"When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching- they are your family."
~Jim Butcher
AZALEA's POV
"We might have a problem." Carden Cohen, one of my close acquaintances, said, and I ignored him as I continued to check and respond to my business emails.
"Comeon Leila, just hear me out." Carden said as he uninvitedly helped himself in the front chair of my desk.
"First and foremost, it is a 'You' problem, and I am just surrounded by an idiot who gets himself into an endless number of problems. Second, I need 'Ashton Mercs co.' merger file on my desk within the next five minutes." I stated, and Carden let out a sound of protest at my first sentence and groaned at the second before leaping out of the chair and sprinting out of my office, most likely to retrieve the file which I already had placed on my desk, right in front of that idiot.
At least, I got my five minutes of peace.
Said too soon...
I didn't bother looking up at the intruder who had barged into my office, after a few minutes of me being alone, knowing that only one other person has the balls to do that, other than Carden.
My other close acquaintance, who happens to call herself my best friend,
But only if she knows, poor innocent soul.
"Why is Carden frantically searching for Ashton's merger file while yelling, "Leila is going to kill me," when I have already placed that file on your desk this morning?" Avianna Cohen asked and I gave her a shrug of my shoulder as I went about with my respective task.
And I just might...
"Anyways, on a more important topic than my idiot older brother, do you at least intend to see your supposed 'siblings'." She asked and sat in the same seat her brother had occupied just moments ago.
"No." I said without looking up, and unlike last night I was particularly firm with my decision.
"Come on, Leila, there's no harm in just meeting. I mean what happened to you has nothing to do with those kids, in fact, there's a good chance that they may have been unaware of your existence until recently. Give them a chance." She said and looked up at her while casually leaning back on my chair as I assessed the redhead in front of me.
She and Carden were also with me at the assassins base. They are one of the good ones, who managed to run away at the same time I did, and because Carden was already 18 when we left, he took Avianna's and my guardianship so we wouldn't have to bother with orphanage and foster homes and since then we have simply stayed together.
Cohen was a last name Carden came up with for the three of us and that's how it's been since.
To think about it, even after going through that asylum, these two siblings still managed to flee away with compassion, along with emotions I had long forgotten.
Even so Carden can be just as crackhead as I am, but Avianna still has a little light in her corrupted heart
But I've only ever witnessed the two of them displaying their troubling emotions in the confinement of us three, which for the most part, I couldn't read.
Avianna is the soul among the three of our impure ones who still shows Kindness on occasion.
Carden doesn't bother, and I simply don't understand that concept anymore.
Anyways; Avianna has no filter or regards to Carden and I's personal bubble, mostly because she or his brother are no strangers to stuff I've been through or what I had done, just like how I'm aware of their own personal skeletons.
I do care for them, but I'd also kill them if the situation arises which goes the same for them, and we are all aware of this unspoken agreement.
"Why bother when nothing is happening." I said and yawned, already feeling bored of this conversation.
"Don't be so sure." Avianna said in a challenging tone and I raised my eyebrow, daring her to try anything.
"What about putting it through its paces? Have them over for a week or so, and if you don't feel like continuing we'll send them back and revoke your guardianship stating you are unstable, you're heartless, anyway, so it won't bother you much." She said and I yawned again.
"No." I replied, earning myself an eye roll.
"What if I become their guardian?" Avianna said out of nowhere and I shrugged my shoulders.
I don't necessarily care.
"Why are you asking me? I'm sure you are old enough to make your own decisions." I said, tilting my face to the side, trying to assess what's on her mind.
"Oh! I forgot you are a little down on social skills." She muttered and I gave her a blank look.
Well so...
To be fair, I don't see a problem.
"Do as you please, and if Carden had messed up the Greek's drug consignment, make sure to have it settled. I don't feel like killing another Mafia." I said dismissively as I picked up the merger file and began going over the contents for my meeting.
I heard heels clicking that became more distant with each step, followed by opening and closing the door, and I looked up just when Avianna left my office.
She's been with me since the very first day of my stay in the facility and despite everything I had done, I'm surprised she still considers me her friend.
I had tortured Carden to the point of death right infront of her eyes.
But then again she's Avianna Hope, my very first friend.
I stood in front of the big black gates in a strangely secluded place, holding a torn up teddy bear, my soft curious eyes taking in the enormity of the building in front of me.
I'm not sure if we are still in Bolton, but with the hours of travelling we did, I believe we might be somewhere outside Manchester all together.
'The Arcane Education and Research Facility'
I looked at Mr.cuddles, feeling a little relaxed knowing that I have a teddy that was given to me by my parents.
My parents abandoned me at the orphanage, according to the lady at the orphanage, with only the teddy bear as my only possession.
That was a year ago when she told me that, and now I am five-years-old.
I still don't understand why I have to stay away from them but I was hoping they would come get me soon.
The old lady at the orphanage said that I along with a few other kids, had to come here to this facility, as the people in here offered to help us find our parents.
I was very excited to come but now I am feeling a little scared.
But I'm still hopeful that they'll be able to find my parents soon.
"Hello and welcome to your new home. Come on kids, let's show you all to your rooms." A big man said, and I was a little scared with how widely he was smiling.
But I returned his smile because it was the polite thing to do, otherwise, he might have felt bad.
After that, I was led away with a few other kids from the orphanage by another man, who motioned us to follow him.
He led us down a long corridor lined with a lot of rooms that were all adjacent to each other.
One by one, the man would stop in front of a room and ask one of the kids to go inside, but none of us shared a room.
Will I have to stay alone?
But I'm scared of the dark.
Will they give me a nightlight?
Will someone tuck me in?
I hope so, because the nice lady at the orphanage always tucked me and the other kids at night before leaving.
She was nicer than the old lady who sent us here.
The old lady is a little meanie to all of us.
When I came to a stop in front of a room, I realised it was only me and the other kids who had already gone in their rooms.
I gave the man a big smile which quickly faded when he glared at me.
Did I do something wrong?
I should apologise.
"Don't smile too much, they'll wipe it away." He muttered angrily and I furrowed my brows in confusion.
But before I could ask him what he meant, the man shoved me into a room and shut the door behind him.
He's meanie.
"Are you okay?" I heard a timid voice and I turned to look at a girl around my age staring at me from across the room.
Her concern was evident in her eyes, and I nodded my head while smiling at her, which she quickly returned.
"I'm Azalea." I said as I extended my hand while walking closer to this girl.
"That's such a lovely name, but can I call you Leila?" She asked and I nodded my head while smiling at the nickname I got for the first time.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"My name is Avianna hope." She said with a big smile before quickly engulfing me into a hug.
"Will you be my friend? I don't have any friends other than my older brother. He's here as well, and I'll introduce you to him. He loves me so much." Avianna said and I smiled at the prospect of us being friends.
I quickly raised my pinkie finger in front of her and smiled shyly at her.
"Best friends?" I asked hopefully and she quickly locked her own pinky finger with mine.
"Best friends."
What I didn't know at that time was that soon after that day, we'd have to fight against each other, forgetting our little promise, simply to survive.
***