Orphan

Found Out

"I don't have any faith that they're alive... they should've found me by now." I started crying.

"Ran~" Moca hugged me.

"I'm sorry..."

"What're you saying sorry for?"

"Everything..." I whispered.

"There's nothing to be sorry for~" Moca said.

"Sometimes I wish I would've just died in the fire..." I sighed.

"Don't say that." Moca whacked me across the back of my head.

I yelped, "Hey!"

"I'm not going to sit here and listen to you say things like that." Moca huffed.

"Moca..." I mumbled.

"Even if you never find your parents, that doesn't mean anything. You can be whatever you want." Moca looked up at the sky.

"But how am I supposed to be anything? Who wants me?"

"I'm sure you'll be able to do something. Stop acting like your past is going to stop you forever. It won't." Moca crossed her arms and glared at me.

"It feels like it will... I couldn't even get adopted in six years... I'm just going to fail at everything..." I mumbled as I stared down at the ground.

"Well, it's a good thing you have Moca on your side now~. Moca's gonna make sure that Ran doesn't fail." Moca hummed.

I blinked at her. Why is she talking like that? It's very strange, that's for sure. I've never seen someone refer to themselves by name like that. I guess it's just a unique thing about her.

"Ran~ Let me see you smile for once. All you ever do is frown." Moca poked my cheek as she puffed her cheeks out.

"Why should I smile?" I asked.

"Because I'm here~" Moca teased.

I smiled slightly and shook my head at her, "Jeez, you're weird."

Moca pretended like she had been shot in the heart, "Ouch. You've killed poor Moca with your words."

I chuckled. Moca smiled and stood up. I hesitantly stood up as well. I guess talking to her helped a lot. I feel better.

"I'm ready to go eat." Moca said.

"Okay..." I nodded.

We went back to where the others were waiting. Himari immediately started asking us what we had been talking about. Moca kept dancing around the questions, which made Himari angrier.

They all seem like they're really close friends. I hope that I'll be able to get close to them as well. I think they might be just the group of people I need in my life.

After a while longer of bickering, we all went home. We walked with each other until we got to a house. Tomoe and I were soon all alone.

"What did Moca want to talk to you about?" Tomoe asked me.

"She knew me. We had met last year." I said quietly.

"Does she know the truth?"

"She does now. I'm not very good at keeping up a lie, am I?" I sighed.

"I think you are. You just... want people to find out the truth. I know you don't believe that, but I think it's true. You want to be reassured that you're not what you're mind makes you out to be." Tomoe said.

"You think so?" I wasn't really believing her.

Tomoe nodded, "Yeah. I think you just want to be told you're not strange. You just want to fit in, right?"

I nodded. That's all I've ever wanted. I just want to be a normal kid. To have a normal life. If only I had a family of my own...

Sure, I might call Tomoe's parents mom and dad, but I don't exactly see them that way. I want a family of my own. Not just a family that got stuck with me.

"Hey, Tomoe? If mom and dad didn't let me stay, where would I have even gone?" I asked.

"Probably to another family. After all, the orphanage is gone. They'd have found someone to adopt you if they couldn't take you in." Tomoe replied.

"Is this town close? Does everyone know each other?" I asked.

"No. Not really. Some people know everyone, but some don't care enough to. I know a lot of people. They like me and Ako a lot." Tomoe said.

"Will they like me?"

"I'm sure they will."