In Love with My Target

Twenty years ago ....

A little six year old, Blonde petite child sat at a corner in the playing ground watching the other children play in the cool of the evening.

She had long given up on ever playing with them. Each time she tried it ended up with her been bullied or taunted, probably because of the conspicuous fire mark she had at the left side of her face.

Now she'd rather just sit alone quietly and watch them play. It did not stop the bullying but it was better .

She is actually a new kid at the orphanage, she was brought in about two weeks ago, after the accident that claimed the lives of her parents, right in front of her eyes.

Prior to this sad event she was a really cheerful and beautiful girl her blonde hair complement her beauty and ocean blue eyes.

They weren't rich but they were happy together and to them that was all that mattered.

*Flashback to 2 weeks ago*

She sat quietly in the back seat of her father's almost rickety car and watched her father quietly as he clenched and unclenched his jaw.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened as his knuckles turned white.

Her Mother just sat beside him staring at him with sympathy. She knew better than to say a thing in situations like this.

They were just coming from a family function and they had been utterly insulted. Because they weren't well to do. Her father couldn't take it anymore, so they left in anger.

She just sat there quietly wishing she could grow up really fast and relieve her parents of all their burdens and worries. They were struggling really hard and she was quite aware of that.

Suddenly a bright light shone on their faces, that was when they all realized they were heads on with a larger vehicle, her father tried to swerve to forestall the accident, he was successful but they diverted into a bush and went downhill, the car didn't stop until it slammed into a tree, destroying the bonnet of their car.

"Arggh" she grunted and raised her head , she cleared the hair covering her face and looked at her parents.

The windscreen already shattered and her parents were bleeding badly, her dad was worse the Glass from the windscreen pierced through his chest and he was already unconscious with his his head on the steering wheel.

The car began to over heat.

"Get down honey " her mother yelled.

"I don't want to leave you here" she replied in tears .

"Mummy loves you baby , but you need to save yourself first, get down from the car" her mother said again.

The bonnet began to go up in flames, and her wailings increased.

"Listen to me baby , you need to open that door now and get down" her mother yelled in tears

"No I want to leave with you" she cried

"Alright you come down, I'll come after you" her mother replied quietly.

Charlotte slowly opened the door and came down, as she turned to see if her mother came down already too.

Boomm!!

The car exploded and she fell to the floor also as a result of the explosion .

She had absolutely no strength whatsoever to stand from where she was . But one thing she knew for sure was that her parents were in the burning car.

The heat from the explosion affected her face and burnt it because she was standing really close when it exploded.

The shock was too much for this six year old to bear, she lost consciousness.

*End of Flashback*

She had woken up two day later in the orphanage hospital. Left over of her parent body was retrieved and buried.

After this painful event she experience, she became a shadow of herself.

She wiped the tears that streamed her face slowly as she remembered her parents.

The fire left an hideous mark on her face, she always covered it up with her hair and a scarf.

Because when the children are bored they'll always tease her about it.

Suddenly she felt the presence of someone else beside her, she looked up at the person and it was her only friend here at the orphanage.

He was almost brought in about two months ago. His parents had been assassinated in their home right before his eyes. He was a really strong kid because he didn't look like what he's growing through.

At this time she was only six years old and he was only eleven , irrespective of the wide age gaps they were still best of friends and always turned up for each other.

"Why are you seated here alone" he asked her.

"Nothing" she replied quietly sniffing and wiping her face dry.

"I have always told you, never allow this children make you feel any less of yourself okay?" He advised, he was older so he was smart and always knew what to say and how to say it.

"We are all equal here, they are not better than you in any way" he added.

"Anytime they begin teasing you think about this and stand up to them" he advised and she nodded.

This wasn't the first time he was telling her this , but it just doesn't work . She had already been traumatized at such an early age and it really affected her self esteem and confidence.

It made her withdrawn and vulnerable.

What was amusing to her was that these children were also children of poor parents , they were all the same in every aspect weren't they supposed to live in peace and love, but no they still had the temerity to pick on younger children.

Hatred for the poor had already began to brew in her , and she already began to develop the fear of being poor.

"Are you even listening to me" he asked seeing that she was lost in thought.

She turned to him and nodded with a smile.

"Anyway I made this for us" he said bringing out two bangle out of his pocket.

"What are these" she asked.

"They are friendship bracelet, I made one for you and one for me".

"I made them from twines and sea shells" he added.

"Wow, it's beautiful"

"But why did you make me a friendship bracelet" she asked childishly.

He wasn't expecting this question , so he looked up at her and stared at her like he was going to cry.

"Why are you staring at me like that" she asked innocently looking into his eyes.

Earlier today he had heard the head matron say that she was going to be adopted soon and the documents were almost ready.

The matron was a kind woman who saw and understood her plight. The matron actually couldn't do much because the children still kept on frustrating her even after thorough punishment. It was like she noticed the punishment incited the children more against her.

Sometimes the children would form a ring with her in the middle and ask how she felt to be ugly, one time they cut her hair short , so she won't be able to hide the burn.

The head matron saw all these and decided they get her adopted come what may.

"Hey?!" She called waving her hand in his face, trying to bring him out of his oceans of thought.

She tapped his thigh again, as he still didn't respond to her call.

"Huhh ..n-nothing" he stuttered finally coming back to reality.

"Why were you looking at me like you pity me" she asked again.

"Really?!" He asked in pretence like he didn't know what she was talking about

"No I don't pity you" he added immediately, he wasn't in any position to tell her what he heard .

"So what's the meaning of that look on your face".

"It's not important, it has nothing to do with you ,forget it" he dismissed rushing his words.

She stared at him suspiciously , she knew for sure something is going on but she couldn't figure out what it is.

"Anyways , let me just help you put this on" he said , she raised her hands quietly and he helped her put it on around her wrist.

"Let me help you with yours too" she said and did the same

"Wherever life takes us,I want you to keep this bracelet with you so you'll remember me" .

She looked down at the bracelet and caressed it softly.

"It's beautiful " she whispered.

She raised her head and turned to him.

"Thank you" she said smiling.

"Whenever you're feeling down, just come out and look at the stars because you can be sure that wherever I am I'll be gazing at them with you" he said staring at the little stars that beautifully lined the sky.

"Why are you saying this to me, are you going somewhere?!" She asked oblivious of the things that was about to happen to her .

"Huh.." he started but was cut off by the strike of lightning which was quickly accompanied by a deep rumbling thunder sound.

"I think it's best we head back in" he said instead.

And they both stood up , dusted their shorts quickly and rushed back into the home .

As soon as they stepped into shelter , heavy rain began pouring down .

It fell like the heavens was angry at mankind and just wanted to wipe them all out.

Accompanied by frequent thunder and lightning bolt.

The other children talked among themselves delightfully , chattering excitedly about the first rain of the year.

The two friends just stood side by side by the window.

"I love it when it rains at night" said quietly .

"I love the smell of sand wet by rain" she said added .

"I know right, this feeling of purity and satisfaction just washes over you and you feel protected" .

"And the sweet smell of nature is second to none"

"I've been there" he added nodding his head.

They said nothing again , and just stood there staring outside and enjoying each other's silence, with different thought going through each of them minds.

They were both thinking what life really held for them. The eleven year old was actually seeing life outside the walls of this orphanage and what it was going to look like.

He knew for sure that it would be difficult for him to get adopted , because of his age.

He turned to look at his friend , he genuinely cares for her and wondered of her new family would love her the way she deserves.

His six year old friend just stood quietly beside him staring out the window, she has never really given been adopted a thought, and has never thought about leaving the walls of the home.

Her mind wandered to her parents once again , she smiled as she remembered that once rain falls at a time like this , her mother would always bring hot tea to her room and read her bed time stories till she finally falls asleep.

She really misses her mother, now more than ever she just wants to make new happy memories for herself.

She closed her eyes and wished for a loving family to adopt her.

She opened her eyes and turned to look at her he was lost in his thoughts. She Wondered what he could be thinking about that made him have a very serious expression on.

"Come on children it's time to sleep" she heard the nun call ringing a small bell to call everyone's attention.

The two children made their way to the room.

All the children got on their bed and slept off.

Her bed was placed at the end of the room , to make her kind of away from other children so they wouldn't have to pick on her. She actually begged the matron to move her bed there so she won't have to deal with the other children rude attitude.

She got into bed muttered her own personal prayers she has grown accustomed to , in her prayers she included being adopted by a loving family who wouldn't discriminate and a family who would adopt her along with her best friend. Once she was done she laid in her bed and slept off.

Little did she know her adoption was already a done deal, and her life was about to take a new intriguing turn.

Writer's POV

Friday 13 August 2021 ......

Click! Click!!

She walked slowly and majestically into the huge multipurpose hall.

She was as cold as ice, no one dared look her in her eyes.

She was putting on a yellow blazer dress, it stopped way above her knees with black stilettos.

Her long blonde hair was packed into a pony with tendrils dropping left and right in front.

Her lips shimmering brightly with red lipstick.

She had a little makeup on.

Although her face was held in a small scowl she still looked absolutely stunning.

Today was the grand opening of her own fashion line. She began to walk inside slowly, inspecting the arrangements quietly.

The workers trembled in fear as she walked past them . She was a perfectionist!. She's not exactly who we can call a considerate boss.

She was bossy and was feared by all. Just like her father!.

Whenever she walked she always had this sense of pride and an aura of confidence around her.

Whenever she talked no one dare look her in the eye. Her antipathy for the destitute was second to none. She wanted nothing to do with them at all. According to her they are all just pretending to be helpless.

Her mother brought her up in a way that she gets anything she want whenever she wants it and now she has passed that mentality to her workers, to do whatever she wants whether it was comfortable for them or not.

Kathryn's POV

"What is this supposed to mean" I asked one of my worker arranging pairs of shoes in a transparent glass harshly.

She stopped immediately and bowed her head trembling.

"Even if your thinking faculty is so low and you can't see these two pairs are of different quality, didn't you read arrangement guidelines I sent to you ".

"And see that these two pairs aren't meant to be together?!" I growled.

Axf8v

I looked away from her, my eyes searching for the supervisor!

"You know what" I said turning back to the lady.

"You're fired, I can't stand incompetent pelople" I spat angrily.

Immediately she went on her knees , pleading that she actually needs this job

"And do I look like I care" I said rolling my eyes, irritated by what she was actually doing .

They'd always make you do their bidding by crying and listing their life problems . Well too bad that doesn't work on me.

"What's going on here ?" Bella asked coming to the scene.

"Hughh" I sighed rolling my eyes.

"What do I do with you Bella" I said to her.

"Nothing!, Now tell me what's going on here" she replied.

I explained angrily to her what happened.

"Really?!" She sighed.

"You can go Continue what you were doing" she said to the lady as she stood up immediately and scurried away.

"Uhm , excuse me" said turning to her and Blinking.

"I just fired her!!"

She said nothing , but held my hands and led me to an adjoining room up stage, like an office.

"I Employed her so you don't have rights to fire her". She said immediately we walked in and closed the door.

"And I employed you , you have to listen to me" I fired back.

"You wish" she replied as she walked to the table , picked up a file and began to look through it.

Bella is actually my best friend , we've been friends from elementary school, when we moved here , everyone already had their cliques and no one wanted to talk to me.

Bella walked up to me and told me she'll be my Friend , she also told me that the other children where just intimidated by how I look.

Soon enough everyone began to become fond of me and we all became friends, I was quite popular and famous in school then because I came from a very rich family.

"Kath" she called turning to me.

"You can't just fire people anyhow" she whined.

"And why can't I?" I replied rolling my eyes.

" Why can't I fire someone who is slowing down the progress of my business huh".

"Simply because the job might be important and that the only way they can get to feed blah blah blah"

"If the job is so important then they shouldn't be slacking" I said point blank.

"Things don't always work that way kath" she said.

"I've always said this and I'll continue saying it until you begin to see things from my perspective". I said

"This people aren't as helpless as they present themselves to be"

"Just give them a little chance and they'll show you what they're actually capable of".

"That's why I give them no chance at all!" I said slapping my hands on the table .

She sighed , seeing that she can't convince me ,she changed the topic.

"Anyways , today is your grand opening".

"The day hasn't even started your face is already a mess" she said looking me all over.

"It's the start of something new, try to

smile more today" she said.

"I need to go check what's going on there" she said and I rolled my eyes.

"Have fun today" she whispered patted my shoulder and walked away.

"By the way , your clothes would be coming in soon and someone to do your makeover also" she added before finally shutting the door.

Few hours later ....

Guest had already began to arrive , they were walking around taking a look at the samples and dropping their bidding prices.

The looks on their face and the smiles on their lips said it all. They love it!.

"Sweetheart" I heard mom voice and I turned to see her walking in.

I walked towards her with a bright smile on my face.

"Mom" I called hugging her happily.

"It's so good to see that you can make it" I said.

"Of course I wouldn't miss your first opening for anything in the world" she replied.

"Where's dad " I asked looking at the entrance in expectation.

"Uhh, I don't think he'll be coming, he has some work issues he has to take care of he is sending his love though" she said.

"Ohh" I said the excitement dying down gradually, I actually did this to prove I'm worthy to be his daughter.

"Is that so?" I said.

"Ohh Aunt , you're here" I suddenly heard Bella say to mom.

"Wow, you're looking really beautiful tonight" she complimented.

"You don't look bad yourself" Mom replied her smiling.

"They're are so many designs I want you to have a look at" she said pulling Mom along.