Chapter 3

　　This was the third day after I met that nasty Stephanie Collins. Due to the slight argument I had with Lilian, I decided to go back to my foster parents.

　　I packed my bags when it occurred to me that they may not be staying there anymore. There was still a higher chance that they still lived there.

　　I dropped my bags and decided to check first and then come for my bags later. Lilian wasn't home yet, but I hoped to leave before she came.

　　I pulled my hoodie up and began the journey. I watched the cars zoom past me, the birds flying across the sky, until I arrived at the street.

　　I turned left. Even if it was almost summer, the cold still lingered. The street was the same, with scattered debris here and there on both sides of the road.

　　"Good morning, Miss Lowell," I greeted a lady across the road. She was mowing the grass in her little cottage.

　　I still remember her. A very good friend of my foster parents.

　　"What are you doing back here, Diana? I thought you would have been married already."

　　I smiled. Miss Lowell is also still the same. Always wanting to know!

　　I'd be nineteen next month, so why the rush to get married? I asked in my mind. I saw her drop the mower and wanted to cross over to me.

　　I pretended I didn't see and increased my pace time for gossip!

　　I took the left again, and there the house stood in its elegant beauty. The pine trees that stood at each end of the gold-carved gate were cut short, and the leaves blossomed happily.

　　I placed my hands into my hoodie pockets and stood in front of the gate.

　　The last I remember was the pine trees rough and unattended to, and the gate was certainly not gold-carved. I smiled. It seemed like they were doing well now.

　　"Well, I made the right decision," I said to myself as I stepped up and pressed the bell.

　　The laughter behind me attracted my attention. I turned to see a small group of children playing at the corner.

　　I smiled at memories that came up in my head. I used to play with other kids in the orphanage, and one had a crush on me.

　　He was the one who protected me from the bullies and gave me food whenever they took mine away. Our friendship was very strong that I didn't think anything would come between us.

　　Until my foster parents came and adopted me, he never stopped seeing me.

　　I rang the bell for the third time.

　　Jake. The person who stood by me all my life. He only came around once since I started living with Lilian. He and the other kid who'd been our friend at the orphanage.

　　They, too, have foster parents, and they should probably be busy with their lives now.

　　I rang the bell for the umpteenth time before my mom's shocked face poked through the gate. At first, she didn't know what to say.

　　I expected her to hug me, ask me where I have been all this time, like you know...the way a mother reacts after meeting her child she hasn't seen for months.

　　Instead, she was giving me a look that was asking me questions like, Why did you come back? A look that was telling me, We were doing fine without you.

　　Or maybe I'm wrong.

　　I reminded myself, though, that I don't have a family, so I shouldn't expect that kind of treatment, right?

　　"Hi," I managed to smile, "Hi, mom," I said just in case she'd forgotten who I am.

　　"Well..I thought you would never come back," she said.

　　I expected just that. "Can I come in?" I replied

　　She hesitated for a while before allowing me to step in. Wow, the compound was in great shape.

　　We walked into the house, and it felt empty to me. I wondered where Dad was. He sometimes treated me like a human being.

　　I looked around and only noticed my mother's shocked face. Why was she acting like she'd seen a ghost? I coughed just to reassure her that I am not a ghost.

　　"Where's dad?" I asked, but I still noticed her indifferent attitude.

　　It was like she was trying so hard to tell me that I was not needed, but I ignored it because... because I didn't want to believe it.

　　It's painful to come back to a family you learnt to take as your own, a family who one treated you like their little Princess, and they act like they don't even know you.

　　"Where's dad?" I repeated.

　　"That..." she fidgeted, "Uhm...He isn't around."

　　"Today's a Saturday. He should-" I began, but she cut me off as she began running up the stairs.

　　"I'll be back in a jiffy." Mrs Valdez said

　　However, the cry of a baby was heard. She stopped in her tracks.

　　I looked sideways and I saw Dad emerge with a child in his arms.

　　"I'm sorry," he apologized to his wife. "She wouldn't stop crying"

　　Wow!

　　Just wow!

　　So they had a biological child now. I took a step back because I felt I'd faint any minute.

　　I knew right from the start that the Valdez family adopted me because they couldn't have a child, and they lost all hope.

　　I looked from mom to dad and then to the child. Little wonder mom was acting so indifferent towards me.

　　It hurt me to know that now that they have their long-awaited child, they were going to...to abandon me.

　　Mrs Valdez slowly descended from the stairs.

　　"It's not what you think, Diana." Her voice shook, then she looked at her husband to help her out.

　　I stared at the beautiful baby in father's arms before retracing my steps back to the door.

　　I forced the tears back and looked them in the eye.

　　"Thank you for everything." I said, "I promise to...to pay you back every cent you've spent on me."

　　"We are sorry to break the news this way," Mrs Valdez said, and I nodded.

　　I stared at them with tears in my eyes. The tears I tried not to show, but you can force a smile and not a tear.

　　"It's okay to cry," I could hear Jake's voice in my head. The tears fell immediately.

　　"Goodbye"

　　I turned, walked slowly and then ran.