Kiss It Goodbye.

“Amber, wake up!” I heard Mrs. Walsh yell from the other side of the door. I groaned, rolled over and looked at the time. 9:30am.

I’m still here, in the orphanage type place that I’ve been in for at least eight months now. I was sent here three months after my accident.

I was in a car accident, well, the car hit me. That led to me being in a coma for two months. The time I spent in the hospital, while I was unconscious, I was referred to as Jane Doe.

They were never able to find any trace of me. No medical records. No birth certificate. No nothing.

After I woke up, the doctors kept me there for another month. They tried to get me to remember anything. The only thing I remember, is running out into the street, turning back to look at who was chasing me, hearing tires screech as I turned back around, and the car trying to swerve but still hitting me.

No idea who the person I was running away from looked like, or why I was running. No recollection of my life before that moment.

They gave me the option of picking out my own name. The name that shouted throughout my mind was, Amber. So from then on, I was just Amber. No last name. I let the nurse in charge of me choose my middle name. she chose Leigh. They always called me Amber Leigh after that, always the two names together.

Then they sent me here, to live with Mr. and Mrs. Walsh. The couple that run the home. There aren’t a lot of kids here though. Many come and are adopted fairly quickly. There are only two other kids who’ve been here for longer than I have. They’re twins, and are seventeen.

According to the doctors, I’m fifteen years old. They told me to pick a date that I’d want to be my birthday. I could only think of November 21st.

The twins, Ricki and Laura, they don’t want to get adopted. Or that’s what they tell everyone after the adoption days. They turn eighteen in two days and already know exactly what they want to do.

I still have three years before I could get out of here; without adoption. Three years of loneliness, no friends, no family. No nothing.

I doubt I’ll get adopted, no one wants a teenager. They all want the younger children that come through here. Most of the children under twelve get adopted within two weeks of being here.

“Amber! You have thirty minutes to until the possible parents get here!” Mrs. Walsh yelled to me.

I turned on my straightener and went to get my clothes. Once I changed into my outfit I did my make up and my hair.

I ran down the stairs, “Sorry.” I told them noticing I was late. I sat on the couch by Ricki and Laura. We aren’t really friends, I keep to myself most of the time, but on adoption days we stay together.

There are three other teens here besides us right now, about eight kids under ten and two twelve year olds. This isn’t the most kids that have been here at one time, but it hasn’t been this big in a few months.

Mrs. Walsh went over how today would go, explaining the process to the newer older kids. She never bothered explaining it to the younger kids; they never really understood.

“Today, and possibly tomorrow, the same group will be here to get a perspective on all of you. Only one of them is looking to adopt. His name is Matthew Sanders, his friends will be here to help him make a decision. Keep in mind that he might not choose any,” Mrs. Walsh told us, as the doorbell rang.

I rolled my eyes, I’ve heard this speech a thousand times and someone always gets adopted.

“Hello Mr. Sanders, you and your friends can come in here,” Mr. Walsh said and then appeared with a group of men following him.

All of them had tattoos and piercings. They were going to adopt? I have nothing against tattoos and piercings, I want some of my own. But normally, the people who come here are in business suits and have nicely cut hair, and freshly shaven faces. I liked these men better. They looked familiar. I felt like I knew them from somewhere.

They automatically went over to the younger kids.

“Figures.” I heard Ricki mutter under her breath.

“I thought you two didn’t want to get adopted,” I said slightly confused.

“It’s not that we don’t want to, we just say that case we barely get looked at during these. I’d kill to have a family that loves me again.” Laura sighed sadly.

I looked up and Matt was looking at them with a smile on his face.

“You might be in luck. Look.” I told them and they both looked up simultaneously at Matt.

I sighed, not getting a glance, and went to the backyard. I don’t expect to be looked at it. It’s happened a few times, but once they find out that I cant remember my past and all that, they change their minds.

Jimmy’s P.O.V.

I watched her as she talked to the twins that Matt had his eye on. There’s something about her, she seems so innocent but at the same time, not. She looks so lost.

As Matt walked over to the twins, she left the room and went outside.

“Mr. Walsh,” I said walking over to him, “who’s the girl who just went outside.?”

“That’s Amber Leigh,” he told me sadly.

“No last name?” I asked confused. Everyone had a last name.

“She doesn’t know her last name. she was in an accident, that resulted to her being in a coma for two months. She can’t remember the first fourteen years of her life, she’s fifteen now.” he told me.

“Does she often go to be by herself?” I asked curiously.

“Yes, she’s been looked at a few times, but once they learn more about you, what I told you, they change their mind. She gets discouraged, and tends to keep to herself.” he explained.

We’d spent a good two hours here, and I could tell that they were gonna be having lunch soon. The little kids were getting cranky and asking for food.

“Dude,” Matt said walking over to me, “we don’t have to come back tomorrow. I’m adopting Ricki and Laura.” he told me with a smile.

“That’s great Matt.” I said. He went to tell the other guys who were each playing with a different kid, then went to do all that paperwork.

I left the room, to go to the backyard and saw Amber sitting on the swing-set.

“Hi,” I said walking over to her. She looked up a little startled, “my names Jimmy. What’s yours?” I asked her.

“Amber Leigh,” she said in a small voice.

“It’s nice to meet you Amber Leigh.” I smiled at her.

“How come you’re out here and not inside with your friends?” she asked me after a minute of content silence.

“Matt’s filling out paperwork; he adopted Ricki and Laura. The other guys are all playin with a different kid.” I told her.

She didn’t say anything, “So why are you here Amber Leigh?” I asked.

“You can just call me Amber. I’m here because I cant remember anything from the first fourteen years of my life. I got hit by a car eleven months ago.” she said with no emotion in her small voice.

“I should go in, I have to help make lunch. Plus, knowing the Walsh’s they’ll have you stay all day. Matt will probably get to take the twins home tonight. The Walsh’s get all that stuff done really quickly,” she told me as she stood up and began walking to back to the house.

I didn’t come here to adopt. I thought Matt was crazy for wanting to this, but being his best friend, I came to support him. After talking to Amber, I can tell she doesn’t think she’s gonna get adopted.

If I can, I might just be coming out of this with a kid of my own.