Chapter 2

Going to school was never good for an orphan. If you didn't already know you were a unwanted outcast places like St. Peter's School for boys and girls made it crystal clear. Firstly the clothes and then there smell (being never quite clean) and the way they held themselves. With dulled sadness in each step.

The only orphan Tom thought defied all that was Alice, she shone with the other happy children and when sneaking a look at her, he could occasionally see the desire in her eyes, to be normal and have a loving family. The selfishness in Tom liked her obliviousness because she believed she was like every other unwanted orphan here and Tom knew that was not the case. She was kind, innocent, lovely and unfortunately he wasn't the only one who noticed.

Harold was a horrible boy by any standards and Tom hated him almost as much as he hated his parents. Over the past years had Tom been his victim but he promised to himself that it would stop. He needed to prove himself to Alice. He wanted to show that he could protect her and maybe even impress her a little bit. For Tom the chance at friendship was amazingly rare and that meant he had to grab it with both hands. He couldn't back down he needed to be strong, he needed to be brave so as he saw the boy walk towards them he didn't cower, he sat confidently.

"What is this nice, little doll doing with the twat of the school. Believe me little blond you shouldn't be with that pillock."

The comments hurt him because he didn't want Alice to know him as a victim. Be brave, be strong.

Alice didn't speak and instead just cringed as Harold placed a hand on her bony shoulder. Tom panicked for a moment fearful that she would surrender to his will and leave him like everybody else did. Maybe he didn't deserve friends. Born as a bastard? Cursed by the devil? He had always been different, one girl couldn't change t-.

Her hand being laid gently on his was all it took. Tom looked down at her small pale fingers and for a moment he saw a silver diamond band on her ring finger. It was inevitable, his attachment to her, she was irresistible to the lonely boy.

Because he let his guard down neither of them saw the first punch and after that the fight was inevitable. It didn't end, it never did. People joined in, loyal followers of Harold beating his defenceless friend and himself.

The rawness of suffering. The forever pain. Torture everlasting.

He had failed. Miserably breaking the promise.

The victims that were never saved.

Only a few had the knowledge of the dark lords past however the ones who did often knew.

When the angels didn't come to your aid, you look towards the devil when you've been betrayed.

Raw pain everlasting.

Failed promises.

The broken boy and the crying girl.

One day they would pay.

It was two months after the incident and now at school they hid in the library and were left unnoticed and due to the secludedness they were victimised no more, although that meant they had to go without lunch for a while. However after a week of starving during the long school hours Tom formed a plan. He would sneak into the food cupboards at school before it started and take what was needed for the pair. It became their routine and although it wasn't perfect it was ok.

By this time Alice had almost completely forgotten the incident choosing to move on. Tom hadn't. This was because Tom would never forgot her cries and his promise.

The news that more orphans would be joining them didn't shock Tom, post and pre war, economic depression meant that sacrifices had to be made and often children weren't on people's lists of priorities. Many children where found wondering the streets of London, abandoned and alone. He didn't symphysis in the slightest, they were all in the same situation here. A few more children coming didn't effect anything for him or Alice. Or so he thought...

Behind his back discussions had been happening and all the staff mutually agreed that the disturbed boy would do no good for such a sweet girl, who could be in with a chance at getting adopted. When the new legislations came in and they were ordered to have even more children under their brimming roof, they decided that Alice would be one of the children to share her room. Hopefully that would pull her from the troubled boy. Little did they know...

It was the week Tom was away when Amelie arrived at the orphanage. She wasn't pretty or particularly smart, just a plain orphan who wore an unusual, genuine smile more often than not. Alice secretly watched as she skipped confidently over to the table that she had been unofficially beckoned to on the first day. How she dreamed of having such confidence as she looked at her already happily chatting with some boys and laughing at their jokes.

Tom did a very good job at distracting her but on a week like this where he was off with other 11 year olds looking for boarding school scholarships, she couldn't help but self loath a little bit. Her mind had plenty to say but her mouth never seemed to worked, her mother often used to refer to her as a wallflower. Seeing, listening, knowing but never telling. Rather poetic but a curse for the young child who had so much desire.

After dinner she entered her room wanting to get a early nights sleep for school tomorrow but the sight before he shocked her system. The new girl was sat on her bed and playing with a ball.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to come upstairs I've been dying to meet my new roommate. The workers here said you were really shy but don't worry it, I can talk for England most of the time, or at least that's what my mum used to tell me. My name is Amelie and I'm seven and your Alice right?"

Her voice was so happy that it made her mirror the hyper girls expression and smile whilst nodding rather worriedly, why had she not know about this. She would have cleaned her room and brushed her hair. Looking around she saw how messy it was and was ashamed at the horrible first impression Alice thought she must be making. What kind of host was she.

"You look terrified, are you ok?" Amelie analysed her expression and then said in a very soothing tone, "it doesn't matter about the mess, my dad used to call my place a pigsty. It's actually quite comforting to know that your like me."

Relief flooded her and for the first time Alice made eye contact with the funny girl whilst giggling slightly.

Amelie's eyes lit up at her response and then she said, "I know it might sound weird but has anyone told you that you look like a doll. I mean you really pretty, my sister Martha used to have this beautiful China doll that looked just like you."

Alice could feel herself blushing and she looked down at her feet. The only other person that had called her a doll before was that mean boy, Harold. She supposed that it must be a compliment but dolls weren't something she particularly liked being referred to as, not that she'd ever say.

"Do you like playing ball?"

Honestly Alice couldn't recall ever playing anything with a ball but not wanting to disappoint she smiled and nodded to her new roommate. They played game after game then, Amelie making the rules as they went along and all together it was a very fun night.

Time flew by and before they knew it Miss Degreed came up and told them lights out. There was a makeshift bed on the floor until a new one was brought and Amelie being polite settled in on the floor. It was freezing in the bed so Alice couldn't imagine what Amelie was feeling so quietly she said, "J-join m-m-me, i-t s f-freezing."

Quickly another being was beside her and she sighed deeply, "Thank God you asked, I'd have probably frozen solid on that floor."

Alice let out a giggle to the statement and soon Amelie joined in, "Your really quite but you know what, I like you." She nodded and shook her head before closing her eyes and quickly falling asleep. Alice was left awake looking out the window with a smile on her face, today had turned out amazingly.

Tom knew that if it was all academically based he could get into any school he wanted however it was partly based upon your attitude through a interview. Poor children especially posed risk to their scheme so when they did allow an orphan in (for a charitable appearance) on a scholarship, the checks were very strict.

At first he impressed the academics with his outstanding grades however spending an time with the boy himself was enough to put everyone off him. Overall he didn't care, he was a social outcast in an orphanage where many had the same story as him, imagine him in a school full of rich, selfish brats.

When he left the room Miss Carlo knew that the troubled boy didn't get in. His snarl and expression put everybody off pursuing him, if he wasn't so strange and unapproachable the chances are the boy would have been taken years ago due to his impressive mind. However that was not the case and they were cursed with him for another five years.

It was a long trip back, at least a couple of hours, and Tom wanted to relax but that would not be the case. Marcus had also been on the trip and he hadn't got into the school either. The difference between him and Tom was the fact that he actually wanted to go and now he was angry. Enraged enough in fact to lash out like a ferocious beast.

The first few punches brought him down but when the third was flying his way an overwhelming sensation overflowed him and suddenly Marcus was screeching in pain. The tables had been turned and now the children were running to the teacher instead of cheering the beating on.

The scream from his teacher was enough to pull Tom from the trance and he looked down to see a purple faced Marcus gasping for breath on the floor. Tom was a freak, this unexplainable incident proved it however these powers meant that he could protect Alice. That Alice would be safe and happy. Just thinking about her being proud of him and maybe even impressed made him smile.

To say the least she was disturbed by the little boys expression didn't he understand of the things he had just done. This incident would have to be recorded and she couldn't help but think that an exorcism might be the only possible option.

"No-nobody speaks, I-um I want you both to get in and when we return, no din-f-food and straight to the office to discuss punishment, you two boys have shamed the rest of us today and should be a-embarrassed by your childish behaviour."

Tom complied happily having no friends on this trip meant that not speaking wouldn't be difficult. Also his punishment would probably just be the room, where they throw you in a dark closet for a day without food or water. It was horrible but the worst part was that he would miss seeing Alice for another day. He wondered how she was doing on the journey and loathed the fact that he had to leave her defenceless and alone.

In her mind, Alice believed that they would all become friends and all would be well. Tom wasn't a very welcoming person but hopefully when he met Amelie and saw how nice she was things would work out ok. All three of them together like there own little family.

The past couple of days had been great with games and friendly competitions between the pair. Amelie seemed happy to ditch her original friends and instead play with her and she was so overwhelmed with gratefulness. Nobody had ever done anything like that before for her.

She talked for hours about her past life and they way her stories rolled of her young was enchanting. Tom was a good storyteller but she was a story maker. Her imagination reached impossible lengths and her story's of witches and elves were beyond this world. The sad part was that Amelie thought that they were only stories and things of myths. Alice knew them to be true. She had never seen them herself but her mother and farther used to tell her stories, many tales, of the world beyond this. Alice wanted to tell Amelie but she didn't know how.

Now they were at the park just laying on the grass next to each other when Amelie said, "Come on Alice, lets go play football with the boys! Show 'em whose boss." She giggled with her friend and shook her head deciding to sit at the sideline and watch her play.

It was a short game luckily and soon they were on their way back to the orphanage. Mud covered her tights and skirt and Alice laughed whilst whispering, "Bit too much f-fun?"

"There's no such thing, have I taught you nothing. Me and my brothers used to play games like this all the time but, I can't really remember but something was definitely different. For the foggiest of reasons I imagine playing it in the sky. I wonder why that is? Maybe I'm finally going mad."

"P-pr-probably." Alice replied with a small cheeky smile on her face.

Amelie reacted with a gasp and said, "You wound me, friend. Now as a token of your forgiveness you shall race with me back to the orphanage. Three... Two... One... GO!"

Alice ran and so did Amelie totally oblivious to the fact that when they got back Tom would be waiting.

That's it for now! Hope you guys enjoyed, remember to vote and comment. I'd really love to see what you think!

Ps have you guys seen the fantastic beast movie yet, I watched it yesterday and loved every second. I'm so glad I don't have to say goodbye to the magical world I love just yet.

Pss I need inspiration for a new title so any suggestions are very welcome.