1
My whole life I had been living in that little orphanage in Fort McPherson, Canada. I bet you don't know where's Fort McPherson. It's close to Mackenziemountains. That's where I lived. Small town... But actually I don't care. My only friend was Marian Littlefield, but everyone called her Mary. Everyone said I and Mary were so pretty even we were only 11-years old. Pretty, well-mannered, and lots more, they said. But why anyone then ever wanted to adopt us into any family? Not that I cared, I didn't like grown-ups, and I was pretty sure nobody truly cared about me. I never wanted to be a part of a family. But Mary wanted. More than anything. Her biggest dream was to be a part of a family. Only grown-up I liked, was Old Joe. His name wasn't really Joe, it was Jonathan. And he wasn't really old, only 22 years, but people called him Old Joe. Where did I knew him from? He was postman. He visited our orphanage every day. I loved being outside, just sitting on a tree-trunk in front of the orphanage or if it was raining, I was sitting in front of a window. Every time I saw him, I ran to talk to him. Even if it was raining. I always ran outside to see him. We were great friends. Always made each other smile.
It was cold and snowy December evening. Totally last minutes to sit in front of the window in my normal place. It was so late, almost 11 o'clock. I was thinking about how I didn't know where I'm coming from, who were my parents or who I am supposed to be. Then I saw something. I didn't know then, that this "something" was about to change my life. I saw a tiny woman stumbling towards that little orphanage. She was holding a boy's hand. I watched them coming closer. One of the nursemaids, Greta, opened the door for those woman and boy. Woman looked like she would run away as fast as she could. Well, she didn't RUN, but she walked away with fast, anxious steps. Greta seemed to have problems with that boy. He was sulking. And by the way he looked like he could've been my age.
"What's your name?" Greta asked. No answer. I sniggered a little. I'd never liked Greta.
"Do you hear me?" she asked. She was getting angry. Boy nodded but kept looking away.
"Do you understand me? What is your freaking name?" Greta was really angry.
"Shut up, you freaking idiot, and leave me alone", boy muttered.
"DO NOT SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!" Greta shouted and slapped his face. I couldn't help my reaction. Something just made me hate every kind of violence.
"GRETA DON'T!" I shouted and jumped up. I ran to them and looked angrily at Greta. Boy looked at me with surprised look on his face.
"What did I do?" Greta asked hypocritely.
"You slapped him", I said simply.
"He did not answer to my question", Greta smiled, still so hypocritely.
"But it doesn't give you the right to slap him. If he doesn't answer, then so what, he just doesn't, but don't slap anybody!" I scolded Greta bitterly.
"Some children aren't going to tell me, how I'm supposed to do my job!" she shouted. I ignored her.
I turned to look at the boy.
"Look, I know you don't wanna be here, in orphanage. You hate orphanages, everybody does, everyone thinks that children in orphanages are some kind of pathetic. Parentless. And now you're here. But please behave. I haven't done anything to you, have I? If I have, I'm sorry", I begged him. He kept looking at me, ashamed of his bad behaviour. I looked back and tried to smile.
"Please, tell me, what's your name?"I whispered. He hesitated.
"Emmett", he finally mumbled. I smiled to him.
"I'm Rosalie. How old are you?" I grinned. I had done something that Greta hasn't. Greta walked away muttering swear-words.
"I'm eleven years old", Emmett said after a little silence. "How 'bout you?"
"I'm eleven, too", I grinned.
Since that little conversation we were friends. We spent time together, sometimes Mary with us.
One year later we all three were sitting on that tree-trunk, what was my standard place. I brought up a very difficult theme.
"Why are you here... What brought you here?" I asked qiuetly, staring at the snowy ground.
"My parents just couldn't take any care of me. They were too irresponsible, both of them", Mary said calmly.
"Uhmm... My parents... They died", Emm told. "What about you, Rose?"
"Actually I don't know. Everything I remeber, is this orphanage. Everything I know about the time I was less than three years old, is that something made me hate violence more than anything", I told simply.
"Wow", was Mary's only comment. Her jaw was dropped.
"That's why you reacted so weirdly when Greta slapped me one year ago", Emm said, frowning.
"You... How do you remember that?" I asked immediately.
"I just do", he answered quickly.
"Must be hard, not to remember anything about own parents", Mary thought.
"It gets easier. I don't know, where I'm from, do I have any story... Why only grown-up I like, is Old Joe..."
"Really?" Old Joe asked suddenly. He has sneaked behind us without us to notice. I flinched and Mary and I screamed. We all three turned to look at laughing Old Joe.
"Old Joe!" Mary said.
"Jonathan! Stop scaring us!" I scolded.
"Jonathan?" Emmett and Old Joe asked at the same time. No one ever called Old Joe with his real name.
"She's really angry with you now, Joe..." Mary warned. I laughed.
"No, I'm just trying to teach him!" I made others laugh.
"However, Rose, you've got a letter, here", Old Joe said and handed me a little, white envelope.
"Who would have sended me a letter? I mean, no one knows me. I'm just a little orphan girl living in orphanage..." I muttered to myself but opened the envelope. There really was a letter inside it.
Dear Rosalie,
you might wonder, who's sending you letters. But we've visited orphanages, and decided to adopt a daughter. You seemed to be perfect. We're coming to get you right after New Year's celebration. We wish you would answer to this letter and introduce yourself a little. If there's ONE person you'd like to take with you, we can handle it. We live in Seattle. That's QUITE far away from Fort McPherson, isn't it? That's why we don't want you to have total separation from your friends.
Love,
Sophie and Jeffrey Hale
I just stared at the letter.
"Rose? Rose! What's wrong?" Mary asked. I realized my eyes were in tears.
"Rose please", Old Joe begged, looking worried.
"Someone's going to... adopt me..." I whispered.
"What's that bad then? You're going to have a proper home!" Emm didn't understand.
"I'm not going to see you guys anymore. They live in Seattle", I told. My heart was probably badly broken.
"Oh no! When are they coming to get you?" Mary asked.
"Right after New year's celebration", I mumbled.
"Oh no. Now is already December..." Old Joe sighed.
"They said I can take one person with me. The point is, that I can't choose between you two", I cried and hugged Emm and Mary.
"I know you can", Mary said with an empty voice.
"What?" I shocked.
"You heard me. You had choosen already. You just don't wanna show it. You'd choosen him", Mary continued with that spooky, empty voice. I stared at her, and suddenly I knew she was right. I couldn't even imagine life without Emmett Cullen. He was my best friend, no doubt.
"I... Mary, I..." I couldn't speak. She'd figured out.
"Just take him with you, I don't mind. I don't care", she tried to convince me, but her voice revealed her. She cared. She glared at me with a look that told she was disappointed and heartbroken.
"I'm sorry", I whispered and ran away. Old Joe tried to say something what would've stopped me, but Emm and Mary understood, that I needed a while in my own I was totally alone, I sat under a tree and started crying. All I could think of, was how unfair I was to Mary. I had known her for much longer than Emm, but still I wanted take HIM with me, not HER. I was so unfair! I had to apologize.
