Addilyn

Chapter One She sat on the riverbank, lost in her thoughts, completely unaware that she was being watched. Unaware of the danger she was in. Unaware of who she was. In some senses anyway. She knew who she was. She was Addilyn Jones. She was a straight A student and the star of the track team. She was best friend to Lena. She was smart. She was strong. She was also an orphan and grew up in foster homes. But she was lucky- or at least she counted herself as lucky. In the beginning she had been bounced around a lot. No one wanted to adopt her. When she was little some people said she was too shy because she didn’t speak often and wondered- often out loud and in front of her- if something was wrong with her. They confused her silence as stupidity despite the intelligence that shone in her vivid grey eyes. Others said she was weird and odd and not just adoptable. When she became a teenager homes would bounce her back to the system claiming one reason or another. But she knew the truth. She could hear it when they didn’t speak it. She saw it. She was aware of it- more than they knew. Her foster mothers would send her back because with her striking grey eyes and her long, silky, black hair against her caramel skin- she was too pretty for their liking. She knew that they sent her back after her body started to develop because her foster dads would look at her in a certain way, desire written all over their faces. She knew the foster mothers sent her back because of that desire. She knew they felt threatened by her, by her youth and her beauty. She knew it was easier for them to blame her than to hold the men accountable. They’d make some flimsy excuse to the social worker, walking away and leaving her behind. Her social worker would sigh and shake her head, always telling Addilyn that it wasn’t her fault and she was better off. Despite the excuses they gave her social worker, Liz, knew better. Liz knew what the real reason was, what these men wanted to do to her. There was only one who returned Addilyn for her own safety. She didn’t feel threatened by Addilyn. In fact, she loved Addilyn and wanted to adopt her. Addilyn felt safe with her and her husband. Her husband didn’t desire Addilyn. He loved her, but in a way that was pure and good. But they returned Addilyn too. Addilyn understood. She knew why they did and she understood. Their sons desired Addilyn. Both boys were violent and held violent thoughts. The boys had been adopted by the couple as babies. The couple planned to adopt Addilyn but after the boys displayed signs of aggression towards Addilyn her foster parents decided it was safer to send Addilyn back. They couldn’t send the boys back so sending her back was their only option. Addilyn would never forget that day. She heard her foster mom crying as she told Liz she feared what the boys would do to Addilyn if she stayed. As she left she stopped in front of Addilyn and told her that this wasn’t her fault. That she was smart, strong and beautiful. She told Addilyn that she was sorry and she hoped Addilyn would understand one day that she was just trying to keep her safe. She hugged Addilyn one last time, tightly, before letting her go. She left and cried all the way to the car. Even though she was out of sight Addilyn could still hear her. Addilyn was sixteen then. No foster home would take a sixteen year old girl. This meant Addilyn would have to go into a group home. The very reasons her foster mother returned her- the things she feared for Addilyn- would absolutely happen to her in a group home. Liz decided it couldn’t be an option. She knew what would happen if Addilyn went into a place like that. She took Addilyn home with her. She told Addilyn that she got consent from her superior to allow Addilyn to live with her but Addilyn knew better. Addilyn knew Liz broke the rules and lied to keep her safe. Addilyn didn’t know why she knew- only that she did. That was almost two years ago. She was safe with Liz. Together, the two of them, were a family. Addilyn loved Liz and Liz treated her like a daughter. Addilyn was almost eighteen and about to age out from the system. Most foster families would kick their wards out as soon as they aged out since they wouldn’t get money for them anymore. But Addilyn knew Liz wouldn’t kick her out. She didn’t get any money for Addilyn. Money wasn’t a concern for Liz. Her family was very wealthy. Liz never wanted for anything. She didn’t even need to work. Liz became a social worker because she was kind and had a very good heart. She truly wanted to make a difference for kids like Addilyn. And she did make a difference. She saved Addilyn from violent acts that would be committed against her. But more importantly she gave Addilyn a home, a family. Not just by taking her in but because Liz’s whole family accepted Addilyn as their own. She belonged with them, to them. So, yes, Addilyn Jones knew who she was. She was a friend. A daughter. A grand daughter. She belonged to a family that loved her. But she didn’t know what she was. What she was put her in danger. Put her life at risk. And the very reason she was being stalked. She should have been aware of it. Aware of the stranger that followed her, watched her. She was able to know what people were thinking, read their thoughts. She knew Liz was home before she walked into the house. She was aware of all of this, of people. She didn’t know why, but it was natural to her. But she didn’t know this person was there. She didn’t sense him. She couldn’t hear him. He was the same as her. He knew what she was. Soon Addilyn would know too.