"Tay, we have to be up and ready in ten minutes or Madame Harper will have our heads..." A scared, little voice drifted through my consciousness, waking me up from what little sleep I managed to get.
I opened my eyes to find a small blue-haired girl, wearing the Green Day t-shirt I bought for her one Christmas. Zoe, my self-proclaimed adopted sister, was kneeling beside my bed with a terrified look in her eyes, probably thinking about what could happen if the witch found out I wasn't ready as she demanded.
"Chill Zo, you know all I need to do is throw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and I'm ready," I said, sitting up and heading to our shared wardrobe with one door hanging on by one hinge. It's safe to say we didn't live with a lot of comforts in this world.
"I wish I could look as pretty as you with no effort, you always look stunning," she said glumly, looking at the floor.
"Nonsense, you're beautiful Zo, you just need the confidence to flaunt it."
"Really?" She looked up from the floor with a faint look of hope in her eyes.
"Yup, you're the stunning one and anyone who disagrees can answer to me."
Zoe was a shy 13 year old girl with severe social anxiety and a past of severe bullying too. That was before I came along two years ago. Being four years older than her, I immediately assumed the protector role and made sure the bullies at our orphanage and school didn't mess with her. After I dealt with those people she clung to me like a spider monkey, but I didn't mind, we had a lot in common and it was nice having a little sister of sorts.
There, done!" I exclaimed a minute or so after she woke me up. I had thrown on my black skinny jeans and an old Alice Cooper vest top that I had gotten a few years ago after sneaking out to see him live.
Zoe sighed with relief, I could see the tension drain from her body.
"You should be getting help for that anxiety of yours missy..." I said, lightly scolding her for letting it go on this long.
"I know but if I get help then the other kids will find out a they'll all laugh at me..." She said, head dropping again.
"Zo, if they laugh at you for working towards a healthy and happier mind then they aren't even worth your thought. They're a waste of oxygen. You should be getting help to get better and make your life a little easier," I gave her the usual speech about the importance of her mental health but as per usual she brushed it off with the usual comment.
"Well you're hardly the most functioning human being either..." I sighed. She's correct of course, I'm as fucked up as they come. My past is crawling with demons that you'd expect to occur what with growing up with an abusive drunk as a father and a pushover for a mother. My body was scarred and bruised along with my mind. The difference is, is that it's easier to heal your body.
As you'd expect I'm a very guarded person and I let very few people in to see past the iron exterior I build around me. This paired with my past hardly helps me in the adoption process but I stopped caring long ago, all the kids are too scared to mess with me and the Hopkins women gave up long ago with trying to correct my behaviour. I only have 11 months left before I turn 18 anyway and I'm thrown back onto the streets to try and make it through life with minimum qualifications and no family to help me, so it's looking up at least.
Before I knew it there was a harsh knock at our door and Zoe jumped, fear over coming her again.
"Girls! There's a couple coming in fifteen minutes to look for a new brat to adopt, if you're not ready I will beat you senseless do you understand?" That would be the sweet sultry tones of the lovely women who runs this joint. I'm lying of course, she's a witch of a women, hence her little nickname I 'cleverly' thought up with.
"Yes old women, we're ready, go bother the prissy little bitches that have to put another face on before they're ready!" I shouted back, angry that she makes Zoe so scared.
"Don't you dare disrespect me girl or you won't be getting any dinner again for a few nights, understand me?"
"Yeah yeah ma'am, can you leave us alone now?" I heard some muttering about being a thorn in her side for too long and the sound of heavy footsteps faded down the corridor.
"You shouldn't be so rude to her, she could hurt you..." A small voice interrupted my long and gruelling scowl at the door.
"She won't Zo, I can stand up for myself okay?" I reassured her, "anyway, I got you something!"
"You did?" Her eyes lit up for a moment before dulling again, "you shouldn't, I can never get you anything, it's not fair on you."
"You're only 13, I'm a 17 year old with a shitty job, I can afford it. Besides, seeing your eyes light up like that is enough of a gift to me okay?" She nodded, a small smile forming at her lips whilst I rummaged around the bottom of our wardrobe for where I hid the small present.
"Ah here it is!" I sat done at the foot of my bed and she jumped opposite me, excitement clear on her face. I gave her the present and watched for her reaction as she opened it.
It was a small silver locket that opened to reveal a picture of the two of us a few years ago, when we spent a Sunday afternoon at our local park having fun and forgetting our problems for a short amount of time. I signalled for her to turn it over, engraved on the back was a short message saying 'I'll always be with you'.
"I love it," she said, tears forming in her eyes as she launched herself at me to tackle me into a hug, "thank you so much!"
"Its for in case we ever get separated or you ever feel alone."
We stayed as we were in silence for a few more minutes, until we were called downstairs to meet the new couple that I was sure would be the same as every other couple that wandered through these halls.
Zoe and I were separated in our respective age groups so I couldn't keep a proper eye on her, which is the thing I hated most about the adoption procedure. I made sure all the other kids in her group left her alone with a warning glare that they all shrunk away from so I was content that she was safe for now.
The hilarity of some of the potential adoptees was certainly something.. Groups of girls and boys were asking each other if they looked presentable and some even quizzing each other with potential questions they may be asked. I wasn't the same as these people, I had no hope or care for being adopted so I stayed to myself in a darkened corner, being the only one who had been left here as long as I had, smirking at the other castaways.
"Boys and girls," the witch announced to us in her 'adoption voice' she saved for members of the public, "this wonderful couple here are looking for a new child to adopt so please be on your best behaviour as they are deciding."
I lifted my gaze from the floor as I heard another set of footsteps to have a look at this 'wonderful couple'. My eyebrows raised slightly when I saw who they were. Gerard and Lindsay Way. Huh... I bet Zoe was having a meltdown, the poor kid, My Chemical Romance were her favourite and Mindless Self Indulgence weren't too far behind.
I used to be really into the two bands when I was her age but I grew into more old school rock as time went on. That's not to say I won't still jam out to them with her every now and then.
It then occurred to me that they may be looking for a more alternative child to adopt. I hoped with all my heart that they picked Zoe, she deserved to get out of this place. It was too late to save me but not too late to save her.
Suddenly, my inner thoughts were interrupted by a small human that ran towards me and clung to my leg.
"Hello small human, how are you today?" I lifted my leg up and talked to her, rather amused.
The small human giggled and replied, "you're funny, what's your name?"
"My name's Taylor, what do I call you small human?"
"Bandit! Don't climb on people's leg please..." Gerard ran over and picked up the small human, or Bandit, from my leg and looked at me apologetically.
"I'm so sorry about that, she gets easily excited."
"It's fine, the small human's cute, Bandit's her name is it?" I asked, trying for polite.
Bandit giggled again, she seemed to like being called a small human.
"She's funny daddy, can we have her?" She asked pointing at me with a grin on her face.
"Bee, she isn't a dog, you can't just turn up and take her away..." Gerard scolded again. I smirked at the girl, she seemed pretty headstrong, I liked her.
"I can assure you, dogs are a lot more hassle to keep them I am," I crossed my arms against my chest and leaned against the wall next to me, "and I don't lick people."
"Can we get a puppy, daddy?" Bandit asked Gerard, struggling in his arms, obviously wanting to run around and cause havoc.
"Can we focus on the task at hand Bee?" Gerard asked, looking more and more stressed with every passing second, "we can talk about getting a dog later."
"I wanna go play!" Bandit declared, wanting to be let go by Gerard to run around.
"Would you like me to show you around little human?" I asked her, starting to feel a little bad for the struggling man.
"Yes please!"
"Is that okay Gerard?"
"You know who I am?" He asked, looking really surprised.
"Yes, I'm a fan of your band, and your wife's too actually. Not as much as my friend Zoe of course, but you'll probably bump into her sooner or later."
"Daddy I wanna go look around with Tay Tay!" She demanded. The cute little nickname was quite amusing.
"Oh! Yes of course, please keep her amused for a few minutes..." He pleaded, awkwardly chuckling at the same time.
"Of course, come along now little human, I'll give you a short tour of Hell..."