Author's Note: I would have actually submitted this earlier, but alas, school has begun again. This will make things slow, but I'll get there. Hope I'm not leaving you wondering about what's going to happen next. ;)

Thank you, thank you for the reviews! x]

"Siren"; your assumption was correct. Yes, well, babies are always adorable. x] As for the nationality, I'm not sure…though it will be mentioned sooner or later…

"Rainbow Girl"; yes, I know, it may be a little confusing at this point, but throughout the story, all shall be explained! I'd also like to take this time out to thank you for your help with ideas on upcoming events. ;)

"Selina Enriquez"; Thank you! =] Also, I've read your Matrix stories and wow…you're really good! Can't wait to read what happens next. ;)

Alright then, on with the next chapter!

Chapter 2:

Gaze of Curiosity

"You'd better take that back you pretentious snob!"

"I'd like to see you make me!"

With a furious snarl, the fifteen-year-old pounced at the offending boy before her. He had, much to her disappointment, expected the attack and moved aside hastily as to not get jumped. He was a fool not to know that it would make her angrier.

The entire room of orphans gathered around the two to watch the argument. Many thought it was entertaining and clenched their fists, grinning and awaiting more action. Others cowered and sometimes covered their eyes only to turn their attention on Alidah and Cameron once more. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, they enjoyed the sudden injection of action.

Without losing her equilibrium, Alidah gracefully turned and jumped at the boy again, this time tackling him hard onto the ground. By that point the guardians had undoubtedly heard the commotion and hurried to the crowded room to subdue the angry teens. They were too late. By the time they grabbed Alidah's powerful arms to drag her off Cameron; he was already crying out and clutching at his eye. As much as he wanted to fight back, he wasn't one to hit a girl, yet he couldn't entirely defend himself from her rage.

It took three guardians to successfully take a hold of Alidah and they nearly dragged her out of the room into one of the bedrooms. Even so, her violent struggling and kicking hindered their apprehension, not to mention yelling numerous profanities made their ears ring with frustration.

 Alidah was more often a pleasant child. She was kind, caring and was always willing to listen. Unfortunately, sometimes, her anger got out of hand. But nobody was perfect. Yet when Alidah was angry, she was a whirlwind. It was frequently simple to irritate her but it was a lot more difficult attempting to calm her down. As soon as any one of the other orphans brought up the bitter topic of her family or past there was trouble. The majority of those situations were effortlessly sorted out but Cameron had overstepped the boundary. For once it was he that picked a fight with Alidah because he wished to pursue the sensitive topic that so often set her off. It was always hard for the orphans to come to terms that they had no family, but she took it as an insult. She was convinced that she wasn't meant to have a family; that she was meant to be alone. Many thought it was actually easier that way. They tattled behind her back, gossipping that no family would be able to handle Alidah. As long as these vicious rumours weren't heard, nobody got hurt. Cameron was asking for a dilemma.

The girl was sat down on her bed and scolded while being gripped by her wrist. A finger was disapprovingly shaken at her face. "We won't tolerate anymore of this, Alidah! You can't go around tussling with anyone who talks about something you're not comfortable with,"

Alidah's expression loosened and became blank. Her eyes concentrated on the guardian. "He started it." She said in a voice that was far too calm.

Her wrist was immediately released. It was never safe to provoke her when she was like that. Her tone was too even and her cold, empty stare simply hinted the thought of danger. One guardian with a nametag that read 'Rose' left the room, most likely to tend to Cameron's wounds. "I don't care who started it, Missy. You are to stay here and rethink your behaviour." And that was the end of it.

The guardians knew better than to continue their scolding when Alidah's anger was at that temperamental stage. It would only induce further aggression. The two remaining guardians briskly exited the room, shutting the door after them. Alidah sat where she was placed and a sly smile sprung to her lips. She was very much amused with herself. She knew nobody could change her personality or flaws and she was very proud of it all. Besides, there seemed to be no other form of entertainment she was allowed to experience in the orphanage.

The door edged open and Jordan stepped in. "Jordi, what's the word?" Alidah greeted her casually.

Glancing back at the other children, Jordan walked into the room and quietly closed the door. "Why do you keep this up?"

Alidah's expression relaxed and she flashed a grin. "I'm just having fun. Besides, I can't help it. It's the way I am and nothing will change me."

Jordan stood in front of her friend, leaning on the beige wall with her hands deep in her pockets. "So you keep saying. But most of us don't understand why you take this so offensively. None of us have a family we can go to, so how are you any different?" Alidah's silence, which usually meant that she was listening, encouraged her to go on. "What would your mother think if she saw you behaving like you are?"

"Oh, you mean the woman who abandoned me?" She smirked curtly and rose to her feet, walking over to her bedside table.

Jordan rolled her eyes. "Don't start this again, Ally.  Don't you have any respect? You weren't abandoned. Do I really have to keep reminding you? You were brought to the orphanage by a cop who found you in the park. Your mother was killed there. You're lucky you were even found or you would have perished with her." She had a habit of being direct, but accompanying that was the fact that her forward way of speech was useful and influential.

Alidah kept her eyes averted as she brushed her long, wavy brown hair with a round, wooden-handled brush. "She wasn't my mother." Her tone was serious again.

A sigh from Jordan was heard. "Fine, then, the woman you gave birth to you and raised you for six months."

Alidah turned and glanced sternly at her friend. "All right, all right, but whether you like it or not, she was your mother; even if she was only a surrogate mother." Jordan concluded.

The brush was coolly set back down onto the bedside table as Alidah shared her opinion. "I guess my biological parents must have had a good reason to choose surrogacy. But what I want to know is why they didn't raise me after I was born."

There was an awkward pause when Alidah sat down again. Jordan was the first to break the silence. "There's probably a good reason for that as well. Maybe where they were from it was illegal to have a baby before being married and they desperately wanted one to make their lives feel complete, even if it meant not being able to raise you themselves."

Alidah's almost black eyes flickered with a negligible blue blaze.

Jordan was almost too close to the truth.