Chapter Two

It’s been two days since I’ve seen Mark, but he hasn’t come yet. However, that’s to be expected, since its seven thirty on a Sunday morning. The reason I’m up so early is that I go to church in a half an hour. I go so early because it’s an hour’s walk to the church, so I don’t take my chances. I stare out the kitchen window, sighing as it starts to rain. Why does it always rain when I want something good to happen? Why can’t the weather corporate with me just this once? I sometimes wish it did, that way I won’t be in a bad mood all day. How does it rain in winter anyway? I guess I’ll never know.

 

Usually, I’ll go to church with everyone, but since Kate is busy with some parents coming and most of the kids are gone due to adoption day, I’m going alone. I walk out the door and on the path that I take to go, not caring if the rain soaks in with my hoodie. It’s as if Mother Nature is crying to the people to stop all the harassment, but why? I’m always mentally harassed, so what’s the point of crying out for help? I hate how people give me sympathy, I don’t need it. I don’t need any of their sympathy or care onto me; I can take care of myself, always had and always will. Although, why would some random guy ask for me to foster? I don’t need him, even though he’s nice to me. People tend to look down on me anyway, so why look and see something good now?

 

The rain patters down on my path, covering the walkway with fresh tears of Mother Nature. I walk through the puddles, the water soaking into my shoes as I did so. People say I need an umbrella, but in all honesty, I don’t. I seem to stop and look at the sky, water falling on my face. It seems to have no light in it, the sky. It makes my cry however, it makes me think. It has no light, therefore no hope. Like me, I know how the rain feels. I want to have some hope for me, just a little. I sob, walking towards my destination. I don’t need this right now.

 

I arrive at the church; the grand building stands tall in my eyes. Jesus is seen, hanging off his cross above the church. At least he loves me, I know he does. I enter the building, greeted by Father John and some other people that I talk to time to time. I love these people, their like a small group that understands me, not a family, but something in between. I take my seat, the usual spot at the back, and wait for it to start. Families crowd each corner, as they tell their children to be quite and stay still. I don’t see why they have to, they’re just kids. Everyone stands as so I, and we began to sing in harmony. The session has started.

 

I love church; everyone always gets along and loves one another. Once everyone leaves, I decide to stay back and look at the windows. The windows have Mary, Joseph and all the rest with some religious content. I love the colours, blues and reds and some others making the picture come to life. I sigh, this was way life is meant to be, focusing on the small things. However, I can’t stay for long; I am meant to wait for Mark back at the place anyway. I rush out the doors, saying my goodbyes to Father John before walking in the rain once more.

 

I’m walking at my own pace, not caring if the rain makes me colder than I am already. However, a car pulls up beside me and I stop, staring at the car. The door opens, and I’m startled at the person inside. It’s Mark, he holds this concerned expression on his face, “Scarelette, sweetheart, what are you doing out in the rain? Do you know how cold it is today?!”

I shrug, “I’m used to it.”

He motions with his hand, “Get in here! You’ll get a cold if you walk in this weather!”

I raise a brow, sliding into the car. It starts again, and I sigh, looking out the window, “Thanks for this…” He just grunts and drives towards the orphanage.

 

I have never been in a car before, and it seems okay. The rumbles of the car make me very sleepy for some odd reason. The car jolted at the orphanage, and we both walked inside, well I did. He ran inside and pushed me in the door, saying that if I don’t hurry I’ll catch something. Mark seems to care about being sick or something, maybe someone had died when falling ill. I don’t want to push it, but I’ll figure it out eventually, I always do.

 

We’re in the living room, Mark scolding me for my grammar skills. I don’t see what’s wrong with it, but apparently there is. He says that I need to work on adding commas and stuff like that, but I don’t want to. It looks better without them in my opinion. He also starts asking me about what I like and dislike. To be honest, I like a variety of things, but he’s asking yes or no questions like do you like dogs and stuff like that. He also says that I need to go to school in order to be a good poet. I don’t go to school for a few reasons. One, Kate cannot afford it and two, I always tend to be kicked out of school because of my attitude sometimes.

 

Kate appeared in the door at midday, telling me that Mark has to go. Why does he have to go? He’s so nice; I don’t want him to leave. He pets my head, telling me that he’ll be back sometime this week. He drives off, waving at me. I begin to cry, I have no idea why though. Kate just hugs me, saying that he’ll be back to see me.

 

Like that, he came on random days of the week to see me and only me. He teaches me not only grammar, but about things I’ve never known. Now, as a sixteen year old, I’m meant to know about the world around me, but truth to be told, I don’t. I never paid that much attention in classes, so I wouldn’t have a clue sometimes. However, instead of making fun of me like everyone does, he smiles and listens to what I have to say. He also makes me think, he would be a good father figure in my life, not that I need one.

 

However, on the fourth week that he’s coming to see me, everyone’s gone. A huge adoption day went off on Wednesday, and everyone in the entire orphanage got either fostered or adopted. This was a miracle in some ways, yet for me, it just left me isolated.

 

It’s a Friday, and Mark hasn’t shown up yet. He told me over the phone that he was coming to visit me today. He’s going to be in a huge surprise.

 

A car pulls up at the driveway, as he steps out. I ran out the door, running up to him. He sighs, “Scarelette…”

I gulp, “Told you the place was deserted.”

He sighed, “You made up your mind yet about coming with me?” I shook my head, and he complains, “Why? I promise that I won’t leave you, heck I’ll kill myself if I do.”

“It’s not that I don’t want you to go…” I look into his eyes, “It’s that, how can I trust you?”

He hugs me, “You are a seriously messed up sixteen year old, you know?” He strokes my hair, “Look, I can’t promise you that I’ll promise everything, that I cannot. However, I can promise you that I’ll be there for you when you need me most, I’ll promise I’ll get whatever you want, I’ll do whatever it takes.” He looks at his watch, his eyes going huge. He walks towards the car, shouting, “I’ll always love you for what you are!”

Tears pick up in my eyes, as I run after him, hugging him tightly not letting go. I can’t lose him, not now. I sob, “Don’t leave me! I need you more than you’ll ever think!”

He smiles, walking me towards the car, “I promise that I’ll always love you, not matter what you say.”

 

We drive off, and my mind is in wonder. What does the future hold for me?