Ten Reasons Not To Die

Day 1

                “Who is this?” she asked in a tiny voice.

                I dabbed the napkin in water, trying to get rid of the mess she made on her shirt. “He’s just some guy from my school.” I muttered, giving up on cleaning the six-year old up. “This is never going to work. Go upstairs and take a shower before the nuns come back.”

                Mallory nodded quickly, giving Evan another glance, before rushing up the grand staircase. I shook my head, tossing the napkin on the table of trash. I started to clear up the table, as Evan helped me pick up the dirty plates.

                “What did she mean by nuns?” he asked, carrying the plates behind me, as I pushed open the door to the kitchen.

                I licked my lips; dumping out all the trash as Evan began to turn the faucet on to was the dishes. “You don’t have to wash them. I’ll do it.” I told her, picking up the sponge.

                Evan stepped out of the way. “So? What did she mean by nuns?” he repeated.

                I pursed my lips, scrubbing the dishes clean. “Nuns, as in our caretakers.”

                “Caretakers?” Evan asked with confusion clear in his voice. “Don’t your parents take care of you?”

                I glanced at him, shaking my head. “No. They’re dead.”

                Something must’ve clicked inside Evan’s head, because he looked around again, noticing the many doors on the second floor. “Y-You mean, you live in an orphanage?”

                I finished washing the plates, as I began to dry them with a dry cloth. “Yes, Evan. I’m an orphan.”

                Evan’s green eyes sparkled with guilt, as he gulped. “Oh.” He paused, as I raised an eyebrow. “But, we’ve gone to school together for seven years. How come I never knew?”

                “Because no one knows, except for the teachers and all.” I sighed, placing the dishes back in the pantries from they came from.

                “Is this one of the reasons why you want to-“

                “Die?” I cut him off, laughing bitterly. “You can say that. I mean, come on, Evan. I’m turning eighteen in a year. No one is going to want to adopt a seventeen year old teen. I’m going to get kicked out of this place once I turn an adult, and what happens then? I can’t afford college, or a place to stay in that matter. I’m going to end up on the streets and die slowly and painfully. Might as well get it over with sooner than later, yeah?”

                “You still have a year.” Evan pointed out. “You can get a job now, and raise up for an apartment, then find a job, and go to-“

                “It’s not as easy as you think it is.” I snapped. “You have parents to back you up and everything. It’s better off I die now.”

                Evan’s face hardened, as he clenched his jaw.

                Why was this stranger so determined to save my life, anyways? What have I ever done for him?

                “No.” he said. “You’re giving me ten days, right? I’ll find ten reasons why you shouldn’t die before that.”

                I smirked, pushing past him to get to the kitchen. “Good luck with that. Day one, where’s your first reason?”

                Evan remained speechless, as I shook my head.

                Mallory came running down the stairs with dampened hair and a new t-shirt on. “Sister Mary isn’t back yet, is she?” she asked.

                I shook my head, ruffling her blonde head of hair. “Not yet.”

                Mallory sighed in relief, giving me a tight squeeze from my waist. “Can we go get ice cream once they come back?”

                I laughed, kissing her forehead. “Sure.”

                “He can come, too!” she squealed, pointing over to Evan.

                I looked behind my shoulder, watching as a grin spread across Evan’s lips.

                “Reason number one, Mallory.” Evan spoke, making my shoulders tense up.