Rainbow Eyes

I continued painting, focusing only on this pink flower. I was trying to get the left side lighter without it looking blotchy. One more stroke and….perfect. I stood back and surveyed my work. I’d painted a quarter of a wall today in 4 hours. That may not sound like much, but it was. I had to get everything perfect. Beside, it was time to leave how. I went to the bathroom, washing my paint-caked hands off to the best I could and splashing some water on my face. I redid my ponytail and cleaned up the paint and newspapers, returning to the bathroom to wash my hands.

I went to the den where I found Mr. Moreau reading a newspaper. “Umm, sir? I’m going to leave now,” I told him.

“Do you need a ride?’ he asked me, looking up.

“Uh, no, it’s fine. I can walk,” I replied.

“Nonsense. It’s pouring outside,” he said firmly. I liked this about him. Even though I worked for him, he was as protective of me as a real father would be. He paused for a second. “I have to help Mrs. Moreau with dinner, but I’m sure Ian will be happy to drive you home. Let me get him,” he stood up and stalked into the hallway, calling Ian’s name up the stairs.

I chased after him. “No, no, its fine. Please...,” I tried to convince him, but he just shook his head smiling as Ian walked down the stairs.

“Aurora, its fine. I promise you, Ian won’t bite,” Mr. Moreau smiled at me kindly.

“Yeah, I won’t bite,” Ian winked at me and I crossed my arms and turned away from him.

Nonetheless, Mr. Moreau practically forced me to get into the car with Ian. As soon as he was out of earshot and we were driving, I turned to Ian and sad, “I swear, if you try to touch me, I’ll kick you in the balls and scream as loud as I can.”

Ian looked surprised. “Aurora..,” he reached out to touch my arm but then remembered my threat and jerked his hand back on the wheel. “Aurora, I’m sorry about kissing you,” he started.

“You’re not,” I rolled my eyes.

He sighed. “Okay, fine, I’m not sorry, but I am sorry that you didn’t want me to kiss you. I swear I would never force a girl to do something she didn’t want to. You talked to me and everything through. You went to get ice cream with me, so I assumed that you at least liked me a little bit. You didn’t completely hate me. I would have never thought that you would freak out because I kissed you. But, fine, if you don’t want me to kiss you again, I won’t. Like I said, I swear I would never force a girl to do something she didn’t want to.”

“Seriously? I mean, I find it hard to believe you..,” my voice trailed off.

“Seriously what? I may not be the perfect gentleman and ask permission for everything, but I swear I’ve never abused a girl or forced her to do anything if she told me she didn’t want to. I didn’t know you didn’t want me to kiss you. I mean, you didn’t push me away or scream or anything until, like 10 seconds later,” Ian told me firmly.

I brushed a strand of hair out of my face. “I guess I believe you…Just don’t kiss me again,” I added.

“Okay, I won’t. Unless you ask me,” He smiled at me shyly.

I rolled my eyes, suppressing a smile. “Just keep your eyes on the road.”

The rest of the car ride was silent, and I was fully aware of Ian glancing at me every few seconds as I looked out the car window, trying to ignore him.

As we took the exit I pointed out off the main road, Ian asked, “Which way should I turn?” I told him the directions, and then we pulled up at the gray, dreary building, looking even more saddening in the rain. I was actually kinda glad that I told Ian about the orphanage and all, because it would have freaked him out if he hadn’t already known.

“This is it? Wow, it looks so sad,” Ian commented.

“Yeah, I know,” I responded. He glanced at me again, a shy smile that I’d never seen before on his face.

“Well…bye,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

I smiled. “Bye. Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem,” he called after me softly, but just like the raindrops, they hit me yet had no effect on how I felt.

I walked inside, quickly avoiding Ms. Chaley and disappearing up the staircase. I knocked on the door to Rephaim and me’s room, and when Rephaim called, “Come in,” I came in.
Rephaim was sitting on his bed, doing homework and listening to his iPod. When he saw me, he pulled an earphone out of his ear and asked, “How was work?”

“Ehh, okay,” I was about to add that Ian kissed me, but I didn’t know what Rephaim’s reaction would be. Would he care? Would he be pissed off? Would he forbid me from ever seeing Ian? Would he beat up Ian? Would he be angry? So I decided not to tell.

“Cool. Get your homework,” Rephaim moved over, making room for me to spread out my binder and books. An hour and a half later, we were both finished our homework and were bored. You see, we only have to come to assembly on days when we’re not at work. But if you miss assembly and you’re not at work, you’re dead. Or at least beat up, which is as good as dead. And you can’t just lie and say you were at work, Ms, Chaley has a schedule of everyone’s work hours.

I went and took a shower, letting the warm water pour over my face. I was never a fan of scorching hot showers, or freezing cold ones. I like just warm ones. Rephaim on the other hand, likes really hot showers, which I hate. It’s weird. I towel-dried my hair and changed into my pajama pants and an old T shirt. It was 10:00 and I was hungry. I know it’s a bad habit to eat right before you go to bed, but I can’t help it. And unlike most people, it doesn’t make me fat either. It also keeps me full until lunch the next day.

So I went down to the kitchen and saw my bowl of pasta with a name tag waiting on the counter. We’re not allowed to eat whatever or as much as we want. We have labeled portions. All I’ve eaten today was an orange and some milk. So naturally I was hungry. I ate my bowl of pasta, and went upstairs with Rephaim’s to give him his. When I handed it to him, he shook his head.

“No, I’m full. Today, Ms. Chaley let us have chicken wings because nobody needed a punishment at assembly,” Rephaim grinned.

“Cool, can I eat it?” I asked. I was still really hungry. I didn’t know why,

“Sure,” Rephaim shrugged and I quietly ate his bowl too.

“Do you know Alexia Morgan?” he asked me, and we had a conversation about her. After that, it was around 11:00 and I was sleepy.

I climbed into my bed, pulling the covers around me. “’Night,” I yawned.

“Night, Aurora,” I heard Rephaim say back quietly, but by that time I was asleep.