Thank you to all who reviewed! It real helps! I apologize as for the fact that this chapter isn't very long but it seemed like a good place to stop. I'll write more as soon as I can! The reviews give me inspiration so I hope I get some for this chapter! Thank you for reading!

-Jasmine

I got up and walked out the door. I don't know how I was able to do it but I did. I walked different than I had when I first came in. Though the tears were leaving my eyes like rain from the clouds during a thunderstorm, I walked with my head held high. I heard him calling after me though I did not turn. I heard him coming after me though I did not quicken my pace. When I hit the bottom of the stairs all eyes were on me. I could hear Darry behind me though I never once stopped.

"Rae. I'm sorry." I heard Soda said and I turn my head slightly to look at him. I blinked and watched my own hand with curiosity as it moved to cover my heart. The words that come out of my mouth sounded different to me, like it was that of someone I had never heard before.

"I am as well. I'm sorry I have wasted your time." I told him and kept walking.

"Rae!" I heard Darry calling, "Rae! You don't understand!" At his words I whipped around, the tears evaporation from my eyes.

"Yes I do understand." I told him, "Family comes first. That has always been the case and it always will be. You don't know me. These people," I gestured to the group in the living room that were watching me like I was some wild animal in a zoo, "are your family. I'm just a girl who showed up at your door. I foolishly expected that you would accept me, take me in. I thought for a moment that maybe I would never have to worry about what might happen if the orphanage closes down ever again. I was stupid. These people are your top priority. I understand that, don't worry. There are many things in life that I don't understand, but this is not one of them." I told him. I give him a small nod, "Good Bye." On that note I spun around and walked out the door, not allowing myself to look back at my father who was, most likely, frozen in a state of shock.

When I returned I was greeted by a cheery Mrs. Brown asking me how it went. With all my might I managed to say,

"Didn't want me." The smile that was on her face was gone in an instant and she patted my back.

"I'll send a plate of dinner up to you." I nodded and went up to my room.

When I got there I took the letter out of my pocket and pinned it up to my wall, just above my bed.

"I wont cry anymore." I told myself, "It's his choice. You're lucky you even got to meet him." I wish that I believe myself but I really can't.

I felt myself slip my finger through the ring on the chain. Lies. I told myself, I may be his father but I'm not in his heart. He doesn't want me. I ripped the chain off my neck and had a strange urge to throw it out the window.

Don't. You'll regret it. That small voice in my head told me. I had a sudden wish that the voice was a person so that I could strangle it. Though, nonetheless, I slipped the chain back around my neck.

I don't know how long I sat there, just looking out the window. I ignored anyone who knocked on the door and when the food came I only took a small sip on my soup before just letting it go cold. Finally, after what could have been minutes, hours, days, or weeks, I found myself drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

This cycle went on for weeks.

"Rae." Called the weary voice of Mrs. Brown. I looked at my clock. Huh. She was ten minutes early. The usually came to try and get me to leave around noon.

"Go Away." I moaned out. It was getting quite annoying her constant nagging. I know that I'm being stupid and that I should go back to my life but it's different now. It's much harder.

That empty feeling I had before was just a small little hole I had in my heart. I had never known what it was like to have family so I didn't really know how much I would miss it. Now that I've lived that moment... Now that I've meet my family... That small hole I had before is a trench that has taken up my entire chest.

"Rae. Someone is here to see you. Come and talk to them." She told me. I groaned, knowing that if there was another person there who was from outsider the orphanage I had to act like nothing was wrong so that Mrs. Brown wouldn't get in trouble. I stood up and brushed my hair quickly and then swung open the door. I gasped at what I saw.

There before me was one of the members that stared in my daydreams.

"Soda." I breathed out. He smiled at me.

"Hello again, Rae."