didn't trust this person. I told Henry to run. To follow me. But he believed the random stranger. He stayed there, told me that I had to stay. He was crying, and I couldn't help but feel bad. So I stayed.
Like I thought, it didn't turn out so well. We were sent to different homes, and never got to speak to each other again. I ran away from the foster home that they first sent me to because the people were calling me many names, like ugly, fat, stupid, ect.

I went back to my homeless life. It was way worse than when I was with my little brother. He was always the smart one. He was six and was a genius. He always had plans to get us food, to make us warm, to even make me laugh. He never lost hope. And today it's his 7th birthday, and I can't tell him anything.

"So, Ariel, why are you doing everyone's chores?" Suzan makes me jump as she says my name because I didn't hear her coming.

I stop sweeping, and quickly say, "Oh because I-"

"You don't need to try to cover up for them."

I nod. "So, do you want me to stop?"

Suzan laughs and says, "Usually, no I wouldn't want you to stop. But today, you have to."

"Why?"

"Because your getting adopted." Suzan stops smiling as she says that, but I scream with joy. I'm getting adopted! That's crazy!

I'm about to say something else, but Suzan says, "Just kidding."

"What the f-" I yell at her but instantly stop myself. She hates it when we say bad words in here, because she believes that young children should be more polite.

Suzan looks at me with an evil glare, her green eyes looking as if they were about to turn red. I realize that I spoke too fast, and now it's too late.

"Excuse me?! You know you're not allowed to say any bad words here, and you were about to say one! Go to your room now! And no supper for you!" Suzan acts as if she's my mother, which annoys me so much. I look down and quietly nod.
I walk downstairs, where everyone's rooms are. I hear the girls laughing in Samantha's room, which is the meanest girl here. She always makes everyone else do what she wants, but I just try to ignore her. I slam my door as I reach my small and cold room. I'm the left out one in this orphanage. Everyone are friends, and then there's me, who's ugly, stupid, and not worth the living. At least I'm not stuck up, like every girls these days.

I run to my bed, which is two steps away from my door, and I hide under my one blanket. Because I'm new, you'd think they'd give me a decent room, right? Well, not here. I get the cold, small and filthy room. No matter how many times you try to clean it, it'll still be disgusting. Everyone else has a room where they can actually be comfortable in.