Colors

He took my hand and we sat on the stairs. "You need to explain everything to me. Now. And don't lie to me, please."
I could tell that he was upset, and worried, and scared, but I also knew how pissed my father's would be if they found out I told him. Plus, Grayson probably had people out looking for us now. I let go of his hand, "I can't."
"You can't, or you won't?"
"Both!" I snapped. I was frustrated. I'd only met this guy a couple days ago and I was already head-over-heels for him. It was disgusting. I was pathetic. I longed to tell him everything about me, my family, and Grayson. I wanted to trust him; he deserved it, didn’t he?
I stood up, stomped up the stairs, Jay following close behind. I swerved through the hallways and stopped at my apartment door to face him. "Look, Jay, I want to be your friend, but I can't talk about my old life. It’s just too... Personal."
"Yeah, friends." He looked sad. He wrapped me into a hug and reached for his door. "Goodnight, Baybelle."
__

For days the only reason I left the apartment was to go to work. I honestly was just afraid to run into Jay, again. After nine days of no contact with him, or Lindsay, I ran into them both in the hallway. "Bay!" Lindsay squealed and hugged me. "I've missed you!"
"Glad to see you out and about." Jay said.
"Me too." I sighed, hugging him. I knew what I was going to do today, and it was mind numbing. "Look, I know I don't know you two that well, and you are in no way obligated to do this, but would you help me with something?"
Lindsay grabbed my hands, her brown eyes sparkling. "Anything, my dear!"
"I'd like you two to come visit Miss Vinsont with me."
Jay locked eyes with me, "Do you know her?" I could see the wheels turning in his head. He knew this was a small step into getting to know me.
"I don't know." Mitchall walked out of the apartment; I grabbed Lindsay and Jay by the hand, "Let's go."
___

I was scared out of my mind.
Jay took my hand and squeezed. "It's going to be okay." He made his way to the counter to order us all some coffee while Lindsay and I found a table. There weren't very many people in the small cafe, which was probably best for me. My eyes were already beginning to water.
"Our coffee will be over in a bit, and I asked to see Nadia. The manager said she'd be out in thirty minutes."
"Alright." I said weakly. We sipped our drinks in silence until Nadia walked up to out table. I looked up into her face to see my own large, green eyes staring back at me. It was like looking into a mirror-- at an older version of myself. She couldn't have been more than a couple inches taller than me. She had short, curly blond hair, and my eyes. Like my own, they widened with realization.
"Can I help you?" She stammered.
Jay stood up, offering Nadia his hand, which she shook. "Hi, Miss Vinsont, my name is Jay Erikson. I think we should do this in private.”
"Of course," Her eyes never lingered away from me until she turned around, motioning us to follow her.
All at once, the three of us got up and headed into her office. There were two chairs in front of her desk, which Lindsay and I took. Jay stood behind me, his hands on my shoulders. Nadia sat behind her desk. "So, I am Nadia. What can I do for you?" I could hear a russian accent hanging behind her words, and a smile tugged at my lips.
I stood up to shake her hand, "Hi, my name is Baybelle Vinsont-Lain." A tear slid down Nadia's porcelain face. "I was adopted from Russia as an infant. I'm your daughter. I think." I knew it was true the moment the words left my lips. The woman sitting before me was my mother.
Nadia stiffened in her chair and sprang up. "Both of you out. Now!" She pointed at the door, "I need to talk to this young lady alone."
I felt a lot like a little schoolgirl getting sent to the principals office.
She closed the door after Lindsay and Jay stepped out and spun around. She walked briskly over to me and wrapped her arms around me. "My Baybelle! My little girl!" She was sobbing, but there was a big smile on her face.
I shot up out of my chair and fell into her arms. "Mom!"
We cried like that, in each others arms, for a good while. "Oh, Darling, I've missed you so! I love you, My Baybelle."
I sniffled and whipped my eyes, "I love you, Nadia."
"I never wanted to abandon you, I want you to know that." She said, brushing a curl out of my eyes and tucking it behind my ear. "I've always loved you. I was so young, giving you to the Lain's was what was best for you. I came here a few years ago, looking for you. The forms they'd filled out said they lived here, but I couldn't find you. I prayed, every night, that you would come here. Now, my prayers have been answered!" She wiped her eyes but kept crying. "But where are your parents? Surely you're not just here with your friend, and boyfriend."
"Jay isn't my boyfriend." I explained everything to her. Grayson, what we were doing here, how I didn't even know she'd been here. "I'm so happy that I've found you, Mom." I finalized.
"So am I, Little Bell. So am I."
___

I walked out into the cafe, Jay and Lindsay both stood up. "How did it go?"
"It went splendedly," I sniffed, "It really is her." I fell into Jay's arms, letting him hold me until I saw someone I recognized pass the window. "Impossible," I groaned. "I need to get home. Now."
Jay rushed me back to the apartments; everyone was already in the living room.
"Get your stuff together, now. We're leaving." Joseph, Mitchall, and my father immediately sprang into action, getting their things, emptying the cupboards, making sure there was no trace of us being there.
"What's going on? Where are you going?" Jay was panicking, "Bay, talk to me!"
I stopped to look at him; his blue eyes staring at me, full of questions. So I answered them. All of his questions. As fast as I possibly could. I told him where we'd come from, and why we were leaving. How my father had worked for the government and knew that Grayson was doing illegal things with their land. "That's why people aren't allowed to leave. They've got everything kept secret." I told him everything.
"So you're just leaving? They haven't even found you!"
"It doesn't matter. They're here, so we can't be." My family was waiting in the garage for me. I hugged Jay, "I'll never forget you, Jay Erikson, I promise." I let myself relax in his arms for one moment, and he took my face in his hands and kissed me.
"Goodbye, Baybelle." He muttered.