I search for Arianna in the caf'. I'm stuck in a sea of people, but I see Arianna is in line for hot lunch. I take cold lunch, so I make my way to the third table from the lunchline. Arianna's goons are standing by the other tables, and one mutters something loud enough for me to hear, "If she tries anything funny, I'm gonna sic the quarterback on her. No one hurts our precious Arianna." I almost want to say "Oh relax, kid, I know the quarterback really well, and he's a gentle giant. He'd never hurt anyone." But I don't. Instead, I set my lunch down, look for my friends, then see Arianna is heading toward me. "Oh crud, it's now or never" I say to myself. I pull out my sandwich. She saunters over with a smug look on her face. "You actually showed. I thought you would have flaked." She sneers.
Wonderful, she invited me here to insult me. Where are my friends when I need them? I take a bite out of my PB and J. "Anyway, I know about your 'living situation'" She says using air quotes again. What is with this girl and air quotes? I swallow my bite. "Yeah, what about it?" I ask, daring her to say anything further. "You're living in an orphanage, aren't you? Don't worry, no one else knows. Except for maybe your followers." she scoffs. "You mean my friends?" I challenge. "Yeah, exactly, whatever. Anyway, I know where the orphanage is, and if you do what I say later, you won't be on my bad side." Wait, what? "Hold on, what?" I ask. She scoffs and says, "Of course you're confused. You're dumb little Ashtynn."
"Ash." I correct her. "Aww, useless little Ashtynn thinks a name change will make her cooler! Her tiny brain can't process more than a word at a time!" She looks at her friends mockingly. They play along. Ugh. "Can you please stop and just get to the point?" I ask a little more irritated than I mean to sound. Arianna and her posse stop mocking me immediately and stare into me like lasers. "Um, what did you say, little mouse?" Asks one of Arianna's goons. I think her name is Jordain."I-I asked if Arianna could get to her point and explain more. That's all." Arianna looks offended, that I dare speak out of turn. "I'll get to my point. But, you don't tell me what to do. No one does." Her voice raises a little bit and people from other tables turn to look at her. Even the quarterback looks concerned. She notices, looks around, and calms down. On the surface that is. You can clearly see she is still angry, but is trying not to ruin her reputation. "Ahem. Anyway, what I mean is, expect me at the orphanage after school. If you make this look good, you might end up in better circumstances." At this point, I'm confused as heck, but I don't want to make things worse, "Okay, fine." is all I can manage to say.
The rest of the day is a blur, but I think I got two tests back, and started an essay. As I walk home, a couple of the girls that also live at the orphanage pass by me and say "Ashtynn, there is a girl following you." I'm sorry, what? I turn around to see Arianna is trying not to be noticed while following me home. Great. Humiliation not even five minutes out of school. As I scramble inside, Iris throws me a dirty look. Oh great, what did I do now? Then again, maybe that's just her face. "Ashtynn, where's Madelyn?" She asks. "She's still at school. The elementary school gets out an hour later than the middle and high schools do." I say casually. She should know this. Madee's told her a thousand times. She's been running the orphanage for a million years. "Oh. Thank you Ashtynn." She says and goes back to whatever she was doing. "Don't mention it." I mumble as I race up the stairs. The sooner I can get to my room and hide from Arianna's presence, the better.
All of the sudden, the orphanage's front door bursts open so loudly it makes me jump from fright. Literally. I hear chatting from Iris's office. Then, the most dreaded part of my day finally arrives. My name gets called. Oh no. Oh no no no no no no no no. Dreading what's coming, I make my way down the stairs and into Iris's office. I'm so scared, but I try to remain calm as my fate is decided.
"Ashtynn. Thank you for coming so quickly." As if I could come any slower. This orphanage is the size of a classroom. "I think you know why I have called you down here." Arianna looks at me, as if to tell me to play dumb. So I do. "No ma'am." I shake my head. Arianna turns back to Iris looking satisfied. I suppress a grumble. " Arianna has brought her father today," Iris gestures to the corner Arianna is standing in. Only then do I notice that there is a small but happy looking man standing behind Arianna. Iris continues, "They are here to adopt you."