Chapter 2
Chapter Two
HARLAN
Thirteen Years Old
I puff my cheeks up with a deep breath before I let the air out slowly.
Being outside in the blistering cold and taking a walk around the property is one of my favorite things to do. It reminds me that I’m still alive because I can feel the need to be warm again. I just choose to ignore it.
Like a lot of things, I think as I rub my hands together to heat them up a little, then glance up at the sky. I kind of feel like I’m having a good day for once. The sun is almost completely hidden behind the white, fluffy snow clouds. Small flakes sprinkle down lazily, trying to finish covering the ground completely, and Karter Lovato talked to me.
I smile slightly as I think of how red her face got. I like teasing her since it’s the only time anyone seems to notice me. But I don’t like that she’s friends with Enya, I think as the upward curve of my smile drops down into a scowl. I hate Enya.
The back of my neck becomes hot with rage. It always does when I think of her. She knows more about me than she should, and if she tells any of the bad stuff to Karter, she probably won’t talk to me ever again.
I have to find a way to get them to stop being friends, I think as I kick up a small cloud of snow with the tip of my boot.
I close my eyes as the freckles of snow gently fall back down onto my face and inhale a deep breath. The chilling feeling deep inside, breathing the bitter cold into my lungs then letting out, seems to calm me down enough that I can continue my walk.
Opening my eyes, I lower my face from being angled toward the sky and follow the path. I’ve walked it so many times that I don’t have to see it under the white slush to know where it is. Down the length of the building and walking toward the back, I reach into one of my pockets and pull out a pack of bubblegum. I stole it from Gemma’s room last night. I figured since she was getting out of here today, she wouldn’t be going anywhere she would need it.
Most of the kids here see being adopted as the best thing that’ll ever happen to them. I see it as breaking out of one jail and into another one.
That’s why I’m always on my absolute worst behavior when people show up to walk around and look at us. I hate being watched, and I don’t want any of them to touch me, either. They’re all a bunch of huggers that I’ve seen so far, and that would make me so angry that I might end up hurting one of them and probably getting sent to a real jail.
I begin to chew the inside of my mouth thoughtfully. I wonder if Enya told Karter why I don’t like to be hugged? It’s almost enough to make me angry again, but I tell myself that it’s okay to not be okay about things and continue walking.
Thunk.
I arch an eyebrow as a small volcano of snow bursts up from the ground and decide to investigate. When I’m close enough to see, but far away enough to still be safe just in case, I lean forward to take a peek. Almost instantly, I reach down and scoop up the small baby bird that’s screeching at the top of its lungs. I guess not all you made the trip south, I muse as I gently rub the top of its head with the tip of my finger.
I stroke its head as I turn around and head back toward the path. Cute, I think with a small smile as it continues screaming in the palm of my hand. I decide to stay focused on the little bird as I pick up where I left off and keep walking toward the back of the building.
As I turn the corner, I let out a relieved breath.
It comes out in a husky cloud created by the frosty air, and I feel better.
Being back here means that I won’t see Gemma leave with her new family, and I won’t have to pretend that I’m happy for her like the rest of the lemmings here that will fake it, hoping that they’ll be the next ones out the door.
“Not me,” I state to my new and only screeching little friend. “I don’t want a family. Mine didn’t want me, so I don’t want one either.” It continues its raucous screaming, and I chuckle, leaning down and quickly nuzzling the side of the small, fragile body with my nose. “I feel like that, too, sometimes.”
By the time I settle against the building and lay the bottom of my boot against the brick wall, I hear an eruption of cheers coming from the front. I roll my eyes and shake my head as I try to focus on the baby bird.
“They’re so fake,” I mutter as I go back to stroking the fuzzy little head. “Don’t ever grow up to be like that. I sure won’t.”
I listen to the faint sound of a car door closing, then spit the piece of chewed bubblegum into the snow. That’s what I think of Gemma.
A few more moments pass by before I decide to keep walking. Now that I know I won’t have to watch her drive away, I don’t care if anyone sees me outside. The worst that can happen is that I get sent to the Quiet Room and spend a few days there. Big deal, I think with a chuckle as I reach the other end of the building.
Turning the corner, I glance up and notice that no one has noticed my absence from the fake celebration yet and keep going. Besides, I’m bored, and the little bird needs to be warmed up some. I’m just the guy to do it because I like things that can’t really fend for themselves. It makes me feel better to be able to do that for them.
Tap, tap.
I stop walking and glance to my left, my mouth instantly becoming a tight line when I see Enya glaring at me through one of the large game room windows. She gives me a pointed look, then smirks as she turns her attention to … Karter? I arch my neck to get a better look, and when I see my favorite little orphan sitting across from her, I grin.
But instead of smiling back at me, Karter leans across the table to hear whatever it is that Enya is feeding her, then gives me an odd look before she shakes her head and stands up. I watch her walk away, feeling myself becoming angrier by the second.
When Enya glances at me again, a satisfied smile on her ugly face, I ball my fist tightly, crushing the baby bird in the palm of my hand. Drawing a finger across my neck, I throw the corpse at the window where she’s sitting before I stalk away angrily.
Whether she chooses to believe what I just said to her or not is her problem, but she’ll find out how serious I am when the time comes.
Then Karter will be all alone just like I am.