Space Between

CHAPTER I: Dandelions

The usual ruckus of the orphanage started at 7:00 am. Kids screaming, crying, yelling, and what not. You toss and turn in bed, covering your head with your pillow to try to reduce the level of noise that you heard.

All I want in life is some peace and quiet, is that too much??

You think to yourself as you pull the pillow harder against your head. You turn your head slightly to the right to face your digital clock that was perched upon your nightstand. The numbers blinked "7:32 am." You sighed and decided to just get up for the day. The headmistress always woke everyone up around 8, and you weren't very desperate for an extra 28 minutes of sleep. You sit yourself up against the wall behind your bed. The blankets fell of you body and pooled around your hips. You raise your arms and stretched them out to help wake yourself up. Sunlight seeped in through the window in your room. It was a bright day out, especially since it was the spring season. You could hear the birds chirp and the Mourning Doves call from outside. The room that you called yours was pretty basic. Two sets of bunk beds with 2 nightstands next to each one. A medium sized window was the only source of light in the room. 

You glance around the room and notice how the other beds are empty. The girls must've already gotten up for the day. They were early risers and very energetic children. It surprised you just how much energy they had in store for an entire day. Through your chain of thoughts, you managed to pull yourself out of bed and stand up. Outside the window you could see beautiful fields filled with tons of greenery. Different types of flowers, plants, grasses, would bloom everywhere, especially during spring. Most importantly, spring was the the season of the Dandelion, your favorite flower. With it's bright yellow petals and their extraordinary life cycle, the Dandelion instantly claimed a special place in your heart when you saw it for the first time.

You take one last glance at the window before heading downstairs. You didn't change out of your pajamas because you were only coming downstairs to eat breakfast. For pajamas, you usually wore black & white, plaid pajama pants with a large black hoodie.

As you stepped down the stairs, the scent of bacon smacked you in the face. With this newly found motivation, you raced downstairs to claim a spot at the table. You sat in the closest chair, next to a young girl with blonde hair. She was about 5, and she was already stuffing her mouth with bacon and eggs. You snap out of your thoughts when the head mistress appeared in front of you with a plate in hand. You locked eyes with her as she placed the plate filled with bacon and eggs in front of you. 

"A-Ah! Ms. Miller! Good morning- and thank you for the food." you manage to speak, fumbling with the words in your mouth due to the fright she gave you from her unannounced appearance.

"It's my pleasure, Y/N. Good morning to you too." Spoke the headmistress, with her usual cold gaze. She had always been tough on the outside, but you knew she was a big softie on the inside who cared deeply for her children and orphanage. She cleared her throat and gathered the attention of all the girls in the room. Once everyone had turned their heads to face her, she began to speak. "Attention girls, gather round, yes, gather round," and with that, all the girls appeared around her, crowding together and curious about what she was about to say. "Situate yourselves and calm down. Now, we will have a visitor at the orphanage looking for a child."

Mid bacon chew, you almost choke.

The orphanage hasn't had any visitors in almost 2 years.

The girls around you hollered with joy, and you sat there frozen. Out of all of the girls, you were the oldest. You had been here the longest, and you had never been chosen. You knew you wouldn't be chosen now, so why celebrate?

"Girls, once you finish your breakfast, place you dishes in the sink, neatly, and please head upstairs and change into your finest attire. Then, you must report to the living area where our guest will be waiting." The headmistress declared before walking away and back into her office.