It was a cloudy day, a day that indicated that things were just as bleak and dull as this orphanage. In the past life I thought that these days were days to lazy around and not do much. Today they have a different meaning, a meaning of loss and how hope can die in a single second.
But I try to cheer myself up by staying by myself reading the first tome on mechanical principles; it's really awesome how I can keep reading this from the library. I have a suspicion that the matriarch likes me because she knows I'm smart and by being smart, I can do what I want because adults don't know how to handle genius kids.
It earns me a free pass, today a Saturday I'm just happy reading the book, I could just syphon through it and remember but I do want to spend my time reading.
The rain cleared a few hours ago, so I had the chance to go outside sit on a bench in the porch that leads to the backyard and read. It's refreshing to feel not glued to a phone, or a computer it's liberating for me to feel this way. Relaxed reading on mechanical uses and principles.
"Chicken Alien Freak." Three shadows are covering my light for reading the sun is barely out not seen but the sky is gray the smell of wet dirt makes me feel comfortable a warning as if it was about to rain.
"Molly, what do you want?" I asked as I sighed and looked at the page in my book. 'Page 155.' I looked up to see her, but she seems cocky even pleased.
"Well I find out what has that weird looking blue paper on the tube." She said as she just opened her hand so I could see my lock, but its broken someone smacked it. I felt my blood run cold.
"This is my lock." She let it fall down to the floor.
"Yes, hey James are you ready?" James is a kid that is older and bigger than others he's seven and Molly is five but he's a mindless grunt. A stupid kid who is bound to be adopted for following orders to the T.
"YEAH!" He screamed I looked at his direction to see him take out the blueprints and opening them. His gaze is in the mud. 'NO, no, no, no!' I bolted before I knew it only that as I was running I felt a foot trip me, my footing lost and ended up with me crashing into the mud face first earning laughter but I couldn't let anything happen to the blueprints they're the only thing I can call mine. They've been with me for 10 and a half months.
I stood up the mud in the pink hand me down dress weighting me down but I kept going. Not caring for the weight only focused on getting to the blueprints. I reached him my entire legs and face with mud sticking to it.
"HA! YOU CAN'T GET IT!" James said as he just raised his hand and out of my reach. I jumped and tried but nothing. "Do it James!" I heard molly yell out James just raised his other hand, I heard a crumple the blueprints were getting damaged!
I did what came to mind and punched, aiming at the base of his stomach relieving him of any air in his lungs. He buckled over I took my chance to take the blueprint and run but I got reminded that I'm just a small 4 year old.
I grabbed them and tried to run but a punch got me in the cheek, I felt tears stung my eyes followed by pain and ended with me crashing to the floor in the mud. My hand rose to avoid the blueprint getting damaged. 'Ouch.'
"She still protects it." I felt a kick in my stomach probably Molly or one of her goons.
"So lame and freaky."
"She is a freaky alien." Another kid said I opened my eyes as I pulled myself up only to be pushed back to the mud by someone stepping on my back making me fall again face first into the mud. And the blueprints were ripped from my hand.
"No!" I replied but it was muffled by the mud in my face. I removed it fighting against the tears but it was useless, I'm useless.
"Oh the alien is crying. A crybaby freaky alien." She said as I used my strength to stand up, which isn't much. My face is in pain; my back is going to bruise, like my stomach and ribs.
"Please don't break them." I pleaded with tears in my eyes; I could feel the rain beginning to fall, small drops. I looked up to see Molly holding the blueprints up as James threw a ball of mud.
"Please." I begged but got kick to my chest and another to my ribs it felt like an eternity.
"I'm bored she's not moving anymore." Molly said I only had a chance to raise my head and see as she tore the blueprints right down the middle once, twice, three times, four times. The sound of that paper breaking will hunt me, the only thing that I can say is mine, got destroyed by a kid. I felt my heart break, as well as my will then the same sound pulled me out of my thoughts as it was ripped again. It got thrown down into the mud right beside me the only thing I could see was the word ARC and Stark.
As the five kids were walking away the rain got stronger, but before they left I received another mud pie to my face. I couldn't believe what just happened. I felt everything deem down, like all just took a tone of grey, everything looked so dull and empty. I couldn't feel the rain, I felt the cold on my clothes, I could feel the pain in my face, arms, ribs, and stomach.
I don't know how much time it was, but I do remember every detail on the mud, how my face felt, how everything hurt, but worst of all how everything dulled. I came to the conclusion that I don't care anymore. I died; maybe I was destined to die once again. I just closed my eyes and let the darkness take me.
"CINDY!" I heard the matriarch's voice behind me, but I didn't move, or couldn't move my body felt only pain. I was only able to groan. The rain was deafening as it fell around me. "SUSAN! GET HERE!" I heard the matriarch call for one of the ladies that work here in making the food.
I felt arms around me I groaned out in pain. "Oh my god Cindy. What happened?" There was panic in her voice but she sounded so distant, I got picked up by my armpits, and my head ended up in her shoulder.
"Blue-ints. Arc." Were the only things I could say, the matriarch stopped, I could feel her head turn around, she knelt down and picked up paper and something plastic.
'Maybe she found them. But I just don't care anymore.'
"Jessica what is... Oh god." 'So that's her name.' I got passed down from one's arms to others. I felt cold and numb, everything that happened was a blur. Questions of what happened were answered with groans of pain and tears. I think I got showered in hot water, my clothes were replaced and I was set in bed.
The next few days I don't remember clearly, I remember sleeping a lot, a fever, medicine, and soup a lot of soup and water. After I didn't feel hot anymore and my nose wasn't runny I could think clearly but everything dulled out. I realized how the orphanage and the days had a dull grey color.
My eyes dimmed and time lost meaning, I didn't think, didn't theorize. There was no use. The only word that my mind kept at hand and would be used in every occasion was useless. My favorite answer became 'Because I'm useless.' I felt things being forgotten.
The Matriarch or Jessica became worried after a week, I think of seeing how I just sat in the living room and not do anything. I didn't have a book in hand or a lost in my thoughts look. I just felt useless, everything was dulled out.
I think that Molly got scolded as well as the other kids after they got ratted out by other kids who saw what happened, but I didn't get the satisfaction, I couldn't feel anything, no joy, no anger, not even sadness. The word depression bounced around my head but it was ignored.
"Cindy." Molly's voice sounded beside me as I was looking out the window as I have done for the last I think 5 days.
"What?" I asked in a monotone voice that seemed to make her flinch.
"I want to say that I'm sorry for what happened. Can you forgive me?" I wanted to say no, but I just don't care.
"Yes. I don't care." I replied in a tone that made it clear I didn't care. Molly flinched her eyes scared and filled with regret as I kept looking at the window, admiring the trek of the sun or the rain.
It was until around 15 days later, I was so dulled out that time lost meaning to me. I felt like a waste of space, nothing I could think of mattered. "Cindy, hi. How are you feeling?" The matriarch announced her presence as I was seated in the same bench looking at the sky as I did for the last weeks.
"Fine, thank you, and you?" I replied in a monotone voice.
"I am good, thank you. I actually bought you this." She said in a cautious and low voice, I looked at her and in her hands was a book that looked way too fancy for something to be here.
"What is it?" I asked her she contained her flinch but I could see her shoulder tense and face harden for a second.
"This is a book called Advance research on electrons and its uses for mechanics." She said it slowly for me to get it or her to read it.
"That's nice."
"Here read it, I know you like reading." She placed the big book in my lap, but I only felt the weight but no curiosity whatsoever to open it, so I just placed it beside me.
"I'll do it later." I replied.
"Cindy, you can talk to me. Oh I also brought you this." She said in a cheerful tone that seemed forced, or not, I couldn't tell nor did I care. She pulled the blue tube that stored my blueprints that got destroyed, it was clean. She opened the lid and took out a piece of paper that seemed like the blueprints but the paper wasn't that pristine blue and flawless detail. It had crumples that were ironed but they were still there.
The tears seemed to not be pasted with transparent tape that would one day fall. I felt a tinge of sadness. "I tried my best to repair it, I couldn't do much but I was able to."
"Repair it." I finished as I looked at the design. the notes were illegible, Howard's notes were no longer readable. The only thing I could see was the picture of the reactor, which still had brown marks.
"Yes... Cindy," Her voice softened. "I'm sorry, for not protecting you. I was so wrong, I thought that the kids were just bantering and you were strong. I didn't think they would hurt you that way. Everyone got a severe punishment for what they did. Eventually everyone confessed that it was Molly, and she got punished for it."
"I don't care, they were mean. They destroyed what I could call mine; they destroyed a gift that was only mine. I loved those blueprints and they destroyed them because it made me happy. I loved them, they were so beautiful and because they thought I was happy destroying them would make them happy. Who enjoys watching others suffer!" I yelled out as I felt tears in my eyes.
"Everything seems like it doesn't matter! They chanted useless to me, they said that I'm a freak and I won't ever find happiness." For the first time in weeks I cried I felt something. "Those blueprints were the only thing that gave me happiness. Now nothing matters, everything is so meaningless, like me I'm just a waste of space! I don't care if I die, I don't want to die but I don't care!" I yelled out in pain from all the sadness and numbness in my life.
"You're a good kid, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
"I'm a good kid? Then why am I not getting adopted..."
"Because people are stupid. You're a good kid you're cute and one day you'll be someone people will try to be like you." I sniffed at her. "Really?"
"Yes, just don't ever change how you are." I cried for what felt like an hour, I remember falling asleep after that.
I felt a little bit better, not much but my curiosity hasn't even made me open the new book. I feel numb. "Cindy." I heard the matriarch call out to me. I turned from the window which is raining; I'm trying to process how everything changed.
"Yes." This time I had more emotion on my voice.
"Today is your birthday." I reacted surprised.
"Really?"
"Yes, I assumed how you weren't happy today."
"I'm sorry I am processing everything, thanks for the wishes."
"Well, I want to cheer you up. Here, this can help." She pulled out a bunny in a blue suit with a pink ribbon and a light blue shirt.
"A... bunny?"
"His name is uh... Mister Bunny." She placed him on my lap, his white fur and pink smile made me mimic it, his eyes are black dots but to me they're filled with happiness.
"He looks so... happy." I admitted as I admired him, every detail, everything of him made me feel something other than sadness.
"He is, I bet it's because he's your possession." I looked at her ripping my gaze from the bunny that is around half a meter.
"You think he's happy because of me? I'm useless, and he's smiling because of someone useless... why?" I asked in confusion.
"I think he doesn't sees you as useless, no, I'm sure he's happy because he can tell that you're not useless. It's up to you to prove him right." I looked back at his face, his small pink nose, his thin pink smile, all combined with an expression of happiness. I brought him close to me and hugged it. I felt the matriarchs hand in my back as I held Mister Bunny close to me.
I pulled out of the hug my eyes stung with the tears, but I could swear I saw the Bunny in a fancy suit smiling at me. 'Maybe everything is not so bad. Yeah, maybe I am not useless. I will prove you right Mister Bunny, I'm not useless I will become someone maybe not iron man but someone.
Molly got adopted a month after my birthday by a family of people who looked nice, she couldn't meet my gaze. I felt anger at her, anger that I will always store away and never forgive. I looked at the blueprints, they're readable-ish. But thankfully I was able to buy a notebook and remake the design from memory I gave it a look and it was the same. I kept the blueprints because they still made me happy.
I was also careful enough to have a better lock and began reading on martial arts and practicing a bit when we were on our free time. I was able to learn about kicks and punches, maybe I could be like taskmaster and learn different styles by looking at videos or people fighting.
Well that wouldn't be possible until 2008 when the internet had youtube and a much useful google. I sighed at now 8 years old, I had many interviews on potential families, but none of them were interested in me. I was saddened by the rejection when they took the previous kid, I made the belief that if I was a good kid I would get adopted, since I behaved the matriarch would tell me I'm a good kid.
This led to less than desirable traits, or quirks of mine. I sort of chanted that I was a good kid, or a good girl.
The years went by, I saw kids come and go. I faced failed interviews, one after the other and ended up with me crying to sleep. But I pressed on, I read on the research that a certain Doctor Bruce Banner published on electromagnetic fields and the overcharge of electrons giving a higher amount of energy, as well as read the innovation that Tony Stark published they were amazing.
Detailing the functions of complicated things, I was able to keep up with them out of sheer dedication. I was not anywhere close to them since they mastered the entirety of different subjects. I was able to keep myself in the field of electronics and mechanics, they were fun.
I was able to after 5 years of gathering materials little by little, I created my ARC reactor, it took me this amount of time because I had a lot of failed attempts and the gathering of materials was hard. Mainly palladium, but I made the calculations enough to get the full idea of replacing the palladium with a different material that wasn't radioactive.
So I ended up with melting 2 spoons that I found out one was made of Zinc Silver, and the other was made out sterling Silver and added a copper wire of around a meter.
I was lucky that no one found out because of the smell, I made the base for the perfect conductive metal for the arc reactor base. It wouldn't corrode because of the Zinc Silver, it would make a conductive material because of the copper, and it wouldn't degrade of use because of the sterling Silver.
I doubled the cycles like Tony recommended in Iron Man 2 and ended up with a really powerful flashlight that I now use for reading in the dark. I was able to make sure I wouldn't get electrocuted. So I had to wrap it in balloons and rubber for insulation and waterproofed it.
The energy it produced was off the charts around it produced a billion kilowatts per hour if I were to modify using the overcharged electrons that Doctor Banner theorizes. It could create around 3 billion kilowatts that's like the 5% of what a hydroelectric plant creates to supply the entire city of New York and that's only with this homemade reactor.
I could power the entire orphanage for the next 500 years using the same plate that I got to call ZCS element. As in Zinc Copper and Silver. But the matriarch wouldn't let me because it would be dangerous and there is no test for it.
I'm 11 years old and I already have the most powerful battery in my hands, but it's useless. Even if it were to blow up it would cause a small pop sound and sizzle, the explosion wouldn't be big because I created the countermeasure for it to not blow up.
It is really interesting in watching the light of it flicker, the hum of energy flowing. The potential of it, I have to sell it or even install it. But I don't have the resources for it.
In other things I got called by the principal to see if I'm interested in skipping grades. I said yes in a heartbeat, I'm sure the matriarch would be happy to say yes. I only hope that I can get out of this hell I call home and move into a dorm in a university where I can stay.
I had learned that when I was 16 I would no longer fit here, I would get thrown out to the streets. This orphanage was hell, it was more often than not that I got a few slaps or punches from the matriarch. I was a good girl, I believed that for a big part of my life. I had my own ARC reactor and it still worked the same as it did when I created it.
I presented it as my science project for an admission to college, I won first place and a scholarship to Midtown community college. Yep a freaking battery that could power an entire campus for 100 years got me an admission to community college.
I was disappointed in the stupidity presented by the committee of NYU but I relented by accepting the offer by community college. I mean I'm 13 and I am entering community college after graduating early.
What surprised me is that I was sent to present my project to a museum for the greatest bioengineered creations on the planet. Where bioengineers were sent and created their experiments.
I smiled remembering of how Spider-man got his powers by the bite of a spider. I was to make a research paper on the museum and see why it was possible. Out of morbid fascination went to the section on spiders.
Reaching the exposition on spiders, I saw the case where the spider which is supposedly to bite Peter Parker is; only for the case to be empty. "Huh, I thought I would get to see it. Maybe it could have bitten me and I would be spider man." I muttered to myself and giggled. But a feeling something crawling on my neck interrupted my giggle, I just fixed my sweater which is made out of old wool that makes it itch. Only to feel something sharp into my neck just where my spine starts.
'Oh no.' I moved back as I felt my body tensing as something began to travel through my body.
"Miss are you okay?" I heard a voice I recognized. I turned to see the man of myth he has the white hair and brown glasses with the mustache.
"I don't feel so good." I replied, but he has his brown glasses and is dressed in an blue intendancy jacket and pants.
"Don't worry you'll be fine I'll make sure of that." He said in a confident voice which brought me ease.
"You're him..." He smirked as he touched my neck where I was bitten and picked the spider in a flicker it disappeared if you would've blinked you would've missed it.
"And you're you. Don't give up Cindy Moon a fitting name don't you think?" He said with a smile I lost my footing as darkness fell around me. 'Cindy Moon... where have I heard that before?' And I felt sick as my body went through changes that I couldn't explain.
I woke up in the orphanage, in my room. Since I'm thirteen I get a room it's a storage closet with enough space for my bed or sleeping bag as I like to call it and my trunk with my stuff. I also learned that cramps are something that don't let you out of bed in some days. The pain is way too much sometimes and it sucks because I get too emotional.
But what I'm feeling right now is different everything is amplified, I can see the cracks in the wooden floor, I heard the hum of the arc reactor that is in the trunk under lock.
The steps of kids walking around were like an earthquake was rumbling in the ground. My head felt like it was about to explode. I got up from the floor groaning. Grabbing the glasses I use to get at least a clear sight, opening my eyes I can't see anything through the glasses. It's like they don't work anymore, but removing them clears them.
'Huh, as if my vision is normal.'
I leaned into the small trunk placing my hand on it and got up only that my hand stuck into it. 'What the hell?' Backing up against the wall the trunk kept stuck in my hand like glue. Placing my hand on the wall I pulled, but my hand was not letting go of the wall. 'FUCK! I did get spider powers.'
'Okay I remember that I can get stuck to walls even using shoes and gloves. Enhanced speed, stamina, strength of being able to lift a hundred and fifty times my weight, spider sense and last web shooting.' With reluctance I aimed my right hand at the corner doing the hand sign Spider-man always uses but nothing happened.
'Huh.' I thought it would've worked, extending my entire hand I felt something move and it came out five lines became one as if attracted to each other and they converged on my middle finger a web line that is as thick as a rope. 'Neat.' I touched it it was soft and kinda sticky it felt like silk.
I heard a knock on the door. "Cindy, Ema told me she heard noise here. Can I come in?" The matriarch's voice sounded behind the door. 'Shit. I moved the trunk to cover the webline. But my hand stuck to the wall, so I pulled softly only for the wall to come with me. 'Shit.' I moved my hand to remove the pieces of wall.
"Yes, I'm awake! But don't come in. I'm not decent." I said as I pulled an excuse as I tried to let go of the trunk as well as the webline that is in there.
"I'm a woman so it's okay." She opened the door; I quickly threw my shirt overhead and acted as if I was covering myself. I placed both hands on my back hiding myself.
"Wait, I don't have a shirt!" The matriarch closed the door.
"I'm sorry, please come out when you're decent I was worried when they brought you here unconscious and with a fever." She said in a monotone tone of voice. I was finnaly able to let go of the trunk and stood there, thinking of not sticking as I made my way to the door.
I sighed as I threw on the same shirt, and came out without my glasses, I also felt taller and leaner stronger. Looking at the small mirror I lifted my shirt to see it toned like marble. 'Holy shit I'm ripped!' looking at my arms, my biceps were toned. My face was now clear of imperfections no pimples, even the one yesterday disappeared.
I stepped out the matriarchs gaze seemed relieved. "I feel great, actually."
"I think so too... you look better without glasses, and it's good that you look healthy." She said with a smile. "You have to rest a little more; I saved you a part of breakfast.
So rest up and get down to eat later." She handed me a plate of something that looks vaguely like egg.
I nodded and went into the room and decided to sleep a little more, but it turned fruitless. 'I have spider powers. HOLY SHIT!'
That same year I got my powers at thirteen Iron man 1 happened the conference where Tony Stark said he was Iron Man. Every kid in the orphanage talked about him. I struggled in keeping my strength and powers in check I broke by accident the trunk that has my stuff it in. I don't know why I got them but I was slowly getting better at them and holding back on certain aspects of my life. Bad side I was eating more than I should but my body demanded that.
Having 13 year was also officially one of the big girls in the orphanage which made me take care of the kids when the matriarch was too busy. I just read and let the kids do things in silence. I was happy with how my life was even though I got spider powers, it's not like I have to save people in New York I don't have that ethics code, I didn't lose a family member out of petty revenge. I did found out I had my spider sense. But I had to hide it, I don't want shield or anyone close to me knowing that I had these powers. Not even the matriarch knew she would rat me out and I would end up in a strapped into a metal table. I was happy, I didn't have to act people don't need a spider woman.(horrible name by the way) around and even then that would be stupid.
Six months later I find myself fiddling with my latest invention. My web shooters, I don't know why I made them. I'm not even sure if I would be using them. I remember the formula Peter Parker used it was written in a notebook in the movie Homecoming. I was able to recreate it by using the supplies in college lab. Also I was able to begin my first semester in community college. I even begged for a full scholarship on NYU but I got ignored twice, I literally presented an arc reactor before it became something. I was sent to the stark expo since I was to make a research paper on the showcases by either Tony Stark or any other industries present. But I could swear the universe was telling me something because the day I got my powers the spider bite. It was too perfect, just like today. Even the day I got the blueprints.
Today I was wearing a red scarf, a grey hoodie with black pants and red shoes. Sighing knowing that today would be the day the expo gets attacked. I had to come both days yesterday I didn't come the first because I thought the universe was telling me something. So I did what's best and ignored the call of that day. But today I was forced to come today against my will.
Justin Hammer walked to the stage dancing with outdated dance moves, and who is a mediocre engineer with money presented The War Machine, seconds later Iron Man landed in his armored glory. My hands twitched as I braced myself and began leaving everything went to hell. The robots began to shoot at Iron Man. But they turned to the civilians.
I sighed. 'YOU WILL NOT MAKE ME DO THIS!' I saw how a kid was crying scared as a robot was aiming at her and her parent who hugged her tight. "Fuck!" I yelled as I jumped cracking the stairs I was on and kicked the robot in the head breaking it off the body. I adjusted the scarf to cover the lower half of my face leaving only my eyes to be seen and my nose covered
"Go! Get out of here!" I yelled out as I opened and closed my hand thrice for the web shooters to deploy. As well as a small arc reactor to glow from my palm.
I shot another line as a robot landed and was aiming it's machine gun at the civilians. "No you Don't!" I exclaimed as the webline caught his Gatling gun and aimed it toward the sky and away from civilians.
Another landed behind me I shot another webline with my left wrist and pulled both arms downwards.
I couldn't destroy them but I did have the arc reactors placing my fingers in a claw I aimed at their heads and shot two condensed arc shot, or repulsor blasts at their heads making their heads disappear..
"Whoa! Are you a new superhero?" A little girl asked me with a twinkle of admiration in her gaze.
I pulled my smile to make her not be afraid forcing it to reach my eyes. "Yes, do you know where your parents are?"
She shook her head I picked her up and analyses the situation I saw a guard shooting at the robots but the bullets just pinged of it. It raised its hand that has a rocket launcher in it.
My eyes widened as I shot a webline at it and as it latches on I pulled making it shoot a wall instead of the guard. landing on the robot with the girl in my arms and kicked it's head in a spin kick making it's head lose and shot a repulsor beam in the exposed neck cables.
The guard looked shocked and surprised. "Woah lady that was awesome!" The girl exclaimed in my arms. I just let the girl down.
"Thank you." The man said with such honesty that made me feel like it was worth saving lives.
"Yes lady thank you! You're my favorite superhero!" The girl made my heart swoon.
"It's nothing and I'm sure there are better heroes than me." I said as another robot landed it looked like an anti-air ready to shoot at Iron Man who is dealing with other 7 following him. I shot a repulsor blast at its head the robot went down like a heap of metal.
Iron man turned his gaze to me as he flew by, I nodded at him he nodded back. He landed near a kid with an Iron Man mask and shot a the robot destroying it and took off.
'That's peter parker.' Another Robot that I took care of lights went up and began to flicker to red. I knew what those lights meant.
"IT'S A BOMB! GET AWAY FROM THE ROBOTS!" I forced my lungs to make additional sound. I launched a webline at the young peter parker and pulled him away.
"You're safe now." I said as I sent him in the direction of the guard. "Go to the guard he will help you find your parents!" I yelled as I kept people away from the robots.
After all robots blew up and only a few people I couldn't save got hurt, I got myself out of that mess. Sticking to the shadows, I swung myself towards the orphanage landing a few blocks back and walking like nothing happened. My clothes were okay and my scarf loose around my neck as well as my webshooters went back to my bracelets.
I walked into the orphanage like nothing happened. "Cindy! It's so good to see you're okay! I was so worried for you, with all the mess with Iron Man and that terrorist!"
"I was lucky that I actually got out before any of that happened."
"I'm so relieved, it's good that you were the only one there." 'Sheesh thanks.'
I was on the news; some interviews mentioned a woman saving lives from the robots. I was kinda happy that I helped people out there. Harlem shook, good thing I was living in an orphanage near the outskirts of Queens and Brooklyn it's a bad neighborhood, that was a year and a half ago now I'm fifteen almost sixteen.
"Cindy, I have to talk to you about something really important." I tensed and followed her.
"Well you can no longer just be Cindy, and I'm sad to say that you won't get adopted anytime soon. You're too old for that." Her words broke my heart, knowing the warmth of a family is something I would never feel.
"Then why am I here."
"Cindy you're about to be sixteen, which means you won't be able to stay here. You will be sixteen in a week." 'She's throwing me out.'
"I know, where am I going to live?" The fear in my voice is clear.
"I should not show favoritism but I have a friend that can help you by giving you a small room in an apartment complex and as a favor he will give you the first month free stay. You'll have to find a job, you're smart I'm sure you can do it. The reason why you're here in my office is because you need a name, a last name."
"So this is it, huh. I'm about to get kicked out." I said as a tear ran down my cheek.
"Tell me your last name, nothing ridiculous." She said with a stern tone, I remembered what the man told me, the one who looked like Stan Lee.
"Moon... I want my last name to be Cindy Moon."
"That's a beautiful last name... how long have you had thought of it?"
"Since I was thirteen."