Christmas and Wrapping Paper

"Ugh!" I let out a loud noise trying to drag four of my suitcases through the hotel lobby.

"Oh, here, do you want me to take that for you?" My dads voice dripped with sarcasm. He was standing next to me with the other three of my suitcases and his one.

"Yes! That would be so sweet!" I tried to pretend that I didn't realize he was being sarcastic. We finally reached he elevator and I hoped and prayed that the elevator wasn't crowded.

My dad rolled his eyes in his signature way. "I swear, I bet you have Kennedy in one of those." He said, referring to the bags I was dragging behind me. There was a ding and the elevator doors slid open, fortunately, it was empty. I shuffled in, trying my best not to fall over.

"Don't be silly dad," I paused, "I would give you the bag with her in it, duh." I was trying my best at being snotty and it was totally working.

My dad was obviously struggling with not yelling at me. He knew I would just throw a fit and I wouldn't talk to him the rest of the trip. After mom had died I was all he had left and he pampered me like a poodle. I got everything I wanted from him, I don't think he realized that I play him like a fiddle.

There was a bell and the doors slid open, I stepped out onto floor thirty-seven and started scooting my way to our room.

Dad stifled a yawn, "I can't believe our flight went so late. Look at the time! It's twelve o'clock!" He held up his watch for effect.

I pushed open our door and gasped. I dumped my luggage on the floor and ran for the window, it was beautiful. Huge flashing signs hung everywhere, we were, after all, in the middle of times square. The one right in my field of vision was an American Eagle advertisement,the sign really stood out in the dark, it changed between so many different images and I could just stand there in awe. There was nothing like it.
There was a loud crashing sound as dad picked his way through the bags filling the hallway. "Get to bed, Chris, you have a long day tomorrow."

***

I woke up to a small strip of faded sunlight sneaking through the window. The skyscrapers blocked any other light that might come through. "Dad, dad, wake up!" I yelled jumping into the bed my dad occupied.

My dads words were half moan half irritation, "Get off of me."

"But I have to go shopping and see the empire state building and meet a hot young artist at Central Park-"

He cut me off, "No, you're going to the orphanage." It was a demand, not a question.

My heart fell, "But-"

"No buts, we had a deal," He stated bluntly. I tried to whine, buy he wouldn't have it. "You're going whether you like it or not."

***

I was fuming by the time I pushed open the door to the orphanage. I just could not believe I wasn't getting what I want, I couldn't comprehend the fact that daddy said no! To me! It was like he finally got a back bone!

As soon as I was inside, my anger melted away. I saw little kids sitting around in rags, but they all seemed, almost, happy. How could they be happy in rags? I heard yelling and the sound of thundering feet on the cheap, dirty carpet.

The next thing I knew, there was a hard lump attaching it's self to my leg. I was incredibly startled as a pair of warm brown eyes looked up into my green ones.

"They're being mean to me." The little girl whimpered, sadness mingling with the brown of her irises.

A sense of motherly protection welled up inside of me. The other children were throwing things at us. The little creeps were yelling things like "stupid" and "ugly" a weird feeling crept into my stomach.

"Go," the voice coming out of me wasn't my own. It was the voice of a person who needed to be listened to, not my normal timid voice. The little snots looked confused for a moment, then scattered.

"Thank you," the little voice was replaced with that of a confident child. She pushed the frizzy brown hair out of her face and detached herself from my leg.

"Hey kid, what's your name?" I questioned.

Then the child replied, "They call me Wrapping Paper..."