Before I knew it, a year at the orphanage had flown by faster than a hungry lizard-crow locked on its prey, and although I had turned 15, I didn't feel much different.
Children came and went, but there were several kids in the orphanage who were known as "the veterans." This elite group consisted of Isi, Akash, Liwei, Junebug (she didn't know her real name, so that had been her name for her entire life), Kaito, Surya, and I.
Over time, I began to accept my role as the eldest in the orphanage, caring for not just for Akash, but the other little boys and girls as well. Isi stood by my side as my second-in-command, although sometimes, her immaturity proved to be too much to handle.
"Psst!" she had whispered to me one day. She beckoned me over with a wave of her hand to the washrooms.
I snuck away from Liwei and Akash, who were playing Pai Sho. He was so smart for a seven-year-old. His birthday had elicited a huge celebration from everybody; everyone at the orphanage loved him so. I was so proud of him.
I followed Isi. After I entered the washroom, she slammed the door shut behind us.
"Akira, don't freak out, 'kay?" she pleaded. I raised one eyebrow. What could she possibly have to tell me?
Inhaling sharply, Isi gestured to a piece of cloth on the tiles. It had a huge splotch of red right in the center.
"I'm dyin'," she sighed, her lower lip quivering. "That happened this mornin'. Or durin' the night. I don't know how it happened or why, I mean, I had really bad stomach aches the past few days, but I didn't think they would kill…me…" she sniffed, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
I was incredulous, and I wasn't sure if it was because Isi was crying, or because she was being so naïve, both aspects which I never thought could've existed in Isi. Her street-intelligence was, to me, far beyond comprehension.
I held in a laugh, and failed.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" I howled, a sharp pain jolting my sides from laughing too much.
"The hell's wrong with you! I'M DYIN' FOR SPIRITS' SAKE!" Isi bellowed, shaking my shoulders, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
Finally, I calmed down enough to wipe tears of laughter from my eyes.
"Tha…tha…you're not dying!" I managed to say between laughs.
"What do ya mean?" she questioned, a tinge of hope in her voice.
"It's completely natural! I get it too!" I assured. "In fact, it means you're normal. You're a woman now, Isi. Here. Just take a rag, put it in your panties, and wash it every day for about five to seven days, and you'll be just fine," I explained.
"Really? Phew!" she sighed, relief erasing the tension that had buried itself into her facial features.
"What happened to all that street cred?" I smirked, earning me a punch in the arm.
"Aw shut up," Isi growled, shoving me aside to exit the washroom. But at the door, she stopped and swirled around to face me. "Tell anyone about this, and you're dead," she warned.
I chuckled. "You got it."
However, Isi could also have her moments. Conversations with her were always engaging and interesting, and I always marveled at how intelligent she was for a girl with absolutely no education.
One time, she struck up a conversation about architecture; she was in love with it.
"It's why I love Republic City more than any city in the entire world," she once said.
"It has some of the greatest, bestest building designs. I mean, look at the place! Everything, it's huge! Boy, Avatar Aang and Firelord Zuko sure built the greatest city ever. I mean, the map of the city, the way it's laid out on some huge, super grid, and even Air Temple Island where Councilman Tenzin lives is so beautiful! One day, I'm gonna build a city just like Republic City, if not better. I have to. It's been my life's dream, Akira," Isi babbled. I smiled at her enthusiasm, and envied her for it.
"So, Akira, what are your dreams?" Isi questioned.
I stiffened. Never had I been asked something so profound. My throat went dry as I racked my brain for an answer. What was I to do? Did I want to be adopted? Did I want to stay in the orphanage forever? It occurred to me that I didn't have a game plan; that I never had a game plan. I took life as it took me. Not wanting to sound like a fool, I answered.
"Um, I want to work in a hospital." I smiled, hoping Isi wouldn't see right through me.
She laughed.
"Yeah right! Only waterbenders have chances of working in hospitals. Seriously, Akira, tell me the truth. What are ya gonna do with your life?" Isi asked again.
I hesitated; I supposed I underestimated her knowledge of me, and her ability to judge and analyze character. Or maybe, she was my best friend. I decided to tell her the truth.
"Honestly, Isi, I don't know. I never knew. I guess whatever happens, happens for a reason. So I'll let fate decide for me," I answered.
"That's cool, I guess. I didn't think ya were a big believer in fate, though," Isi mused.
"Momma always told me to have faith, and that everything would work out in the end. It got me here, didn't it?" I rebutted.
"I guess," Isi said with a smile that conveyed a sense of confusion and disbelief rather than understanding.
Soon, one by one, our little group of veterans began to chip away. Liwei was adopted by some grumpy old man, Changpu, who had happened to take a liking to the Pai Sho-loving rascal.
Liwei decided to make a wager with him: if he could win against Changpu in Pai Sho, Changpu would have to adopt him. The grumpy man had agreed.
"Never have I seen a child so gosh-darned intelligent!" Changpu had mused while engaging in a little game with Liwei, and although he played well, Liwei managed to triumph in the end.
"I am proud to adopt you, my son! You must teach me your ways!" Changpu exclaimed while leading him out of the orphanage's front door, impressed by Liwei's rare skill.
Surya and Junebug were adopted together, by a young couple who couldn't have children and always dreamed of having two girls.
Even Kaito left. He ran away in the middle of the night without saying a word. He had said he was going to escape Republic City and travel to the Northern Water Tribe and marry the Northern Princess, but no one believed he would actually do it.
"He's gonna die, you know…" Isi had said when he was nowhere to be found. I shrugged sadly, and went back to our usual work.
Of course, I was sad each time a veteran was taken away from us.
But when Isi left was when I got the most emotional.
She was adopted somewhere between my fifteenth and sixteenth birthday.
A lovely middle-aged woman entered the orphanage. She was stout and homely, but radiated a warmth that made everybody's heart melt with happiness. Her name was Junmei, and she had the most beautiful soul I had ever seen…her inner beauty brought images of Momma to my mind. It was funny. Before Junmei's arrival, I had forgotten what my own mother looked like. I gulped back my shame.
"Oh, look at all these darlings!" she bubbled, her voice a melody to our ears. She walked over to Akash and planted a kiss onto his cheek. He giggled.
"Can you be my mom?" he asked innocently. Junmei squealed with delight. "Oh I wish, my dear, but my Papa wants a little girl," she sniffed, genuinely disappointed in herself.
"Well you ain't gon' find a lil' girl here, ya hear. Them lil' ones got adopted a while ago," Isi butt in casually. "It's been quiet 'round here…" she sighed.
"Why, I see a little girl!" Junmei urged.
Isi raised her eyebrows in confusion. "Where in the hell do ya see that?"
Smiling, Junmei touched her finger to Isi's heart. "Right here."
I had never seen Isi cry before. I had seen her come close to crying when she thought she was dying, but I had never physically seen tears spill from her eyes.
She embraced Junmei, her arms wrapped completely around her rather large stomach. Isi quaked with relief and happiness.
Isi was robbed of her childhood. She lost her innocence too early…and grew up too quick. To hear someone call her a child was validation for her. It meant that her life wasn't wasted. Isi could finally be the child she never had the chance to be.
I started to cry too. I wanted to say it was because I was happy for her. But that wasn't the case at all.
I needed Isi. She was my best friend, my conscience, my rock. To lose her would mean losing my confidence. To lose her would mean losing a part of me.
Sadness immediately turned into fear…and then desperation.
"Please, don't take Isi away from me…" I begged Junmei. Isi snapped her head around to face me, her eyes wide and her eyebrows raised in shock.
"Akira…how could ya? Bein' adopted's my dream…why would ya want to take that from me?" Isi croaked angrily.
"Isi! Your place is here! You can't leave us behind…how could YOU be so selfish!?"
Immediately, Isi lightly pushed Junmei off of her and walked towards me while rolling up her sleeves.
"Listen Akira, and listen good," she demanded, jabbing her finger into my chest. "The only one being selfish here is ya!"
It hit me. Tears rained down my cheeks onto the floor.
"I'm…I'm sorry…Isi…It's just that I'm going to miss you so much…" I cried.
"Akira…I'm gonna miss ya too…"she replied sadly, embracing me, tears spilling from her cheeks as well. "I'll never forget ya," she promised before taking Junmei's hand and exiting the orphanage.
"She's gonna have a better life now. Right?" reasoned Akash, interlocking his fingers with mine.
Despite my unstoppable sniffling, I managed to smile at him.
"At least I have you, little bro," I enthused, ruffling his hair.
Akash truly was all I had left at that place.
Little did I know that he too would be ripped away from me.