CHAPTER ONE

Her sharp sea blue eyes scanned the area alertly. She looked to her left and then to the right before her legs moved like that of lightening. She ran for an incredibly long period of time before her legs finally gave in so she decided to get a little rest by the side walk.

She stayed there for a while gazing at the potholed roads with a disappointed look. It was getting quite late and the potholes were barely visible, any reckless driver would be sorry they had used this road as a route.

Mr Crocker had died this way–she thought.

"A-ha!, gotch ya!." Xander Miler, a 5'9 feet tall boy, quite amazing for his age, shouted, pointing his index finger at her with an unbelievable wide grin showcasing his set of missing tooths.

"Fine. You win, but only a little." Ericka Wood. Flashed him a knowing look before stingily tearing out a little piece of her bread.

Xander outstretched his hand and quickly collected the little piece of bread before hurriedly running to the other side of the road.

"Tsk. Such a stingy little fella you are!." He shouted making Ericka shake her head. Sighing, she also shouted.

"I?, stingy?. I'm so sorry then. Do come and tear out another piece." A smirk appeared on her lips as she stuffed the entire bread into her mouth in one go. Licking her fingers afterwards, even though she had only taken in something dry.

Xander gave out a complicated look, not knowing whether to cry or laugh at her actions.

"Such a disgusting fella!. I can clearly see the wet crumbs wrapped around your fingers!."

Ericka's finger licking intensified, obviously trying to irritate him.

"Come over here and say it to me like a man, you coward!."

Gulping, Xander shook his head with a strained smile. "Oh, my bad. How dare I mistakenly spout such nonsense!. I meant a bewitching fella."

"Yeah, you did."

After their little banter, they finally headed back to the orphanage. Oh, Mrs Fiona would surely strangle them to death. No wonder why she was always against breaks.

"And where do you both think you're coming from?." Mrs Fiona, the one placed in charge for the care of the orphanage, questioned with a terrifying voice and two figures trying to sneak in stood straight immediately.

Turning, Xander forced out a sweet smile.

"We where actu–"

"I didn't ask you, now respect yourself and stay silent." Mrs Fiona, spoke with an air of arrogance. Facing Ericka, she scanned her with a look of disgust.

"You're the oldest Ericka, you're meant to guide these younger ones not mislead them. But of course, what is least expected from an orphan who hadn't been taught any morals by her parents?."

Ericka listened with curled up fists. Her gaze focused directly on her worn out slippers.

"Follow me."

Saying this she dragged Ericka by the arm. "And you, go back to the boys section, now." Xander hurriedly nodded and soon disappeared.

———

Inside Mrs Fiona's office, a man and a woman dressed in professional outfits sat elegantly on the visitors chair. An aura of riches and power omitting from them. Mrs Fiona smiled sweetly at the couple who had come to adopt Ericka, obviously trying to impress them.

"Good afternoon, Mr Rick, Mrs Catherine. She's the girl."

Saying this, she quickly brought Ericka and placed her in front of the couple, recklessly, as if she was advertising some product, making her stager back a little.

Catherine outstretched her hand, signaling Ericka to place hers in it and Ericka did so.

"She's a beauty..." Catherine gasped at the sight of the young girl, her brown silky hair rested neatly on her shoulders, making her appear even decent.

"We'll adopt her." Catherine said, her eyes not leaving Ericka's face. Ericka's face shone brightly after hearing that sentence. She had always wanted to live amongst the 'normal' kids and those she labeled as normal were the ones with parents. Any couple who ever came to Florish child orphanage, either wanted a boy or a baby.

Unfortunately for Xander, no couple wanted a child who was 5'9 feet tall.

"Definitely. What's your name?." Rick was the one who spoke.

"Ericka." She answered immediately, not wanting this God sent couple to have a change of mind.

"Should I go pack?." She asked innocently and Catherine couldn't help but pinch her cheeks.

"Of course, I don't want you spending another second here. Go pack your bags, we'll have to discuss some things with Mrs Fiona here."

Ericka nodded before happily running inside. Mrs Fiona smiled before clearing her throat, this was the part she most enjoyed, payment.

———

Inside Ericka's room.

Ericka hummed a sweet song she had remembered out of the blue. She packed each piece of her clothings carefully, not allowing a simple rumple showcase on the clothes.

"Why do you seem so happy?." Xander who had snuck in through his usual passage, the window, asked curiously, startling Ericka.

"I've been adopted Xander." She said, her focus still placed on the clothes she was folding. Xander let out a small laugh and continued sucking on the lollipop he had stolen from the infant section.

"Oh, you really are funny."

Ericka shook her head with a smile. "I'm serious Xander, i've been adopted."

Xander stilled for a moment. "You mean..you've actually been adopted?."

"Yeah, that's what i've been trying to explain."

Xander's lollipop fell effortlessly out of his now agape mouth.

"B-but you can't be adopted, I thought we promised to stay with each other till the end?." His voice started to shake a little.

Ericka was speechless for a moment. She strided towards him before enveloping him in a tight hug. But Xander didn't hug back, instead he detached from it immediately.

"I think you should get going, you're new family must be worried." Ericka looked at Xander with slightly teary eyes, this was the first time he had ever spoken to her with such a flat tone. She outsreched her hand to touch him but he instead took a step backwards.

"Xander..."

"Go!. I don't ever want to see you again. Go to your new family!." Xander knew that he was being quite unreasonable, but he couldn't help it They had made a promise and she knew promises had special meanings to him and she broke it!.

Ericka sniffed a little and with curled up fists she walked out of the room not looking back once, he was meant to be happy for her!.

Xander watched the disappearing back view of the only friend he ever had, a drop of tear rolled down his cheeks.

She didn't even bother saying goodbye.