Hey guys! After a looooong break here is Chapter 2! Thanks to everyone for their reviews. I'm glad you all liked my story! In this chapter, I will put other characters, like Elyon, Hay Lin and Irma. Next chapter, we will see Will and Taranee. Hope you like it! Maybe I'm going to put some HLxE and IxM. Okay, C ya at the end of the chappie!

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Chapter 2 - Hard knock life

"Oh honey, I'm so happy you're okay!" Lady Annette said, as she hugged Cornelia, who had a sad face. She, Caleb, and his father were all at the Orphanage, in Lady Annette's office.

"When I saw her, I discovered she was from this orphanage because of her dress." Caleb's father explained to Lady Annette.

"Oh, yes. It's the uniform of the orphanage. Oh, Mr. Julian thanks for bringing my Cornelia back. I was so worried!" Lady Annette said, with a little tear in her eye. Cornelia looked scared. She knew that when they left, she would have to pay for what she did.

"No problem Mrs. Annette. I'm just happy to see nothing happened to the young lady. What I don't understand is why she wanted to escape from this orphanage." Julian said.

Instantly, Lady Annette looked at the blonde. "Cornelia, dear, why don't you go upstairs? I'm sure the girls will be happy to see you are back." she said.

Her face was so evil, but Julian couldn't see that. Cornelia nodded and started going in the direction of her room. As she walked, she saw Caleb staring at her. This made her forget about the punishment she was surely going to receive. Her heart was beating fast and she didn't understand why.

She wasn't afraid, she was just relaxed. The first time she saw him, she felt everything was going to be alright, but then his father appeared.

She finally entered her room. It was really big. There were 12 little and old beds in the room. Instantly, 11 girls stared at her. Cornelia just took a long breath and started walking in the direction of her bed.

"Well, well, well. Lia, nice to see you back! What happened? The streets are too dangerous?" One of the orphans with long black hair didn't even look at her and Cornelia continued walking.

"Come on Rose, Cornelia is just a coward." another one, called Morena said, and then she imitated Cornelia's voice, "Hi, I'm Cornelia. I'm very rebellious and I will find my Aunt, and become rich!" Everyone started laughing. Cornelia just continued walking.

"What Hale? Are you sad? Are you going to cry?" the girl called Rose asked, Cornelia finally decided to say something.

"Nice to see you again, Rose. I missed you too much. That's why I decided to come back." Cornelia said smiling.

"Well, that's not what that man is telling Annette, and the hole, doesn't lie." said a girl with pig tails and an Asian face. This girl was sitting with an ear to the floor. This caught the blonde's attention.



Lady Annette's office was under the girl's room. Three years ago, the orphans made a big hole on their floor, and now they were able to see everything that was going on there.

"What is he saying Hay Lin?" Cornelia asked as she sat next to the Asian girl.

"Hmm, let me see. Just those usual things you know." Hay Lin said with a big smile on her face.

"What-is-he-saying?" Cornelia said angrily, ready to attack her.

"Fine, fine!" Hay Lin said. Scared, she put her ear on the floor again. "Umm, I found her in the middle of the street, she was talking with my son, something like that." then she put her eye on the hole "Oh my gosh, his son is so hot!!" She cried.

Cornelia rolled her eyes and whispered, "I'm dead."

"You sure are. Look at Annette's face, she is going to kill you girl!" Hay said, and she continued looking through the hole. Cornelia finally found her bed. There was a blonde girl with two braids looking at her sadly.

"Elyon, let me explain." Cornelia started.

"Oh. I understand. I thought you were my friend Corny, but I understand. You don't want to help me find my father. You just care about yourself, and its okay. After all, we grew up with these kind of people." Elyon said, with tears in her eyes.

"Elyon no! I'm going to help you. We are friends. Listen, my plan was going to take us out of here, ALL OF US!" Cornelia said as she looked at the other orphans. All of them went closer to her bed. Some of them were smiling and the other ones were making a mean look at her.

"And what was your plan, Hale?" Rose asked.

"I was going to find my aunt, get my money back, find a lawyer and demand that Annette get charged for child abuse." Cornelia explained. Instantly ALL of them, including Elyon were smiling.

"We are going to break free from this hard knock life!?" One of the orphans asked Cornelia. And Cornelia started singing:

Note: I don't like the voice of the actress of Annie in the film, so just imagine Cornelia singing this song with a sweet voice.

ORPHANS
It's the hard-knock life for us!
It's the hard-knock life for us!

Cornelia
'Steada treated,

ORPHANS
We get tricked!

Cornelia
'Steada kisses,

ORPHANS


We get kicked!

ALL
It's the hard-knock life!
Got no folks to speak of, so,
It's the hard-knock row we how!

Cornelia
Cotton blankets,

ORPHANS
'Steada of wool!

Cornelia
Empty Bellies

ORPHANS
'Steada of full!

ALL
It's the hard-knock life!

Cornelia
Don't if feel like the wind is always howl'n?

Hay Lin
Don't it seem like there's never any light!

Rose
Once a day, don't you wanna throw the towel in?

Morena
It's easier than puttin' up a fight.

Cornelia
No one's there when your dreams at night get creepy!
No one cares if you grow...of if you shrink!
No one dries when your eyes get wet an' weepy!

ALL
From all the cryin' you would think this place's a sink!
Ohhhh!!
Empty belly life!
Rotten smelly life!
Full of sorrow life!
No tomorrow life!

Elyon
Santa Claus we never see

Rose
Santa Claus, what's that?
Who's he?

ALL
No one cares for you a smidge
When you're in an orphanage!

Elyon


(Making a whistling sound and imitating Lady Annette)
You'll stay up till this dump shines
like the top of the Chrysler Building.

ORPHANS
Yank the whiskers from her chin
Jab her with a safety Pin
Make her drink a mickey finn
I hate you, Lady Annette

Cornelia
(whistle) Get to work!
(whistle) Strip them beds!
(whistle) I said get to work!

ALL
It's the hard-knock life for us
It's the hard-knock life for us
No one cares for you a smidge
When your in an orphanage
It's the hard-knock life
It's the hard-knock life
It's the hard-knock life!

The Orphans stopped singing when they heard Annette's steps. All of them returned to their own bed.

"Good morning Lady Annette." The orphans said in a chorus, but the old woman didn't answer. She had her eyes on Cornelia.

Morena tried to stop her, by saying, "Ummm, Lady Annette, do you want me to prepare you a cup of coffee?"

"Not now Morena." she answered without taking her eyes off the blond girl.

"First, I want to teach Cornelia a lesson." Annette said with an evil smile on her ugly face. She grabbed Cornelia's arm.

"AHHH PLEASE NOO!!" Cornelia cried with tears in her eyes.

The girls, who were starting to like Cornelia because of her good intentions, started shouting, "NO! LADY ANNETTE, PLEASE LET HER GO. PLEASE!"

But she didn't listen to them. The orphans, especially Elyon, were scared. They didn't want to even think about what Lady Annette was going to do to their new hero.

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Wow!! This chapter was longer than I thought it would be!! Okay, I hope you like it. Remember to review. I need to know if you liked my story or not!! The next chapter will be really interesting!! And I will put more CXC romance!! Cya!!

Rachel.j