Orphan Princess

Chapter 1

        I heard the sharp, piercing sound of a whistle and I was off, body submerged in water. In less than two minutes I only had roughly six yards to go. I loved this! Everything was so peaceful under water. I had been swimming ever since I could remember. The feeling of water flowing over my body was indescribable! I came up out of the water, and over the finish line, taking first place by a landslide. If only I had some real competition, I thought as I turned to face the pool that still held the rest of the swimmers, the closest one with yards to go.

        When all of the swimmers were done, the 'announcer' for the event, Mr. Goldberg, waddled over to the podium. He was a short, stout man, and it took him a good deal of time to walk from the other end of the pool where the judges were perched. "What a competition!" he droned into the microphone. I noticed a hint of boredom in his voice. I understood why. The competitions were pretty much always the same. "The results are in," he stated, sounding a bit happier. Maybe this time was different... "In third place, we have Melinda Blake," one syllable, yuck! "In second place we have Allie Smith," another syllable? Yay! "Finally in first place we have...Rosalina Greysen." I couldn't help flinching when he said my name. It was as if he were given the option to throw me off a cliff, or watch me swim again, he would choose the former. Odd, he was my last foster dad.

        "I believe it would only be fair to congratulate the best swimmer!" I heard a familiar voice giggle behind me. I spun around to wrap her in a big, wet hug. Allie is my best friend and we live right around the corner from each other, though we go to different schools because Allie's parents don't exactly approve of the school I go to. Something about the faculty being a bunch of uneducated, prideful narcissists. I think it had more to do with the fact that at my school, grades couldn't be bought, and that wasn't something Allie's parents could roll with.

        "Of course! Congrats Allie!" I said, feeling a grin spreading across my face.

        She sneered at me, "You know I meant you!" she smiled, "But thanks."

        Allie has long, curly, brown hair with caramel highlights. All of which is natural. Her big brown eyes now peered at me beneath incredibly long lashes, "You ready to go?" she asked cautiously. She knew me well enough to know when I wasn't happy, but even better, she knew not to ask.

        I sighed deeply, "Yeah." I'd been living with a new family for three months now. I was still in the same area as before, but definitely not the same family. I became an orphan when I was  at the young, ripe age of three years old, and I have been passed back and forth between the orphan house, and a different family ever since.

        As we were walking home in silence Allie started talking. She's not one for those kind of quiet moments. Personally, I enjoy them as it gives me time to think. "So... the dance is coming up..." she began hesitantly.

        "Your wondering if I will ask Gavin to go to the dance with you, yes?" Gavin is my foster brother. He is actually quite attractive with sky blue eyes, a great build, and wavy blond hair. Allie always goes off about how he looks like someone who just stepped out of a California babe magazine. She has had a crush on him for two years now.

        "Oh could you?!" she exclaimed with the excitement of a puppy.

        "I'll make you a deal," I started with a sheepish grin creeping up my face. "I'll ask Gavin for you, if you ask Tyler for me."

        "Deal!" Allie said quicker then I could blink. Tyler is Allie's twin brother, and he is absolutely gorgeous. He sports the same hair, eyes, and thick, dark lashes as Allie. I'd been starstruck since day one.

         It was about 10:15 pm when we got to the split in our directions for home.

        "Remember to ask Tyler," I told her.

         "Remember to ask Gavin," she replied. On that note we hugged and parted our separate ways, each grinning ear to ear.

        I had a lot to figure out before the dance on Saturday night. Should I wear my hair up, or down? Where was I going to get my dress? I envisioned it, the perfect dress. It would be silky, floor length, and emerald green to match my eyes. I could pin half of my long, chocolate brown hair up. Maybe I would see if Jesse, my current foster mom, would be willing to take me to the tanning salon on Friday.

        I guess I was too involved in my thoughts to notice the car speeding down the black pavement towards me, as I walked across the street.