THE QUEEN

IRENE.

Waking up in the morning with a throbbing back due to the bed i sleep on. Strings are on the surface since it's an old bed , used by someone before I came well brought here. I don't own a room so i share with the other 6 girls as we are the oldest in the orphanage. The room is very dark with grey walls, thank goodness to the sun rising light illuminating the room. It has 1 window and a dull curtain but it is better than nothing. It gets really cold during the night and one blanket doesn't help.

"ARE THERE OTHERS WHO ARE STILL SLEEPING NOW ?" a voice i know too well , Mrs MAISEL the head of the orphanage. We all hurry as we heard her voice. She is very mean to others and kind to those who tell on others about what they were doing during the night and what they were gossip about. I cannot wait to be 18 and get out of here.

We all rush out of the room to the hallway with our school bags to go downstairs. We are fortunate to be granted education.

"I heard Mrs MAISEL found a new man" that's my best friend LUCY , she is fun but also a troublemaker she is everything I'm not. She is a short brunette with a tan skin colour and electric blue eyes , you can see the mischievous in them.

"Hush don't be too loud she will hear you" i shush her while slapping her hand

" Oh please girl i don't care ,at least she will have some hobby to do and stop shouting all day " , she winks at me.

We all laugh and stop abruptly as we see Mrs MAISEL approaching us.

"You two , bathroom duty after breakfast "

We nod and leave to get breakfast before the food finishes. We first do our morning chores before leaving for school.

My first class in the morning is English. I say my goodbyes to LUCY before heading to class. I take the sit in the front row for two reasons, firstly to hear the lecturer clearly and secondly so that no one will be able to bother me, someone like BRITNEY and her squad. She has tall legs with blonde hair and grey eyes , she is beautiful with a white , fair skin colour. She is popular in school, a cheerleader and also a very mean person well mostly to me. I see her entering through the threshold and look away , i don't want to grab her attention. Likely she didn't do anything to me as the lecturer entered right after her. My other classes go by quickly and now was lunch time. I spot LUCY with the other orphans and head to them.

I am on my last class , i glance over to the clock hanging by the wall, in about 2 minutes the class will be ending, as the class ends i hurry over to my locker to get my things. As I'm about to reach the locker a force knocks me over to the floor , i glance up and see BRITNEY and her friends laughing, i try to get up but someone kicks me over to the stomach. "freak" she says and then spits on my face. I don't understand what her problem is with me, i mean i didn't do anything to her . Well except one time when i corrected her in class during a lecture , i guess that's why she's always after me. But hey i guess it's true what they say about beauty without brains. As they leave i try to get up , and then see LUCY running over to me , and help me up .

"Are you okay IRENE , you shouldn't allow her to bully you like this " she looks worried.

"But what can i do to her LUCY" , it pains me to see her worrying about me

"I can braid your hair when we get to the house" i try to cheer her up , though it sound more like a suggestion. In three weeks time it will be my birthday and also my graduation will be approaching. I'm looking forward mostly to my birthday because it's also the upcoming of my freedom.

As we get home , my stomach doesn't hurt anymore. It is not entirely a home because it doesn't feel homely but it is the only place i know and grew in. We got started with the rest of the chores before the sun sets so we can get enough sleep.

I got the kitchen duty to help the cook with making dinner. MRS MAISEL shouted something i didn't hear and accidentally slipped the dishes i was holding , the room went silent .As Mrs MAISEL approached , i stared down to the floor as if my life depends on it and at this moment it does. She grabbed me by the hand and took me to the punishment room . My eyes started to water . After she let go of my hand i felt a sting and saw bruise where her hand was once.

She glared at me with a frown in her face , she was definitely angry , although she always is. She took out her stick and ordered me to put both my hands on the desk and started whipping them. I cannot cry or scream. No, that only increases the number of whips so i just close my eyes and wait for her to finish.

When i leave the room my face was now red with pain so are my knuckles . LUCY saw me and came with the ice bag to help with the redness. We went outside and started crying over her shoulder. She then stood up anger visible in her face and went inside , few minutes later i hear a commotion in the house

As i went to check i see my best friend confronting Mrs MAISEL. I never thought she would do something like this . We slept outside for the night as punishment in the coldness.

It is Saturday, and LUCY was still not over what happened yesterday. I know she is sensitive, but i don't want her to get hurt because of me. She is young to me by only a few months.

In about a few weeks, i will be out of here , just perseverance required. The whole day went by very slow, the only time where you get peace of mind is when it's time for bed .

In the next morning, Mrs MAISEL woke us up very early in the morning than our regular time telling us about a very important guest coming over to check the stableness of the orphanage and donate money. I am even surprised that she's sharing this information with us, but i know she is only excited about the money being donated. We cleaned the whole place and we were told to clean up and wear our best clothes. I don't really have best clothes , all my clothes are handed over and some are worn-out. I enter the bathroom with other girls inside and stop in front of the mirror as i look at the girl starring back at me . A light pale skin with green eyes and golden bronze hair which is at waist length with one white strand hair at the back of my head. I always knew my hair was somehow different but never really put my head into it .

I got away from the mirror and put on my best dress. A knee length black faded almost grey dress with short sleeves . The skirt of the dress is floaty , after the dress i put on black shoes at least they are not as faded as the dress . I brush my hair then braid it and return back to the bedroom and sit on my bed with LUCY.

"I see you're excited about the guest, you even went all out " she winks which causes me to chuckle.

" i just feel excited I don't know why but i have this feeling " i say honestly.

"Really?" She asks amusement in her fac

"At least one of us is feeling excited about today" her face then changes to sadness.

She is right, i have been feeling a bit edgy today ever since the announcement of the guest, a feeling i recognize as excitement but what is it that could actually excite me .

Mrs MAISEL came upstairs shouting that the guest has arrived , we went downstairs forming a line to greet the guest heads bowed. A figure entered and was ushered inside by Mrs MAISEL. We were told not to make eye contact

" Children this is Mr Caswell" , Mrs MAISEL informed " be good kids and formally greet him"

" Good afternoon Mr Caswell " we greet union .

He orders us to lift our heads up . I saw a very muscular broad man , tall about 6.4 , grey eyes with sharp features and a chin that looks like can cut right through your eyes and chocolate brown hair.

I took it all in as i was checking him out , brought back by a throat clearing and locked eyes with him , i saw the grey of his eyes flash a light gold