START OF SECTION THREE
(Picture of Claire above↑)
This song describes how Colby feels about love.
*Claire's POV*
It has been six months since I've been rescued from the island. I still have nightmares quite frequently. This orphanage isn't all that bad, even though I don't have friends here, it's better than running away from monsters every day. I haven't told anyone about what happened on the island. As far as they're concerned, I'm mute. They don't even know my name.
Mrs. Downing: Sweetie, I need you to change into something nice, we have visitors today.
Mrs. Downing ran the orphanage. She was a nice old lady, well to me she's nice, I don't know about everyone else. We've had 'visitors' a couple of times. It's people who come to adopt. They look over me without a second glance (I guess I'm too old for their taste), which I don't mind at all. Attention makes me nervous to the point I throw up.
I nodded my head at Mrs. Downing and grabbed some clothes to change into. I changed into an old band tee and jeans. It's the nicest outfit I own. I don't wear dresses because of my scars from the island. Most I've obtained from running or from the time I fell into a field of thorns.
After I finished, I straightened my blonde hair, not really caring if I missed a few strands. I didn't care much for makeup. My mom was never home enough to show me how to use it. I shoved the thought of my mother into the back of my mind and went downstairs to get in line for the viewing.
We lined up, youngest to oldest and waited for the 'visitors'. I knew I wouldn't be picked, so I didn't really care that I stuck out like a sore thumb against all the neatly dressed kids. The youngest was two and the oldest was seventeen.
The seventeen-year-old boy stood next to me. We were always overlooked, so we stood further from the rest, not really caring about the viewing. I'm pretty sure his name is Emmanuel.
Emmanuel: Hey, you're the girl from the island, right.
I didn't respond. I haven't spoken to anyone since I left the island. Some people think I'm stuck up and think I'm better than them, but the truth is, is that I'm still adjusting. Two years of being alone has taken a toll on me.
Emmanuel: Don't tell me you're not responding because of my skin color.
I could tell he was joking and I shook my head and smiled. His dark color was almost the exact opposite of my pale skin. You would think being on an exotic island would make somebody tan, but I've never been tan in my life.
Emmanuel: Oh yeah, I forgot, you don't talk. I'm probably lucky that I even got that shake of your head.
I didn't respond by movement or speech, instead, I just stared straight ahead and waited for this to be over. Soon, we heard people talking and the shuffling of feet and two people emerged. A male and female.
The female had blonde hair that looked like she had a spiral perm and she had brown eyes that lit up when she smiled. The male had black hair that fit his personality perfectly. He looked like he had a great sense of humor and his eyes were brown as well but they lit up every time he looked at the female.
It was easy to tell that they were a couple. They looked over all the younger kids. The man's gaze locked on me. Oh no. The woman's soon followed and she smiled. Great. Why couldn't they have chosen Emmanuel? Emmanuel nudged my arm and smiled at me.
Emmanuel: Looks like one of us is finally getting out of here. I wish you the best.
Everyone left to their rooms and I even attempted to go up the stairs to my room but Mrs. Downing asked me to stay downstairs for a second. I hesitantly obliged and stood there awkwardly in front of them.
Mrs. Downing: This is Peyton and Ash. They have decided that they would like to give you a nice home.
They both smiled and nodded at me. I just looked back and forth between the three of them.
Mrs. Downing: There are a few... mishaps you should know about.
Please, god no, don't tell them about the island.
Mrs. Downing: She hasn't talked since she arrived here. We don't even know her name. She was found on a deserted island not too far from Seattle. They sent her here, to California, for some odd reason.
The island was not deserted by any means, but I would be sent to a mental asylum if I talked about monsters being real. They both kept their smiles, which surprisingly remained happy and not sympathetic.
Peyton: That's okay. I'm sure she'll come around.
Mrs. Downing: Thank goodness. I've been worried she would never be adopted because of her past.
Wow, thanks, Mrs. Downing. That's something I've been thinking since I've left the island. Mrs. Downing directed her attention to me.
Mrs. Downing: Sweetheart, go pack up your stuff.
I obeyed and went upstairs to my room. I'm really being adopted by someone. I never thought this day would come. I've always thought that I'd have to grow up alone. Maybe I'll actually start talking. After I had all my stuff packed, I went back downstairs to Peyton and Ash. I am actually excited. I got into the back seat of their car and they immediately started talking to me. Ash was in the driver's seat and Peyton was in the passengers.
Ash: We live in a house with like nine other people, by the way.
Peyton face-palmed and I resisted the urge to laugh.
Peyton: There are so many other ways to say that and most of them are better.
Ash: You know I'm terrible at talking to people.
Peyton just rolled her eyes.
Peyton: We'll introduce you to everyone once we get there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They weren't joking when they said they lived with a lot of people. There are three kids about my age and six adults including them.
Peyton: Lexi and Jeremy are the twins about your age.
She pointed to two of the kids who were forcing a smile. They obviously wanted to be doing something else right now.
Ash: Miles is just his own person in general so he can introduce himself on his own after we introduce everyone else.
I looked at the third kid and he was literally the definition of hot. His blonde hair and his green eyes made my heart melt from just one look.
Miles: I'm not that different but okay, mate.
I sort of lost my breath when I heard his Australian accent. I will not survive living in the same household as this guy. I had noticed we had been staring at each other and I heard snickering beside him, which broke me out of my gaze and I turned back to Peyton and Ash.
Peyton: Will and Selene are married and Will is Ash's adoptive brother.
Ash: Jen and Colby are married and Colby is my biological brother. They're also the parents to Jeremy and Lexi.
Then who's the parent of Miles? As if on cue, Miles got up from his chair and walked over to me and held his hand out.
Miles: My name is Miles Russell. I go by Rush most of the time. I'm a foreign exchange student.
He looked genuinely happy to meet me. For the first time in six months, I gained the courage to speak to someone.
Claire: Claire Moore.
I shook his hand and tried to ignore everyone's look of astonishment.
Song:
"I'm not a part of a redneck agenda
Now everybody do the propaganda
And sing along to the age of paranoia
Welcome to a new kind of tension
All across the alien nation
Where everything isn't meant to be okay."
Previous Winner: one_love_kp