Chapter 15

"Coz' that's fucking gay!" I exclaimed.

"How is that gay?" Cody replied.

I sighed, rubbing my temples in frustration.

"Look, I know I said that we could go somewhere for our first hangout and let you choose where to go. But of all places to go, why must it be a fucking orphanage! That's so lame." I whined.

"Dude, how is going to a place full of kids wanting to play is lame?" Cody asked.

I looked over to Coraline, and she just nodded her head to Cody, agreeing with him. Cody smiled in success.

"I'm just not that good with kids," I mumbled.

Coraline just arched one of her eyebrows, and Cody spoke up. "Why is that?"

"They remind me of my past," I said very quietly, hoping they would stop asking.

They seemed to be getting the signal and decided to talk something else.

"Okay..." Cody sai. Suddenly the air became thicker.

I scoffed, "Okay, fine, I'll join you," I said, suddenly regretting life decisions. "Which orphanage are we going to anyways?"

Then Coraline showed me her phone.

Heh, Hope Orphanage, the place is just near to this campus.

I sighed. "Let's go, then."

//TIME SKIPS//

The place isn't as small as I thought, and the building is more colorful than I thought it is.

I guess my life color is just too dull.

I chuckled at my joke and sighed at how true it is.

"Let's get in then!" Cody chirped and led us the way. "I have never been to an orphanage before. I wonder how it feels like to be an orphan."

I just shrugged, altho my parents are dead, I somehow manage to live my own life for years without anyone's help.

We walked into the building and saw a middle-aged lady on her desk checking a pile of papers. Cody started to talk.

"Umm.. hello there, ma'am-"

Suddenly the lady looked up from her papers to us and smiled.

"Oh? Why are there three students here still with their uniforms? Aren't you too young to adopt?" The lady straightforwardly asked.

"Ahh, we are not here to adopt, ma'am. We are here to look at the cute children here." Cody explained.

I cocked one of my eyebrows. Coraline's voice would probably come back instantly if Cody decided to adopt.

"Oh? Okay then, please take care of the children. And I need you guys to write your names and sign here." The lady said and gave us a paper and a pen.

Not many people's names were on the list, so I guess the orphanage doesn't have that many guests.

Who am I kidding? Who wants to go to an orphanage for a hangout?

"Ahh, Monikka Mayleen, Coraline O'Shea... Cody, Cody Williams? That is weird. I feel like I have ever heard that name before." The lady mumbled.

Suddenly her head shot up, and she stood up.

"Wait here," The lady said. Coraline and I exchanged glances, and I just shrugged.

The lady came back with a thick binder. She wore her glasses and started flipping the pages.

Then she stopped at a page and gasped. She looked at Cody with bewildered eyes.

"Cody Roxanne." The lady said.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"You." The lady pointed at Cody. "You're Cody Roxanne... One of the adopted children from this orphanage."

"WHAT?!" Cody exclaimed.

~~

"So you're saying that Cody was in this orphanage because his real parents left him here, and then after seven months, there was a new couple and adopted him because the woman can't give birth?" I asked, summarizing the whole story the lady just told.

_These are a bit hard for us to take in. Imagine Cody's feelings right now._

I read Coraline's writings behind Cody's back as Cody just sat still for the whole conversation.

"So you're saying my parents ditched me?" Cody asked, his voice breaking. Coraline immediately went to an almost mental breaking down Cody and calmed him down. "Why..." Was all Cody could sob out.

While I am just sitting down, looking at my first friend in sympathy. My heart felt like it has been stab a couple of times.

Why does my heart feel the same thing it felt when I was seven? Sadness.

"We don't know for real the reason for aban- leaving you here. All I know is that in around 5 am, I woke up and opened the door, there you were sitting, looking lost." The lady explained, looking down in guilt.

"How old is he when he's adopted?" I asked.

"4 years old, he was still young." The lady replied.

Cody began to sob louder while Coraline was whispering sweet-nothings to him.

//TIME SKIPS//

We were now playing with the children in the orphanage, well, they.

I am just sitting down by the corner, glaring at every kid who tries to be nearer than a 30cm radius near me.

Then I look up to a girl. She was alone, and no one dared to be near her. I tilted my head in curiosity and walked up towards her.

"I wouldn't suggest you be near her." The orphanage lady said out of nowhere.

"Why?" I asked, glancing at the young girl.

"That girl has mental problems. She is autistic, likes to be alone, and will hurt children who went near her." The lady said.

"Really? We'll see about that." I said and walked up to the girl.

"Hello, there." I greeted, which was replied by silence. The girl continued to write.

I took a chair and sat next to her. I studied what she is writing.

"Killing, aye?" I asked and smirked. Her words brought the past back.

The girl stopped writing.

"Guess what, girl," I said. "I like your writing." She looked up but didn't say anything. Then she started writing something.

Chloe Kenner.

"Hello, Chloe. My name is Monikka Mayleen." I smiled at her. She avoided eye contact, which is okay since she is autistic.

"So, Chloe," I asked, getting near her.

"How many kills have you made? Cause I hope that we might just have fun together."