I was sitting on the beach of my homeland, Tuvalu, I've never left before, and no one really even noticed I was there. My father left when I was really little, and we all just assumed my mother died in an accident, so I never really knew them. Oh, how silly of me, I didn't introduce myself did I? I'm Elise, I was around four or five years old, and this is the story of how I became a Kirkland.
It was the middle of winter, one of the coldest we've had actually, and I was sitting on the beach, drawing snowflakes, since flowers don't bloom in the winter. My light blue coat was wrapped tightly around me, the yellow stars on the back starting to tear from years of being worn.
"I need a new jacket..." I whispered to myself, actually starting to feel the cold set in after three hours of sitting here. I stood up, my long dark brown hair, shifting slightly, and moving with the soft breeze, that only made me shiver. I put my little blue notebook in my old leather satchel backpack and headed off the church where I was staying until they found a family to adopt me.
When I arrived at the church there was a blonde man there. He seemed to be wearing a suit and have a little flying bunny- wait...a flying bunny?! I shook my head to see if it was the cold starting to get to me, only to see that it was real, and it was green. I tried to ignore the little bunny, and walk up to my room.
"Oh Elise, there you are. We just sent Janet after you." The Pastor turned and looked at me, his eyes closed as usual.
"I-I'm sorry to have worried you Pastor T-Tarrey..." I turned and looked at him, giving him a sad look, like a puppy who just got scolded.
"Oh, no need to apologize, Mr. Kirkland here actually flew all the way from England just to adopt you." He smiled, and the blond man turned and looked at me with a kind smile, he had huge eyebrows that slightly resembled mine, although mine were a bit smaller. His Emerald colored eyes had a calming shine to them, and his shaggy blonde hair looked like he didn't brush it in the morning.
Honestly, I didn't know why this man wanted to adopt me. Most people take one look at me and change their mind, but he was different. He looked like he knew what it felt like to be rejected and pushed away.
I looked back over at Pastor Tarrey and nodded, "I-I'll go get my things..."
I ran upstairs to my room, and packed my drawing pencils, paints, my Tuvalu flag blanket, and my clothes (which wasn't much) in a small white backpack. I walked back downstairs, while Mr. Kirkland was signing the adoption papers, and shyly walked over by him, staying quiet.
"There. All done." Mr. Kirkland put the pen down after finishing and looked at me, "Ever been on a plane before?"
"What's a p-plane?" I asked him, somewhat intimidated by how tall he was compared to me.
"You've never even heard of a plane?" He asked, and I shook my head. "Well, looks like you'll find out really soon." He turned and looked at Pastor Tarrey, and nodded his head as a thank you, and held out his hand for me. I took it, clinging slightly. This was going to be very different for me.
