Chapter 1

"You'd rather leave home than just apologise for being an insolent child. Have you gone completely mental?" Eveland scowled.

Before I knew it, her hand flew across my cheek. I felt blood rush to my face.

I walked away, determined to leave the room, but I could not control myself.

"I hope you're happy with your priorities. I'd rather die than live with any of your kind."

I ran out of the house, out of Loiser St. I've always called it Loser St. because I always get corrected for pronouncing it wrongly and well, because it seemed appropriate.

I didn't know where I was going but running seemed like the right thing to do. My hands were shaking and my body was aching. I paused in the middle of the street and walked towards a quiet alley.

My head was in my when I started rocking backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards. Soon, I had completely lost it. I started picking up things of the alley floor and throwing them against the graffitied walls. I even broke a couple of glass bottles.

A distant voice broke through my anger, "HEY! STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING!"

It was the neighborhood police.

I ran as fast as possible; this had happened before and could not happen again.

I tried to create a diversion. Turning left, then right then right again. They were still onto me. I was running into back alleyways kicking and jumping off old barrels. I flung a rubbish dump at them.

Where do I go? Where do I go? Waterloo bridge- it was the nearest crowded place and it would be much harder to find me.

I jumped to my feet and headed towards the old bridge. I saw a thriving mass of people. Thank the gods. I ran into an opening in the crowd and got caught in the anonymity of it.

I was safe.

I took off my leather jacket, ruffled my hair and walked along the bridge to, hopefully, blend in.

"Waterloo Bridge is the best place to go to at sunset."

"Hey John! How are you? It's been ages!"

"1,2,3.. Nice one! One more!"

"You've heard The Kinks? These guys are amazing."

That got my head turning. A couple of blondes surprised me with talk of the rock band.

The Kinks,eh? Lets impress these chicks.

"Dirty old river, must you keep rolling, rolling into the night," walking up to the girls.

"People so busy, make me feel dizzy, taxi light shines so bright

"But I don't, need no friends-"

"Yes, you do," a tiny voice interrupted.

I stopped abruptly and looked around.

Behind me was a girl perhaps 10 years old. She was a mere 4 feet with blond locks and a winter hat. She had seemingly innocent hazel eyes and was wearing a worn out brown coat. She had little socks with frills at the end and a pair of black baby doll shoes.

I tried to ignore her and turned towards the blondes.

"As long as I gaze on Waterloo Sunset, I am in paradise." I tried to continue my song.

"No you're not. You're sad, lonely, demoralized and tired and probably need a place to sleep in. Is this what you call paradise? Pfft." She snorted. "

You're in real denial sir," she shook her head. She had a mild French accent as she spoke.

The blondes laughed and walked off.

She was so adorable you could almost throw her into the river-I mean, smother her in kisses. Big know-it-all little priss she was.

"Thanks. Now run along to your mum." I put my hands in my pocket and walked away.

She walked after me. Her short legs had to run to cover the same distance my long legs brought me.

"But I don't have a mother nor a father. They're dead."

I glanced at her. I almost felt sorry for her.

"Right. Sorry."

Almost.

I walked faster to see if she would keep up. She did. I started to jog. She only ran faster. I stopped dead in my tracks. She bumped into me and fell on to floor.

"Ouch! Why would you do that?" She shrieked.

"Why are you following me?" I stared in disbelief as she shook her head and gripped my wrist.

"Fauxbridge Orphanage. It's just around the corner. Come on then.

"Mrs Gardiner's really nice. She cooks food for the homeless and runs her own restaurant-" she continued.

"Excuse me, what?" I had no idea what she was talking about.

"I told you. You need a home. Come on!" She assertively said and quickly rolled her eyes.

She cut in front of me and lead me to a somewhat hidden passageway.

Who did she think she was ordering me around like that? I followed her anyway. I guess she's right. I needed a home, away from my parents and the bloody police.

And she made me curious. She seemed to know more about me than I did.

"My name's Evan by the way. Short for Evander Grayson."

"I know."

"How? Look I don't know who you think you are-"

"I'm your protector." She cut me off with a look that made me feel like she was not telling me something.

"My what? I'm sorry, my what? Did you say my protector? Uh, against what exactly?" I was baffled, if you couldn't already tell.

She looked back and rolled her eyes again. What was wrong with her? 10 year olds aren't supposed to have that much maturity.

She stopped abruptly and looked back at me. "We're here."