Days went by. 2

When it was early morning the sounds of orphans running and screaming outside Alethea's dorm room woke her up. she rubbed her red and swollen eyes, due to the crying last night. Alethea recalled everything that had happened, from both her parents dying to the point where she has to accept that she was now an official orphan. she stood up and looked out the window and saw busy cars rushing to their destination.

Alethea opened the door and stepped outside to welcome in the annoying sounds of the orphans. then she saw a boy with a cap leaning against the wall with his head down and cap blocking his face. Alethea just ignored him and walked past him. then she felt a warm hand touch her arm. she turned around and she saw the boy with the cap looking at her.

"you Alethea? the new girl?" the boy asked wearily.

"yeah, what's your prob?"

"I'm Jacque and I'm suppose to like give you a tour."

"erm...sure i guess."

Alethea decided to stop her sadness and just start over a new leaf where she can make new friends and just be a normal kid despite the fact that she was now an orphan.

first jacque brought her to have breakfast, jacque in Alethea opinion is a very dull kid who shouldn't be a tourist. half the time he was murmuring to himself.

during the tour Alethea realised that all the children only have two pairs of clothing or less and they had to wash their own clothes. jacque also told her that you are only allowed to shower twice a week due to the water bill.

then after the long tour, Alethea's stomach was beginning to grumble, she wondered whether lunch was ready.

"hey jacque whens lunch?" questioned Alethea

"oh you want lunch? why didn't you say so. I've been waiting forever to hear you say that."

"well come on let's go then I'm starving!"

and jacque led her to the kitchen where she saw over 50 kids getting their food and going to their tables to eat. it was such a sight. the noise level was over whelming.

"is it always like this?" said Alethea shouting over the noise.

"like what?" said jacque puzzled.

"this noisy!"

"yes" and jacque pointed a finger to the table and told her to follow him.

jacque brought her to the table where big there was a big gigantic pot filled with something that was unknown to Alethea. jacque took a plate and waited in line and Alethea did the same.

"hey it's you again!"

Alethea turned around and saw jenny standing right behind her

"great..." Alethea muttered under her breath.

Alethea put on her biggest smile and said "jenny! nice to meet you again!"

"so how do you like this place?"

"erm... well its just marvelous. i mean the noise and the orphans. no one could ask for more!" Alethea grinned as she lied right through her teeth.

when it was Alethea's turn to get her share of the food she rushed forward trying to avoid jenny's next question. the woman in the hair net like the cafeteria ladies in her old school. But instead of asking them what they wanted to eat from the choices, the ladies just scoop a ladle full of grub and put it on her plate. When she saw the state of the food she wanted to vomit, expecting a horrid smell to emit.

she looked up from her plate and saw that she had just lost her one and only person that she knew, despite jenny. she looked left and right trying to find Jacque. then she looked at the doorway and saw Jacque looking down and the owner of this place, Mrs Buller. Alethea thought that Jacque was in trouble for something. Her curious nature took the better of her, so she put down her plate of grub on a random table and headed for the doorway. she increased her pace trying to get to Jacque as fast as possible. Alethea ran out the doorway and saw Mrs Buller's arm around Jacque's shoulders shaking a finger at him. Alethea walked stealthily towards the two trying to get close enough to hear what they were saying.

"... being send away is for your own good..."

"no... don't want... sorry...Alethea a... tour..."

It hit Alethea that maybe Jacque was being pubnished and then sent away for giving her a tour. wow the school rules here must be really strict, to be punished for giving someone a tour. It's insane! hmmm maybe i should help him out and stand up for him. Alethea thought to herself. And with that simple thought, she ran up to catch with them.

"hey, wait stop!" shouted Alethea.

Mrs buller and Jacque stopped their conversation and turned their heads. they saw Alethea rushing towards them.

"weird girl." Jacque muttered.

"what did you say?" questioned Mrs Buller.

Before he could answer, alethea said "wait stop don't punish him for giving me a tour!"

"what?" said Jacque.

"what are you talking about Alethea?" as Mrs Buller looking at Jacque then at Alethea.

"don't punish Jacque for giving me a tour?" said Alethea, "wait... this ain't about givin' me a tour rite?" as Alethea was looking at Mrs Buller and she shook her head. "And you're not being punished for giving me a tour rite?'' and alethea looked at Jacque, and he also shook his head.

"sweetheart, Jacque is going for an adoption inteview.'' said mrs buller patiently.

"huh? wad'ya mean?"

"what mrs buller is trying to say is that, i am going for this adoption interview with a couple that wants to adopt kids here. And mrs buller chose me to go and see them." explained Jacque.

"oh, i get it!"

"so my dear Alethea would you please go back to the cafeteria and then jacque can get to his interview quicker. i shall inform you whether he got adopted ok?"

"ok." and alethea gave jacque a big smile and vice versa.

And with that Alethea was off back to the cafeteria.
surprisingly she found her plate of grub still on the table and gladly there was lesser noise from the orphans. she took a spoon and sat down at the nearest table. sitting on the same table was a scrawny little girl with two pigtails eating her grub slowly.
Alethea decided to make conversation.

"hi, I'm new here and my name's Alethea."

the scrawny girl looked up from her plate and just smiled at her.

"hmph, unfriendly much."

Alethea pickeld up her spoon looked down at the food on her plate and scooped a spoonful of it and stared at it for a while, scared to even try and taste it.

"it's good food. try it!"

Alethea looked up to see who said it and to her surprise it was the scrawny girl with the pigtails.

"oh is it?"

the scrawny girl gave an affirmative smile. Alethea, trusting the girl, took a bite at the food. to her surprise the grub tasted delicious! suddenly realising that she was actually very hungry she gobbled down her food.

After no answer from Jacque or Mrs buller, Alethea headed for her solitary room.
she waited and waited for more then a few hours. then alethea looked out her window and saw Jacque walking out on the front lawn towards a very nice looking black car.

"bye Jacque." said Alethea silently.

"Ahh I guess you know."

Alethea turned around and saw Mrs Buller.

"Know what?"

"That Jacque is leaving." Mrs Buller sighed. "Well today was a long day for better get some rest."

"ok."

And with that Mrs Buller left the room.
Alethea plopped herself on the bed and thought to herself, well i guess tomorrow is another day, i guess i could try and hang out with that irritating girl, jenny, who knows she might be a nice kid in the end.
Alethea laid her head on the beaten down pillow and fell asleep thinking that she had just lost her "good" friend.