Blanca Like Snow

Chapter 9 - The Dream House

I see the kids pulling apart and making Clarisse questions, then she motions to the van with me inside and tells them something, probably who I am and such. The kids nod and watch me with big, curious eyes. There's a girl and two boys, and she seems to be the oldest as she is taller than them. The three dress in simple clothes, quite all and a bit baggy for them, probably clothes that have been given to the orphanage by people that go to the church.

I wave at the kids, nervously, trying my best smile and they wave energetically back, wide smiles ad bright expressions that make me feel a bit more at ease. Then the little girl is running next to my door and opening it for me.

"Hi!" she exclaimed excitedly. Her black curly hair in two thick plaits, her hazel eyes look at me warmly and her smile is missing one tooth. "You're our new friend. Mamma Clarisse says you're Blanca, I'm Samantha! Welcome to the Dream House!" She is full of energy, raising both arms in the air in her best theatrical reception.

I chuckle, feeling touched that she is so happily welcoming me here.

"Thank you, Samantha. It's really lovely to meet you," I intone, offering her my good hand for a proper handshake that she accepts joyfully.

"Do you need help?" she asks me next. "It must be hard to walk with that... boot?"

"It's a cast," I tell her. "I got my leg broken so yes, it's hard walking like this. Can you help me getting the crutch?" I motion with my head to the back of the van and she nods, understanding.

As I slide off the seat, Samantha comes back with the crutch and helps me until I'm correctly positioned and I can move on my own. She stays close, watching me carefully.

"How old are you?" I ask her, surprised to be a kid being so helpful and attentive.

"I'm five," she replies, her eyes still watching me closely. Maybe she's just curious, though. "But Mamma Clarisse says I act as if I were older. Not sure how much older. Maybe five and a half?"

I chuckle at her rambling as we join Clarisse and the other kids.

"Hi there," I greet them, noticing the smaller one seems quite shy, hiding behind the other that keeps a straight posture, as if he were collecting all his courage to protect the other. The one that is almost glaring at me has light brown hair and almost black eyes, his skin is a bit darker than mine, and he stands protectively in front of a ginger head.

"Boys, you know what to do," Clarisse instructs and the oldest looks at her with distraught, near pouting. He doesn't seem to like me.

"Welcome to the Dream House. I'm Danny and this is Liam," the oldest introduces, motioning to the little kid behind his back."

"I'm Blanca and I hope you're not angry I'm coming here to live with you, right? I don't have anywhere else to go."

"You're not going to bully us for being older, right?" Danny asks then, looking at me suspiciously.

"Of course not! Why would I do that? You're all helping me, I'm only grateful."

He keeps staring at me, measuring me with his eyes, assessing whether to trust me or not.

"Okay. If you make Liam cry, I won't forgive you," he warns me. "And it's okay, everyone in the Dream House doesn't have anywhere else to go, so you're just like us, but older."

It breaks my heart a bit knowing these kids don't have a place to go, that an orphanage is their only home. The realisation this is a reality only really strikes me when I'm here, standing in front of them. Right now I have to stay here, not because I don't have a home to go back to, not because my parents gave me up, but because of other crazy circumstances. I feel bad for pretending to be like them.