CHAPTER 1
1487 Words
My name is Raile Sue, just like every little girls, I also dreamed of being a princess. Wearing beautiful dresses, sparkling tiaras, and glamorous jewelries. Another perks of being one is not worrying about the food for the next days or a warm bed to lie down on. But fate is not always on my side.
I was raised in the orphanage with the other kids who are also abandoned like me. It was a hard rainy day when the helper went out of the orphanage center after the sound of the door bell. At the footsteps of the door she heard a cry of a baby and there she found me. And that is where my name came from, Raile. Head mistress said it is a combination of rain and railings of the stairs where I was closely found at. It is a story that is well known in the orphanage, some kids say that my parents left me because I'll bring disaster upon them just like the day I was found, that is why I tend to be alone, always.
Until a day came that greatly affect my life. I can still remember the old lady who was about to get hit by a speeding car near the wet market.
Vrooooooom~
“H-hija, t-thank you very much for saving me. W-what is your name? Are you alright?” The old lady's voice is shaking while looking if I'm alright.
Yes, you read it right, I dashed towards her and pulled her arm into safety. I don't know why my body moved like that, it's like I'm being pulled to save her.
“Oh my, you've got a wound!” she added.
“My name is Raile. This is nothing, how about you, are you okay old lady?” I answered while picking her goods then assisted her to walk, after making sure that she's fine, I ran away to look for the helper I was with, never to look back at her and not mentioning it to others.
The following week the old lady visited me at the orphanage.
“Raile, young lady, you've got to tell me something. But first, this is the old lady you saved. She has something to say.” The head mistress glared at me then smilingly guide me to seat in front of my visitor.
“Hi Raile, uhm I’m the old lady last week, my name is Thelma, you can call me lola…" she paused.
"... Raile hija, would you like to live with me?” the old lady continued while her eyes are shining with expectation and palms rubbing together.
“You're going to live here at the orphanage? Are you also abandoned like us?”
“Hahaha, you got it wrong Raile, what Ms. Thelma wants to say is. Would you like to say it yourself?” The head mistress laughed looking at me then finished her sentence looking at the old lady.
“Raile, what I’m trying to say is that, I would like
to adopt you. Do you want that to?” she asked. Hearing that makes me tear up, I thought nobody wants me, like my parents do. The other kids same age as me were all adopted already, and I am the only eldest kid left. I ran to her to hug her. Embarrassed, I slowly let her go and took a shy peek of her.
“Hahaha you’re so cute. Does that mean yes?” I nodded, hopeful of having a family to called of.
“Come hug me again! And is it alright if I would like to keep your name as it is? It is a reminder that you grew up here with your friends.”
“You’re not going to give me a new one?" I asked, slightly disappointed.
"No, you’re name is already beautiful. If you was not found in the footsteps near the railings on a hard rainy day, I wouldn't have the opportunity to meet you. You we're like an angel who saved me, a rain that is a gift against the drought, and railings to help others in need. Raile, just like the history of your name, you are a blessing and meaningful.”
From then on, I deeply appreciate my name. She treated me like her real granddaughter and I do the same to her, my own grandma. She also provided me with her handmade clothes and dresses as she loves making dresses for me since it fits me well. Our daily living is also provided by the clothes we sell, she's the maker and I'm her 'model' as she put it. Every single day with her is the happiest day of my life.
But as I said a while ago, fate is not always on my side.
A sorrowful day came, resulting to isolating and drowning myself by reading novels, mangas, or manwhas thinking that imaginary stories of imaginary people will spark a new inspiration in life.
Cling~ cling~ cling~
The sound of door chime says I'm at the right place. It is my schedule to buy some new books. Until I got to read this novel, I’m slightly pissed of at the princess in the story to misuse her opportunity. The book cover is intriguing, that’s a fact, a princess's tiara with blood splatters on the background makes you think that it's about a crime scene where a princess-wannabe is the victim, or perhaps a suspect. Since I got a mean one at school, she is irritating me as she's always at my hair trying to ruin my time to read and enjoy my life.
“Hey girls! What do we have here?”
Oh no not again…
“I think she's our next old-virgin librarian! Owemji hahaha!”
Trina and her ‘girls' are consistent in bothering me. If I have one more teasing from them, I'll think that they are jealous of me. Well I am not that pretty that boys out there will gawk at, just a black wavy waist length hair, brown eyes, average height and body size. I'm just your average girl that is striving hard to graduate with great grades for scholarship.
Shiiiiiiik~ shiiiik~ shiiiiiik~ shiiiiiik~
Papers are being torn after Trina grabbed my book. Shocked by the series of events, I can’t move an inch. The next thing I know, a juice is already flowing down on my head.
“Let's go girls! She's too boring." Trina and her companion left while laughing after that charade.
Seeing my grandma's gift being torn apart in front of me makes me feel that something important inside of me is also torn apart, piece by piece. I compiled the pieces gently not letting it get wet from the juice.
•
I woke up from my trance as I felt a tear gliding on my face. "Argh! If I were that Princess, I would attend any banquets to parade my gorgeous dresses around!" I wipe out the tear and hurriedly run away from that book section. To cheer me up, I look for a detective stories that is to my taste.
On the counter, a long line awaits me. I didn't know that today is the book sale, but at least I managed to save my allowance for the next batch of novels.
"Pffft!” I laugh at my way of thinking, a total bookworm. Bookworm, because even though I spend most of my time reading novels, I am an ace student. Fulfilling my promise to grandma that I'll study hard.
It is my time to punch out my baby treasures! But the cashier is too busy flirting with her co-worker, and its too cheesy for me so I look away. When its time to pay for it, I noticed the last book that was punched was that cliché fantasy.
“Oh shoot!”
"Uhm, excuse me miss, could you deduct the last book? I am not going to purchase it, sorry." I plead even though I'm shy with strangers.
The cashier lady look at me irritated as she replied, "sorry no take-back-sies! Now pay!" And rolled her eyes on me as she sweetly smiled at her co-worker.
Flirt!
No choice, I paid for it. But since it's book sale, I still paid for all of it under the budget. I cannot just throw away that book since its a sin towards the gods and goddesses of the books from above, it is one of my beliefs, no judgmental! So I hide it on my shelf where I cannot see it easily.
Afternoon, I took a mile jog, while listening to the music of my choice. It is my way and time to take a breather away from reading, because even though I'm a bookworm I want to stay fit.
After a hot shower, I prepared the materials needed for a little celebration to be held tonight.
- Writer
