The teenage orphan [Being edited]

1. The Start

*May 24, 2014*

"MOM MY BIRTHDAY'S TOMORROW." I said with a shocked face. "I know honey, and you're turning 18! You're growing up so fast..." She said with a gigantic smile.

My dad laughed as my younger siblings ran up to me, tackled me onto the ground and hugged me so hard that I couldn't breath.

"You guys are insane." I said and laughed. I got up and picked up the 10 year old twins one by one and threw them on to the couch, then plopped down next to them and they cuddled up with me.

"Avalon, do you want to eat breakfast today?" My dad asked. I shook my head, "Nope! I'm fine, I'm still full from dinner last night."

I ran upstairs to try on my dress again and I looked into the mirror. "Finally, the big day is tomorrow." I said with a sigh and a smile. The dress is perfect. See my family always celebrated when someone turned 18 not 16. It's part of my heritage and culture, seeing everyone celebrate their 16th birthdays made the jealousy grow in me, but finally my day is tomorrow.

I took off the dress and got changed for school. I put on shorts, black converse, a crop t-shirt, grabbed my book bag and left. I walked out the door and it was breezy, I dropped my stuff on the porch, ran inside and grabbed my sweatshirt that was on the couch.

I walked to school and everyone had their smiles on. I had received, hello's, hi's, hey's! It's been amazing today. Everyone's been so happy and there's just such a positive feeling going around.

I walked to my locker then to first period, and the sun was out and shining. I took my regular seat in the middle row of the class. "Morning Avalon!" My friend Marie said to me. "Hey!" I said waving to her.

The rest of the school day went as it usually goes. Boring as usual but today was a really good day. When I finished school hours, I rushed to the Hemming Animal Center where I volunteer.

"Hey guys!" I said rushing in through the front door. "Hey Avalon! Mind taking Milo, Marcie, and Mary on a walk?" My friend Janis asked.

"I don't mind at all." I leashed the dogs and walked out side. This animal center is my second home, I'm always here if I'm not at school or home.

After I bring the triplets back to the center, I bring my bags to the back of the front desk and sit them in the conference room. I take off my sweatshirt and ran out to where all the animals were having their 'recess time.'

"Hey Liddy! What do you need me to do today?" I asked her. Her attention went off the animals. "Hey kiddo, and do you want to give baths today?"

"YES, when do I ever turn down baths?" I yelled.

I rush to the bath room, I took Sadie, a golden retriever and brought her into the bath. "Let's go Sadie! Get in!"

She jumped into the tub as I start to run the water. I got the dog shampoo and washed Sadie up. After drying her off, I walked her back into the the dog room. After giving a few more baths, I walked out the of the room and grabbed my stuff and headed home. I burst inside of my house and slammed myself on the couch.

"Hey, Avalon wanna go to the field and throw around a little?" My dad asked while tossing a softball at me. It landed on my stomach.

"Of course I do!" "You're not tired?" "Nope." I said to my mom. I brought my bags upstairs and grabbed my softball bag.

My whole family and I went to the ball park for about three hours.

It was now eight o'clock, and my family and I were in the car driving home for dinner. We pulled into the driveway and got out of the car then walked over to the dining room table.

"Are you ready for tomorrow Avalon? It's going to be the best sweet eighteen ever!" My mom said "Yes! I'm so excited. I'm honestly going to get like an hour of sleep!"

After dinner, I took a shower and ran to my room, which was in the attic. I put on some sweats and a tank top, and I plopped my body down onto my bed.

"Finally, the big day. Is coming." I turned off my lights and laid my phone under the pillow.

**1 o'clock in the morning May 25, 2014**

I wake up so sounds of flickers, and the attic was getting hot. As I take a step onto the ground to get to the window, it was burning hot.

I grabbed my phone and opened the floor door. As I open it a huge blow of heat blasted my body. I looked down to see flames of orange, red, and yellow.

"MOM!! DAD!! LOLA!! NICO!! GET OUT NOW."

I didn't know if they made out or not, the fire already reached the second floor already. For the sake of my life I took my phone, my glasses and climbed out of the window, onto my roof, down the escape ladder.

I dialed 911 as fast as I could.

911 how may I help?

I heard a voice from the line say.

"My - house - is - in - flames!?" I try to say between my huge sobs.

"Honey, it's going to be all right, what's your address and who's still in the building? Please do not go in, help is coming." The lady said from the other line. "198 Riverside Lane, my brother, sister, and parents are still inside."

"We will be there soon. It's going to be alright." She said.

I sat down on the side walk opposite of my burning house. I felt, horror, worry, shock, all I did was cry, cry, and cry. I was shaking badly.

The policemen, women, firemen, and women started to show up. The firemen went into the house with hoses. I covered my red, watery eyes, with my hands. I felt an arm go around my shoulder.

"Let's get you to the police station honey." A police woman said to me.

I got up and covered my ears and shut my eyes to not believe the horror that was happening in front of my eyes.

The police women escorted me into the car, all of my neighbors were just staring out at my house. My face was red and tears were running out of my eyes.

We got to the police station and the lady brought me into her office, she gave me a cup of water and just sat next to me. "Hun. It's going to be alright." She said to me.

She leaned my head against her shoulder and rubbed my arm.

A solid 30 minutes later a different policeman came in. "Hey Officer Smith, can I talk to you? Out here?" He asked. She got up and shut the door behind her.

I sat hugging a pillow, my nose was all red and hurt from the friction of the tissues.

A few seconds later she came in with a bag of things. "So you are Avalon?" She asked me. I nodded because it was way to hard for me to speak.

"Well the firefighters were able to save some of your things, they grabbed random things in your room. Mostly clothes, and some other necessities. But Avalon, it's so hard for me to say this, but they weren't able to save your family." I felt the tears building up again. She handed me the bag of things, then she hugged me.

I opened it up, I'm glad that they saved some of my clothes so I wouldn't be wearing my sweats for a while and a stuffed animal a friend of mine gave me. My laptop and my Nikon and my Nikon charger were in the bag too. Wow I can't believe these didn't melt in the fire. I went to the bottom of the bag and felt sort of a box. I pulled it out and it was a framed picture of my family.

I instantly started to cry. "You're going to bunk here for the night or as long as it takes to find somewhere for you to go." She got up and I laid down on the couch. She gave me a blanket and walked out.

I couldn't really sleep. It was two in the morning and Officer Smith walked back into the room. "Can't sleep?" She asked me. I shook my head.

"Well tomorrow, I'm going to bring you shopping. Because you need new things." She said to me. She sat down and tucked my behind my ear.

"Do you want me to stay here with you?" She asked me. I shook my head.

"Alright Avalon, sleep well." She got up and walked out of the room. I looked at the picture of my family. A few minutes later, I fell asleep.