Chapter 3:

(Paige POV)

My last week at the orphanage went by in a flurry of emotions. I was happy, sad, anxious, excited, and everything else in between. Mary, Alice and I spent a lot of our time together…laughing, crying, and just being there for each other. I could already feel a whole gnawing into my heart that would be complete when I left the orphanage. I felt so mixed up it was really hard to be around a lot of people.

My second to last night, I stayed up and talked to Kate. I talked with her about everything- being sad, happy, knowing I'd really miss her, somewhat disappointed I'd be adopted so soon and that I wouldn't be her daughter. She told me something that really helped me through my emotions though. She said that in light of her not adopting me. She said that it meant that I could start over. I could be somebody different if I wanted to. I could live in a real family, and get the attention and love I needed from the new family. It would mean new people to love me and new people for me to love. She said I couldn't hang on to the orphanage, even if I wanted to. Times change-people change. This would be a new opportunity- a new chapter in my life.

My last night at the orphanage, Mary, Alice and I stayed up together. Sometimes we would talk. Sometimes we would cry. Sometimes we would just be quiet and enjoy each other's company while we had it. Alice and Mary both made bracelets for the three of us, so we all had three bracelets made by each other.

Saturday finally came. When I woke up, the sun was shining. I felt a lump rise in my throat as it had been all week. Today was the day. I was happy, scared, excited, nervous, sad, and everything I'd been feeling all week. Today was the end of one chapter in my life and the beginning of another. Goodbye chapter three, hello chapter four.

I did all the last minute prepping that I never had had to do before. This was a completely different and new experience for me. Half the time I felt like crying, the other time I felt like laughing. It was really quite messed up.

We all had breakfast together one last time. Kate made us special chocolate-chip pancakes, sausages, toast, muffins, bagels, bacon- anything you wanted. It was a true rarity for so many kids to be leaving on the same day. Five of us total were leaving- me, Mary, Alice, and twins named David and Rebecca were also getting adopted. The twins were getting adopted together.

10:00 finally came. Parents and families started arriving. Kate and James took the parents who were coming to pick us up to the side and let the others run around with the other kids.

We met in the office again. Kate and James went through some last minute things. They had all the paperwork ready to go. Mary, Alice and I stayed together for what we thought would be the last time in our lives. 1:00 rolled around and it was time to say goodbye.

Those goodbyes were the hardest things I'd ever done in my entire short life. It was very heartbreaking to have to say goodbye to my family, my home. At around 2:00, I looked around the orphanage for one last time. Mary, Alice and I and our families left the building and parted our separate ways. I got into the back seat with Christy and turned around so I could see the orphanage one last time. Kate and James were sadly waving goodbye. The lump in my throat rose and grew but I swallowed and pushed it down. I wasn't going to cry.

Finally, the orphanage disappeared and I turned around. Time to move forward, move on with my life. I gave my new family a small smile, but still quiet. The started conversing within each other, but respecting me because they knew this was going to be hard on me.

I sighed and took a deep breath. Then I started talking to my new family, because I figured that well, I was going to be living with these people for a very long time, so I might as well get off on the right foot.

Little did I know how quickly these things were going to change.

A/N: Hope you liked that chapter! I really want to know what you think and how I'm doing, so please REVIEW!